Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-07-28
LANDLADY DECLARES SLAYER
OF WHITE WAS CRUEL
PRISONERS WIFE SMILES AT HIM,
WITH NO RESPONSE
Man Who Shot Architect Is Confident
He viii Never Again Go Back
to Asylum at Mat
teaWan
(By Associated Press.)

heard woman's testimony which
made his pallid face flush. He saw
pearl-hanuIed dog whip exhibited, and
he heard the witness swear she had
seen him WELD it on the bare flesh Of
girls.
The prisoners wife heard most of the
testimony, which was of such a nature
that Justice Miller preceded It's pre-
sentation with the warning that mo
woman should stay in the court room
unless she is willing to hear every
thing"
Two girls left.
The witness was Mrs. Susan Merrill,
a buxom woman of about 20, 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 a bachelor about
New York.
Her testimony was in marked con-
trast to that of two alienists who gave
Thaw a clean bill of health, declaring
that In their opinion he was sane.
She testified 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 he brought at various times
more than 200 girls After ThaW's inn
prisonment, she said, she paid these
women at least $4,000 as the price of
their silence, and to keep them from
bothering Thaw's wife or his mother"
Money Paid for Silence
One of them who, she said, passed as
Thaw's wife, received $1,000. The money
came from Thaw.
The mysterious package brought to
court yesterday by Clifford w. Hart
ridge, Thaw's former counsel, was un-
wrapped, and a pearl-handled whip
about three feet long was brought into
view. with this before the eyes of the
court and spectators, the woman re-
lated q series of stories about finding
Thaw on several occasions flashing the
girls on their bare arms and bodies.
Thaw, she said, had posed as theat-
rical agent and had lured the girls to
his rooms with promises of engage
ments When she demonstrated with
him, she testified his excuse was that
the girls "were not smart enough and
could not fill the positions and deserved
q beating
frequently behaved violently and she
considered his acts irrational
Mrs. MerrilPs testimony was stopped
when Mr. Jerome intimated 1t might
injure innocent persons
Under cross-examination by Charles
Morschauser, counsel for Thaw, the
witness was attacked nercely. he
brought out the fact she had been ar
rested recently on charge OF perjury
after an unsuccessful suit to recover
$4,000 damages from man.
The woman emphatically denied she
kept any of the money that passed from
Thaw through her hands.
Felt Sorry for Thaw
"Then why did you stand for all this
from Thaw?" asked Morschauser.
"Oh, l felt sorry for him." was her
answer ., -,--
the proceedings today but did not tes-
tify. She smiled at Thaw several times,
but he paid no attention to her.
Aside from Mrs Merrilrs testimony
alienists testified in Thaws behalf.
Dr. Britton D. Evans, who made re-
port two years ago declaring Thaw IN
sane said today he reversed this opin-
ion. He admitted the report was pre-
pared to bolster Thaws side of the case
when he was seeking to avoid the cleo
trio chair.
When the Thaw hearing was resumed
today DR.. Britton D. Evans, VINO de-
clared yesterday Thaw was not ana
never was a paranoiac, continued his
testimony. Thaw is eager to testify.
He entered the courtroom today look
ing unusually buoyant. $500
II never will go back to Mattea-
wan" he said. II am well satisfied
with the way the hearing has gone thus
1af ana L ain not ali dld " Jaw AsAAs
Jerome"
District Attorney Jerome denied the
report that Evelyn Nesbit Thaw had
been summoned to appear today. He
said the subpoena under which she tes-
titled week before last was still IN
force and she could be brought here
whenever further evidence from her
was necessary
ain my opinion, Mr.. Thaw is now
sane" were almost the first words
spoken by DR.. Evans when he took the
stand today.
''Has Harry X Thaw any decisions
or hallucinations at this timer asked
Charles Morschauser Thaws attorney.
HE has not" replied DR.. Evans.
In cross examination Mr.. Jerome re-
minded Dr. Evans that in his former
testimony he had declared that Thaw
was insane a year before he killed
White. The experts answer to this
was that information given by Thaw
had caused him to modify .his opinion.
Mr.. Jerome then offered in evidence
DIR. Evans "brainstorm" report, which
was one of the factors in gaining a
verdict of not guilty on account of in
sanity at the second trial. The dis
trict attorney read the alienist's testi-
mony that Tnaw at that time suffered
from adolescent insanity and would be
subject to outbreaks of the disease in
the future. DR.. Evans SAID Ill the COM
pilation of medical evidence made by
his assistants only matter likely to as
sist Thaw's attorneys at that time
were included.
"They found as much or more on the
other side" he remarked, but 1 told
them not to put it in"
"While I assumed at the trial that
all the facts on which this report was
based were true" said Dr. Evans, 81
do not think so now"
Just before the opening of the after
noon session Evelyn Nesbit Thaw
slipped quietly into the courtroom. 1t
was believed that she was summoned
by Mr.. Jerome to be on hand in case
Thaw took the stand, but Mr.. Jerome
said he did not expect to call her this
afternoon.
DR.. Evans explained his changed
convictions regarding Thaw when Mr..
Morschauser resumed his examination
Since the second trial DR.. Evans said
he had received further important in
formation. Formerly he considered
Thaw's belief regarding Stanford
Whites treatment of young girls as a
delusion; now he did not. Susan A..
Merrill, who, ATTORNEY Hartridge said,
was present when he received the mys-
terious articles marked as exhibits yes
terday, followed DR.. Evans on the wit
ness stand.