New-York tribune., 1909-07-28
A NEW THAW CHAPTER
Continued from first page.

time she was accustomed TO address MIN dS
Professor" as often as Mr. In 1903 she took
an apartment of her own at No. 241 west 4Sd
street and in 1905 she moved to No. 2oo west
| saith street. Thaw engaged three rooms there'
the same number as he had at the West 43d
street house.
Were there any occurrences in the first
place." said Mr. Jerome softly. that led you to
think there anything unusual?"
Must I ten?" inquired Mrs. Merrill halting
for moment the abrupt waving of her palm
| leaf fan.
"You must tell everything" was Mr. Jerome s
answer.
Her lodger-or rather her tenant, for she said
he occupied the rooms he rented only at night
was accustomed to have great many visitors
she said, They were mostly young women, be
tween fifteen and sixteen years Of age, who
wanted to see the Professor" who was to get
them places on the stage. Soon, Mrs. Merrill
said she began to hear quarrelling in the rooms
OF her tenant after these young women had been
admitted. On one occasion, when very young
girl had called for the professor" she heard
scream and hastened to his rooms. She found
the girl partly undressed and sobbing after
beating given her by Thaw.
SAW THE WELTs.
How did you know that?" asked Mr. Jerome
Il knew it," was the reply because there were
the marks OF wets here" and the witness ran
her fingers nervousy over her right wrist and
arm. The professor" Thaw. holding his
young visitor with hand, she said, and in the
other was a whip. Pardon me-" she hurried on,
there were three or four different whips"
Mr. Jerome then asked II he might have the
exhibit which had been wrapped in newspaper
and marked for Identification by Mr.. Hartridge
at Justice Afills's direction on Monday. The ex-
urha
was opened a small. vicious looking whip
disclosed Mrs Merrill identified the whip, and
then went on to say that at time when
Thaw was occupying rooms in the apartment in
West 43d street she heard a scream She rushed
in. she declared just IN time TO see him in the
act of striking the young woman, who had her
waist off, with a whip. The young woman was
crying, but Thaw went away quietly and with
out saying a word. The whip he used that
occasion was not the one placed in evidence
yesterday, according to the witness, but short
riding crop
On another occasion. she said. two young
women called to see the professor" Screams
again brought her TO his rooms, where she found
one Of them dressed as she had come to the
house The other had part of her clothing
moved. Mrs. Merrill ordered Thaw out Of the
room and then took him TO the dining room
where she reproved him. but he explained his
were stupid and would never get places on the
stage. She told him. however. he would have To-
leave her apartment II he didn't treat young
girls decently. Thaw on such occasions always
appeared pallid and hurried away as quickly as
he could.
COUNSEL TOOK WHIP AWAY
To Mr.. Jerome she said that the whip lying
on the counsel table had been taken to her
there when Mr. HartrEdge and the late a
Russell Peabody called and took it away Miss
Wallace. who mentioned In the examination
of Hartridge on Monday OF the young
girls Mrs Merrill said, who was wont 10 call
on the professor at his rooms. To a question
of Mr.. Jerome's ste replied she had known Ethel
Thomas at No. eos West 9th street Then she
volunteered to describe the other whips she
said Thaw had used his visitors. one OF
them was a crop such as women might uso in
riding. and the ether dog whip.
Mrs. Merrill Strengthened up and her ewes
flashed as Mr.. Jerome said he was through with
his examination, and Mr.. Morschauser, after
leaning over to listen 10 some suggestion from
Harry Thaw, started his examination She
was plainly ready for. battle and she showed it
in her manner of telling Mr.. Morsehauser that
she had business
Are you married single?" was the next
dart.
I have been married" came the quick retort
HER BREACH OF PROMISE SUIT.
Then Thaw's lawyer wanted to know if the
witness were under Indictment but he got a
sharp reply in the negative. She admitted she
had brought suit for breach of promise against
an elderly man who, she said, had abandoned
her and her baby. She couldn't tell whether she
had ever been arrested. but would have TO look
that up in the record books, part of which she
left with Mr.. Hartridge and part of which she
bad sent to storage, Mr. Morschauser wasn't sat
the outcome of the suit. His questions caused
the witnesses eyes to blaze with anger as she |
asked:
Are you trying this case?"
Mrs Merrins memory showed a weakening !
under the cross examination OF Thaw's lawyer !
The breach of promise suit, she said might have |
been begun in November. 1906. or in 1905 or in |
1904. She had business, she said, and had !
been sick and expected TO be away from New |
York forever. SO shs sent for Mr.. Hartridge |
and gave him in her rooms the whip which was
in evidence yesterday, because he was the only |
friend whom she knew To turn to in her trouble !
And what was to do" she exclaimed angrIy |
with all these women the professor brought |
from all over the country and left starving on |
my hands?"
Mrs Merrill finally admitted that the suit had |
been dismissed by the justice who heard IT, She |
had been in the Tombs after the trial until
friends came and bailed her out but Mr. Mon
schauser couldn't get her to say that she had |
been arrested for perjury at the Justices order.
NOT A WITNESS IN THAW TRIALS