Evening journal., 1909-07-12
THAW'S fight
FOR FREEDOM
Hearing Before The Court In
An Effort To Prove Ills
Sanity
IMPRISONMENT HAS LEFT
MARK ON DEFENDANT
By United Press Leased Special wira

~ 1HAANu AAcaa Ar~aN-1 chctAk WlIA
COURT HOUSE, WHITE PLAINS. n.
y, July Harry X. Thaw today began
his last fight 10 prove that he is sane and
ought TO be released from the hospital
for the criminal insane at Matteawan
Evelyn Nesbitt Thaw was not in court
when Justice Mills opened the case. but
was expected later. She was served last
night with subpoena and ordered to
report az once A process server search-
cd for her until midnight last night in
New York city, finally finding her in
restaurant She accepted the paper and
tho $3.50 railroad fare 10 White Plains.
~ will testify OF Harry ana stick to
him as a wife should" she said. II have
always stuck by him. Il is my duty and
1 shall not shirk now"
II is expected that the trial before JUS
tice Mills viii consume only few
days.
Thaw Appeared Nervous.
Thaw. whose hair had turned very
gray and who wore heavy spcctaclcs en-
tered the court room early with his
guards. lie wore a blue serge suit and
carried a palm lea, fan. which he used
constantly. lie appeared very nervous.
Thaw's sister. the cx-Countess OF var
mouth and Mrs. Josiah Thaw. his sister
in-law. entered earlier Tho countess was
, attired IN simple blue. while Mrs. Thaw
wore simple gray. Harry left his seat
and walked over 10 them shaking hands
heartily with both and talking TO them
In low tones until the court was called
10 order
Charles Morschauscr who represents
Thaw held viii ~ered conference with
his client. while the preliminary proceed
fnua were boinr gone through
Josiah Thaw and his mother. Mrs VIII
2 liam Thaw, entered the court room just as
court was convened. Mrs. Thaw greeted
p her son affectonately and expressed con-
= ndencc In the outcome OF the trial.
There were few proiimlnaries. Richard
!. f. Lansing, a real estate dealer OF Pough-
II keepsle trustee IN the Vassar Brothers.
y Home for Old Men and trustee in the
Baptist Church. was the first witness. He
declared he met Thaw IN the upper room
In the court house at Poughkeepse, a
% year ago. Thaw attended religious SCR
70 vices there a number OF times and tod
Y Lansing he enjoyed the minister's re
marks very nirck.it it-..s.s.s,,-.-.--.---i.-
~ II read a poem whun 1 was called upof
70 speak before the prisoners" testified
y Lansing. "and when ] mot Thaw later h'
10 NNtih iA' NAA 'hI'NNl IT. hAfdhiNt ~ WHN vi
(, titled out Of Touch About eight week.
later / met Thaw again at a religious
meeting and he mentioned II again speak
~ ing OF It very highly. Eight months latel
he asked me for a copy OF the poem
y and said he wanted to send il TO hi,
mother. as he thought she would enjoy II
very greatly 1 had II copied and later
~ Y, took IL 70 him az his room. He thanked ms
very much and remembered an our form.
or conversations. This was only a few
days ago"
The witness said that Thaw had bought
~ a number OF hymn books for the services.
did his actions as you have de-
scribe them impress you as rational
Pc or irrational?'
ID VERY rational"
a. Oscar Milford OF PoukhlScepsie,
's night watchman az the Poughkeepsie
e county Jail last year. made an ex-
nd cellent witness for Thaw. He de-
vo clarcd that while Thaw was IN the
IS, Poughkeepsie Jail he talked with him
se every night from 10 o'clock.
II 1--WE talked OF hydraulics" said Mui-
ford, who said he had questioned
Thaw about the supply OF water in
the Croton reservoir, and that the
a, prisoner had explained the theory OF
hydraulics 10 him. Thaw told him
NJ about the pressure necessary and had
Id explained tho theory Of pumping water
as by suction,
nd The witness said Thaw had discuss
~ ed with him the theory Of the electric
a magnet and the dynamo and had als'
talked Of architecture.
The witness said Thaw had explain
ed to him the construction Of tn
H. Egyptian pyramids.