Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-01-23

ESTIFIES
FOR THAW
VICE SUPPRESS0R CALLED AS
WITNESS
PRISONERS MOTHER TELLS OF
INSANITY
kindergarten Nurse Declares That
Defendant as a Boy Was Often
Subject to "Braln
Storms"
BY Associated Press.

NEW YORK. Jan. 22.-The end OF
the second Thaw trial is fast approach
ing. This was indicated late today
when DIR. CHARLES G. Wagner, the first
of the alienists to be called by the de-
sense. took the stand for his prelimin-
cry examination.
Anthony Comstock, vice president of
the Society for the Suppression of Vice,
bad been heard as a witness earlier in
the day. and Mrs. William Thaw, moth
er of the defendant, had completed her
testimony.
The kindergarten teacher who had
charge of Hairy Thaw as a lad of 6
years also testified, and the day marked
ii long strid toward the conclusion of
the celebrated case.
Mr. ComstoCks testimony, while new,
had been discounted by the known facts
of Thaw's app cal to him to assist in
closing UP the houses where Stanford
White was alleged to have maintained
deliberately furnished apartments and
where young girls were said to have
Eeen mistreated.
Thaw's Letters Introduced
A dozen letters Thaw wrote to Com
stock regarding the matter, giving a
detailed description of the Twenty
evidence and read to the jury.
District Attorney Jerome seemed as
much pleased as the defense with the
letters, and laler in the day read into
the record himself most of Mr.. Com
stocks replies to Thaw. The witness
indicated in his testimony that nothing
ever came of the complaints, legal evil
1ence being lacking.
Mrs. William Thaw. still unable to
walk unassisted because of her recent
illness. was net long upon the stand
She told of Thaw's early life, of infiu-
ences before his birth, and Of the men
tai unsoundnesi of two of her brothers
She was nor cross-examined. Mr.
Jerome contented himself with reading
to the Jurors the affidavit made by the
elder Mrs. Thaw last year when the
question of her sons sanity was before
lunacy commission. In that affida-
Wit she declared that in the direct line
of descent there had been no insanity in
Harry Thaw's family for four genera
tions.
AS to the collateral cases Mrs. Thaw
said in the affidavit there were but two
and they were easily accounted for.
No Family Secrets
In her statement to the commission
Mrs. ThaW also resented The insinua-
tions which she said she had been COM
PEELED to suffer because of the newspa-
per reports OF insanity in the family,
and she asserted there were no family
secrets to hide and there was no skele-
ton to be barred.
Mr.. Littletor may continue with ex-
pert testimony tomorrow or he may
offer as witnesses the doctors from
Rome, Paris and London who are to
testify briefly of attending Thaw in
those cities.
Another doctor is expected to testify
about an outbreak on a train, and that
will end all save the expert testimony.
Today the codicil of Thaws will was
placed in evidence, but the will itself
was temporarily ruled out because of
the insufficiency of evidence showing
its custody sir ce 1906. Mr.. Littleton
said he would supply this tomorrow or
Friday.
Comstock Called
Mr. Littleton created something of a
stir by calling Anthony Comstock to
the stand, his first appearance in the
case. Mr.. Comstock said he was vice
president and a special agent of the
Society for the Suppression of Vice and
inspector in the postoftice department,
having held these positions for many
years.
do you know Harry Thaw?"
Yes"
Comstock said Harry Thaw called at
his office in February, 1904, and COM
planned of a party who was wronging
young girls. He went into details which
the witness repeated.
Mr.. Comstock also said he had re-
ceived several letters from Thaw. The
witness identified several communica-
tions from Thaw, one of the papers be-
Sc IA .seoc Iarsa
he declared evil men were carrying on
criminal practices.
Thaw declared that workmen on the
buildings near these premises had heard
young girls screaming, and suggested
that men be sent to watch the en-
frances to the places Thaw also said
he had communicated with the Society
for the Prevention of Cruelty to Chill
dren, suggesting that search warrant
should be issued and an investigation
made of the house which was located
in Twenty-second street.
''Thaw told me that he had been fol-
lowed TO my office the second time by
men who were employed to watch him.
continued the witness. II sent men out
in the hallway to see If anyone was
there.
when Thaw came back to see me
the third time" resumed Mr.. Com
stock, "I told him had been unable to
secure any evidence as the house in
Twenty-second street seemed to be
closed. He said he would furnish the
names of several girls who had been
there. / told him it would be necessary
to corroborate their stories, and We
talked the matter over some time"
Identifies Letters
MIR. Comstock here identified three
more letters from Thaw, one having
been received as late as April, 1906,
two months before the tragedy
Mr.. aLittleton first read to the jury
communication from Thaw to Com
stock, written in November, 1904. 1t
attempted to give in detail descrip-
tion of the house with crude diagrams
appearing here and there in the text.
Thaw declared that one room was fur
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