Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1909-07-24
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THAW MENACED
WIFE WITH DEATH
Evelyn Admits He Threatened
to XIII Her.
WAS COMPELLED To ANSWER


TO Answer, Indicating She Feared
Ne Might Carry Out His Threat.
Thaw Denies He Ever Threatened
Her.
White Plains, ". Y, July 16.-Harry
X. Thsw's pretty little wife. formerly
the chorus girl Evelyn Nesbit, went
on the stand here and gave damaging
testimony against him. 1t was the
strongest point scored so far by the
state in it's fight to keep Thaw In
the asylum for the criminal insane at
Matteawan. He demands his release
through habeas corpus procedure on
the ground that he is sane man. Ad-
jovrpment was taken until July 26.
"Did Harry K. Thaw threaten to take
your life?" she was asked directly by
Deputy Attorney General Clarke.
did he at any time say this to you
or this In substance: I shall have to
kill you when | get out of here?"
Begged to Be Allowed Not to Answer.
The court room was hushed and
Evelyn Thaw turned appealingly to
Justice Mills. She begged to be al
lowed not TO answer because she said
she knew she would incur his ever
lasting animosity, and her attitude in
dicated she believed he might carry
out his alleged threat. She also urged,
with some show of feeling, that she
was still Thaw's wife, and no matter
how he had treated her, she did not
want to testify against him.
But the court ruled that the only
possible grounds upon which she could
decline to answer were that 1t would
tend to incriminate her, and he added
he did not see how that would be ap-
plicable to her situation.
Then Evelyn Thaw answered the
question Yes. he did," she said in
low voice.
What were his exact words?" de-
manded Mr.. Clarke.
"a Suppose Will Have to Kill YOUR
HE said, when | get out of here I
suppose will have to kill you"
"Why did he say that?"
1--WE were discussing his mental
condition | had asked him what he
meant and he said: You know l was
not crazy on the night that l shot
White | asked him again and he
said: You know that I missed White
by two minutes on the day before"
Thaw, when asked about his wife's
testimony after court said he was not
surprised at her attitude, but he en-
phatically denied that he ever threat
ened her life.
Thaw Says II Is Not True.
'It is very plain to everyone that
her story is not true" he said. 81 never
threatened to kill her. First she says
one thing and then another"
els it true that you made an at
tempt on Whites life on the day be-
fore the homicide was committed?"
he was asked.
eff l had. you would have learned
1t before this" replied Thaw.
Before leaving for New York Evelyn
Thaw discussed her testimony.
''Tf the Thaw family had done the
right thing by me would have never
taken the stand to testify against my
husband" she said "But they wouldn't
guarantee me the allowance | asked
for when the annulment proceedings
were begun. II they had done that
would have been far away from here,
and Harry would have better chance
of getting his liberty.
"The questionable fame of this trial
will follow me wherever l may go for
years and years. and I am living as
ehsaply as | can. am Harry Thaw's
wife, but ! pay the rent. The land
lord sends the bills to me. I don't
know whether or not my husband will
harm me II he is released. He has
made one threat, though. and that has
A.