The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1909-07-23
EVIL ! BARS
THAW'S THREAT
EVELYN is FORCED TO TESTIFY
AGAINsT HER PRISONER
~ HUSBAND.
SHOWSntR WAYtR|NGATTITUDt
Makes Show Of Reluctance, But After.
ward Scores Thaw's Family-says
Would Not Have Taken Stand
Had Allowance Been Larger.

White Plains, N. Y.-Harry Kendall
Thaw's pretty little wife, formerly
the chorus girl, Evelyn Nesbit, went
on the stand here again and gave
damaging testimony against him. 1t
was the strongest point scored so far
by the state in its fight to keep Thaw
in the asylum for the criminal insane
at Matteawan. He demands his re-
lease through habeas corpus proceed
ure on the grounds that he is a sane
man. When the session was conclud-
ed, adjournment was taken until July
26.
For three days the state has been
trying to bring out that Thaw threat.
elted his wife's life on one of her Wis
its to Matteawan, as tending to show
his irrationality. Blocked at first by
objections which were sustained by
the court, Thaw's attorney at last
failed to show that the alleged con-
versation at Matteawan was confiden-
tial, as between man and wife, and
when Evelyn Thaw took the witness
chair yesterday afternoon her lips
were unsealed. And she related as If
in fear what Thaw's lawyer has sought
most to keep back. his alleged threat
to take her life if he were released
from the asylum.
Did Harry X. Thaw threaten to
take your life?" she was asked direct
ly 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!'"
The courtroom 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 mat
ter 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 it would tend to
incriminate her, and he added he did
not see how that would be applicable
to her situation.
Then Evelyn Thaw answered the
question. Yes, he did," she said in
a low voice.
What were his exact words?" de-
manded Mr.. Clarke.
HE said: When l get out of here
I suppose l will have to kill you"
Before leaving White Plains for
New York Evelyn Thaw discussed her
testimony.
If the Thaw family had done the
right thing by me would never have
taken the stand to testify against my
husband" she said. "But they would
not guarantee me the allowance I
asked for when the annulment pro-
ceedings were begun. If they had
done that I would have been far away
from here now and Harry would
have had a better chance of getting
his liberty"
Anthony Comstock, president of the
New York Society for the Suppression
of Vice, described his efforts to assist
Thaw to get sufficient evidence of
Whites practices to prosecute him
criminally Up to within day or
two of the tragedy, the witness said,
he saw Thaw and obtained data from
him in regard to Whites conduct. He
was of the opinion that Thaw was
sane.
Other witnesses told of their expert
ences with Thaw, when he appeared
sane. Three more witnesses, besides
Thaw himself, are to testify, accord
ing to Thaw's lawyer, Charles Nor
schauser. but the long adjournment
was taken so that both sides may
have the opportunity of studying the
records of Thaw's two trials for MUIR
der, which are in the possession of
District Attorney Jerome.