The Alaska citizen. (Fairbanks, Alaska) 1910-1917, 1913-09-22
Story of How Harry Thaw
Made His Escape From his
insane Prison at Mattedwan

/ dry that had its beginning in New
York city on the II ght of June %.
1906. On that occasion. in COMPANY
with his young wife. Evelyn Nesbit
ThaW. and two friends. Thaw went
to the Madison Square roof garden to
witness the opening performance of
a musical comedy.
Near the close of the performance
Thaw left his seat and began to pace
back and forth in the aisle behind
the seats occupied by Stanford
White. an architect of International
fame. and his son. The elder White
was 53 years old and his distin-
Suished career had stamptE on
many of New Yorks prominent
build nss the mark of his artistic
genius. Madison Square garden itself
being gone of the architects tri
umphs. and he had a studio in its
tower.
In this setting Thaw drew a rev /
yer and fired three bullets into Stan
ford Whites body. The architect
died almost Instantly 1t is believed
he did not see his slayer In the
ensuing confusion no one made an
effort to intercept Thaw. who for a
moment stood over his victims pros
trate body. Then he walked to the
elevator f the roof garden, where he
met a house detective, and handed
over the revolver without resistance.
Thaw was then arrested by a po-
liceman and VIII lie the officers hand
was on his shoulder Mrs. Thaw rush
ed up to her husband and placed her
arms around his neck. Thaw assur-
ed his wife that it would be "all
right" and not to worry.
Thaw at the time of the tragedy
was - years old and was known as
the young spendthrift millionaire
rom Pittsburg.
Evelyn Nesbit married Thaw in
Pittsburg en- April a. 1905 She was
noted among artists for her beauty
and had been in turn model and ac-
tress.
With Thaw in the Tombs, a legal
fight to free him began with the
weight OF the family's millions be-
hind a formidable array of counsel.
His first trial resulted in disagree
ment At the second trial the jury
acquitted him on the charge of muir
der on the ground that he was in
sane when he shot Stanford White
and Justice Bowling committed Thaw
to Matteawan as an insane criminal
He entered the asylum February
8, 1908 Since then the Thaw family
has spent sum estimated at 5000.
900 in efforts to have Thaw declared
sane and set at liberty.
In May. 1908, Supreme Court JUS
tice Morschauser decided against an
attempt to release Thaw on habeas
corpus proceedings. In June, 1909,
a similar writ met the same adverse
result, this time before Justice Mills
The case then went to the state SUI
preme court OF appeals. which sus-
tanned the decision of the lower
court A third effort in July, 1912,
resulted in Justice keogh agreeing
with the other supreme justices that
Thaw was still insane
There was a scandal recently over
alleged attempts to engineer Thaw's
release through attempted bribery CT
DR.. John w. Russell, former super
intendent of the Matteawa an hospital.
An inquiry resulted in the INDIRECT
ment of John n. Anhut, young
New York attorney employed by
Thaw.
On May II last Anhut was found
guilty Of offering DR.. Russell a $780,
coo brbe and sentenced to from two
to four years at Sing Sing. The
present superintendent at Matteawan,
DR.. C. Kieb, was appointed after DR..
Russell resigned
DCNINCIIlA MN