The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1909-07-30
She SAYS THAW
WHIPPED GIRLS
Lodging House Keeper Gives
Sensational Testimony,
WHIP EXHIBITED III COURT

Mrs. Susan Merrill Declares Thsw
Lured More Than 200 Girls to His
Room and Lashed Their Bare Bodies.
Says He Paid Them $4,000 "to
Keep Them From eotherins His
Wife and Mother"
White Plains, y. Y, July 2S.-IIarry
K. Thaw sat in the supreme court here
and heard a woman's testimony that
made his palid face flush He saw a
pearl-handled dog whip exhibited. and
he heard the witness swear that she
had seen him WELD It on the bare
flesh OF young girls. The prisoners
wife. Evelyn Nesbit Thaw. heard most
of the testimony. which was of such a
nature that Justice Mills preceded its
presentation with the warning that
mo woman should stay in the court
room unless she is willing to hear
everything"
The witness was Mrs. Susan Mer-
rill. a buXOm pink-cheeked woman OF
about thirtyfve years. and she opened
a new chapter in the life Of Stanford
Whites slayer She told Of alleged
acts Of his between 1902 and 1905.
when he was young bacheAr about
New York before the tragedy on the
Madison Square Roof Garden that re-
suited in his being placed in the state
asylum for the criminal insane from
which he is now trying TO escape by
proving himself sane
Paid Girls $4,000.
Her testimony was in marked con-
trasi 10 that of two alienists who went
on the stand and gave Thaw a clean
bill Of health. declaring that I'm their
opinion De was sane. Summarized. her
testimony was that during the three
years named she kept IN succession
two New York lodging houses. where
Thaw rented rooms under assumed
names and TO which Do brought at
various times more than 200 girls AZ
ter Thaw's imprisonment She said,
she paid these women AT least $4,000
as the price of their silence and "to
keep them from bothering Tiaw's wife
or his mother" One Of them who
she said passed as Thaw's wife. re-
ceived $1,000. The money came from
Harry Thaw.
Says He Lured Girls to His Room.
After telling Of Thaw's engaging the
rooms the bearing Of the evidence
upon the question of the prisoners
mental condition became apparent.
For at this point the mysterious pack
age which was brought to court by
Clifford ". Hartridge. Thaw's former
counsel. was unwrapped and a pearl
handled whip. about three feet long.
was brought into view. With this be-
fore the eyes Of the court and specta-
tors. the woman related a series OF
stories about finding Thaw on several
occasions flashing the girls upon their
hare arms and bodies Thaw, she said,
had posed as a theatrical agent and
had lured the girls to his rooms with
PROMISES of engagements When she
demonstrated with him, she testified.
his excuse was that the girls weren't
smart enough and couldn't fill their
nosi,ions and deserved beating She
testified further that Thaw had fire.
nuentlv behaved in a violent manner
in her pres nee and that she consd-
cred his acts irrational.
Thaw's Lawyer Attacks Witness
District Attorney Jerome had full
charge of the case. and it was he who
brought ont the damaging testimony.
Mrs Merrills testimony was stopped
when Mr.. Jerome intimated that T.
might iniure innocent persons. Under
cross.examination by Charles Mors-
chauser counsel for Thaw. the witness
was attacked fercely. He succeeded ID
bringing ont the fact that she had
been recently arrested on charge OF
periurv after an unsuccessful suit 10
recover 100000 from a man.
The woman emph9tcally denied
that she kept any OF tbs money mat
passed from Thaw through her han -
Then why did you stand for all this
from Mr. Thaw?" asked Mr. Mors-
chauser
"Oh. 7 felt sorry for him. was her
answer
Evelyn Nesbit Thaw slipped quietly
into court during the proceedings. but
did not testify. She smiled az Thaw
several times. but he paid no atten.
fion 10 nor