Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-08-06

anu whispered TO nef.
Mrs. Thaw nearly broke down on two
more occasions before she finished and
once more Josiah Thaw came to her
assistance. But despite her tears she
insisted on Having it over" The
other witnesses today included two
former teachers and a school friend Of
Thaw's who declared that he seemed
perfectly normal when they knew him.
White Plains, N Y, Aug 5.-There
were empty seats in Justice Mills
court room this morning for the first
time since the hearing on Harry X.
Thaw's application for release from
Matteawan began nearly four weeks
ago. The expectation that Attorney
Charles MOrschauser would consume a
large part of the session in reading
from the minutes of the first and Sec
ond homicide trials and the unknown
quantity of his 10 or IL lay witnesses
promised for the remaining days Of
the case, kept. the curious away A
few of the women who have not missed
a day of the hearing. were on hand
early in the front seats and some of
them, as usual, brought their lunches
to eat during the fidday recess.
Mr.. Morschauser said that his re-
naming witnesses would testify in sup
port of the contention that Thaw's be-
liefs which the opposition terms de
lusions" were justified and sane.
David N. Carvalho the handwriting
expert, who appeared in the Molineaux
case, was the first witness when court
opened this morning.
Called by Mr.. Morschauser, Mr.. Car
valho, who sat by Thaw all through
the first trial, declared that Thaw was
worried by his counsel. He spoke
little said the witness, and made his
suggestions mainly by notes. Il can't
say that he ever dictated to his law
yers," he asserted.
Thaw told Mr.. Carvalho, the latter
said, that he would not agree to Judge
Oicotts plan to place him before a
sanity commission instead of on trial.
When Thaw refused this suggestion.
Judge Olcott withdrew from the case.
There was wrangling among Thaw's
counsel all the time" said the witness
the expert said 68 letters purporting
to come from Stanford White were sub
mitted to him. He pronounced them
genuine.
The witness told of Thaw's having
discussed with him the famous "mush-
room letter" alleged to have been
written by White to a girl whom Mr..
Carvalho mentioned as May" Thaw
SAID this girl told him that she had
burned the letter because she feared
If her father saw it he would kill both
White and her The letter was Of
Tered in evidence and the audience
figuratively stood on tiptoe while the
attorneys wrangled over it's admission.
1t was finally admitted, Jerome ex-
pressing regret that such testimony
should be brought out The letter was
dated April II and was as follows:
Il am the most awfullest fraud when
it comes to letter writing. 1t is no
use. l have what Peter Dooling calls
'W"itephobia' and bad case at that.
am glad you are having such a good
time. A dose of hope after all is the
very best medicine any of us can take.
Whatever you do, however, do not
come back prettier or more allurine
-han you were, for under those circum.
stances l could not be responsible for
ny actions and there would be real
trouble" Il 4 ::
going to sail?
THE social whirl has opened and is
really quite good
Seriously, when are you coming
back? -
lovingly"
Instead of name the letter wa;
signed with what the witness described
as a hand opened with what looked
like porcupine quilts extending from
it,
Jerome explained that this was Stan
ford Whites regular signature in let
ters to his friends.
Mr.. Carvalho then took up the "Sue
Parker" episode. He said that wom-
an of this name made a sworn state
nent as to events alleged to have taken
place between her and White. She pro-
ducd a bundle of letters which she
said White had written her and offered
them for sale to Thaws attorneys fol
$4,000. The letters were finally bought
said the witness, for $500. with the un-
Outstanding that the owner was t.
receive $500 more If they could be used
ut the first trial. Mr.. Carvalho said
he saw the money paid at the Office OF
Attorney Russell Peabody The wom-
ans affidavit. Mr.. Carvalho said, de-
scribed in detail how White had frs;
met her when she was II years old and
later taken her to a place known as
The Eagles Nest given her wine and
either ruined her or attempted her
ruin.
Thaw took the stand long enough to
Identify the letters as having been
given to him. When Carvalho resumed
he testified that he had told Thaw that
he believed these letters were Whites
and that in a measure they substant-
lated Miss Parker's story. Cross ex-
amined by Jerome he admitted that
there was nothing obscene in the Park
er letters. nothing to prove absolute
ly her story of the manner of her
downfall. He said Thaw told him that
White treated the woman named May
courteously until he learned she was
not woman of loose character and
then ne wanted to ruin her
Answering a question Mr.. Carvalho
declared that he received no compen-
sation for appearing as witness for
Thaw, not even his expenses. Il de-
clined to receive any compensation,
he said.