The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-01-22
Noted Vice Fighter Testifies in
the Thaw Case.
He Relates the Stories That
Defendant Told Him.
LETTERS ARE READ.
The Accused Was a Contributor
to the Society Fund.
He Was Unable to Obtain Any
Evidence of Value.

New York Jan. 22-Anthony Com
stock, vice president of the society Tor
the suppression of vice, was the prin-
cipal witness at the trial of Harry K.
Thaw today He testified that late In
1904, Thaw came to him and complain
ed of vicious practices by Stanford
White and several of Whites friends.
During the year that followed Thaw
wrote to him several times and was
frequent visitor at the vice presidents
headquarters. Letters were read in
evidence. They gave the names of the
alleged Victims of White in the fam
Gus studio and referred to White as
the blackguard." The house, Thaw
declared, was consecrated to orgies
and controlled by six or seven criminal
scoundrels.'
The letters were new evidence in the
case, but were mentioned at the last
trial when DR.. Evans was telling what
Thaw had said to him of his efforts to
have Stanford White sent to the pen1-
Tertiary.
81 did not want to kill the beast,
said Thaw at that time, but did
want to have him brought to court
and have his acts known. Providence
interviewed, however 1t was an act OF
providence"
1t was 1O:20 O'CLOCK When the TRIAL
was resumed today and Mr.. Littleton,
of the defense began at once the pre-
liminaries of proving Harry ThaW 8
will and codicil executed the day or MS
wedding to Evelyn Nesbit in Pittsburg
Mr.. Francis Pierce, who witnessed the
signatures, and who testified at the
last trial was called to the stand.
Mr.. Pierce identified the papers, but
District Attorney Jerome objected to
the Introduction of the will in evidence
forward
prove it's custody from the time OF
signing up to the present moment. Mr.
Littleton declared the district attor-
ney's objection simply would delay
matters and the temporarily withdrew
the offer of the will. Justice Bowling
said the condition of the will, long
rambling affair was such as to make
the proof of custody desirable. There
1t. AS to the codicil Mr.. Jerome OBJ
jected to its introduction on the ground
it was in the defendants own hand
writing and was a self serving dOcu-
ment. Justice Bowling said the codicil
was a compact, continuing document
and competent as evidence. Mr.. Little
ton then read the codicil to the jury.
The codicil, it will be remembered pro-
aid alleged victims of Stanford White
to prosecute claims for damages
against him and for the prosecution of
all persons engaged in such unlawful
practices as said Stanford White
Among those to whom the funds
were made available were R. Ross
Perry of Washington, DR.. Charles II.
Parkhurst and Anthony Comstock.
Thaw named a number of young
women now on the stage as possible
claimants against White.
Anthony Comstoci1 Called.
Following the reading of the codf-
ell, 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 postoffice
department, having held these posi-
tons for many years.
do you know Harry Thaw?"
yes"
Mr.. Comstock said that Harry Thaw
called at his office in February 1905,
and complained of a party who was
wronging young girls. Thaw went
into details which the witness re-
peated as far as he could remember.
Mr. Comstock also said he had re-
cefved several letters from Thaw
The witness identified several COM
munications from Thaw, one of the
papers being diagram of the
premises where he declared eleven
men were carrying on criminal prac-
tees Thaw declared that workmen
on buildings near these premises had
heard young girls scream and sug-
gested that men be sent to watch the
entrances to the plac-. Thaw also
said he had communicated with the
secretary for the Prevention of
Cruelty of Children, suggesting that a
search warrant be issued and an in
vestigation made of the house, which
was located in Twenty-second street.
'Thaw told me he had been fol-
lowed to my office the second time by
men who were employed to watch
him." continued the witness. 81 sent
several men out in the hallway to see
if any one was there"
Mr.. Jerome objected to the witness
telling the result of this search, but it
came out in the discussion that no
one had followed Thaw.
when Thaw came back to see me
the third time" resumed Mr.. Com
stock, II told him 1 had been unable
to secure any evidence as the house
in Twenty-second street seemed to be
closed. He said he would fcrpish me
the names of several girls whe had
been there. told him it would be
necessary to corroborate their stories.
and we talked the matter over some
little while"
Mr.. .Comstock here identified three
more letters from Thaw, one having
been received as late as April. 1906,
two months before the tragedy
Thaw's Letters Read.
Mr.. Littleton first read to the Jury
a communication from Thaw to Com
stock written in November 1904 1t
attempted to give in detail a descrip
ton of the Twenty-fourth street house
with crude diagrams appearing here
and there in the text. Thaw declared
that one room was furnished like a
forest and that secret stairs led from,
1t to the room Of the mirrors The
door in the forest room was hard to
find. the letter declared, and there
was no escape for the young girls who
were drugged. Thaw claimed that sig
or seven criminal scoundrels" con-
trolled the place and that three or
four decent young men who did not
know of the criminal acts often fire.
quented the place.