Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-22
Offered s 10000
 to Free ThaW
STATEMENT OF suPERINTENo.
 ENT OF. WATERMAN.
LAWYER MADE OFFER
Superintendent RusseIl's Memory Hazy Regarding Him-eovernor suIzer Orders Case Probed to the Bottom.

Albany, N Y, Feb. 21-Dr. John W. Russell. Superintendent of the Mattewan State Hospital for the Grim inal Insane. testified today before Gov ernor Sulzer's committee of inquiry that he had been offered s200OO if he would release Harry K, Thaw. The offer, he said, was made during the latter part of 1912 by a lawyer, whose name he scould not remember in an
 uptown hotel' in New York city and was refused.
 This testimony was developed dur ing an investigation of reports that William F. Clarke, secretary of the committee, recently had requested pr Russell to release Thaw on the ground that such action was desired by Gov ernors Sulzer. The governor himself had stated earlier in the day he had authorized no one to make such a re- quest.
 Chairman Also Approached.
 Dr. James " May, chairman of the state hospital commission, who fol- lowed Dr.. Russell to the stand, t,ld of having been approached by Clarke several days ago with the same re- quest. Dr. May said he told Clarke that the commission had no jurisdfc- tion over Thaw as the hospital in which he is confined is under the su- pervisfon of the state prison depart ment- Dr. May later told Governor Sulzer, of the incident and the gover- nor at that time said he would not in- terfere in the Thaw case and had not authorized anybody to say he would.
 Clarke Denies Making Statement.
 Clarke when sworn today, denied having told either pr. Russell or Dr. May that the governor wanted Thaw released. He said. however, that he had visited Dr. Russell at Mattewan in the course Of an investigation of a report that the superintendent had re- ceived $25,000 to free Stanford Whites slayer.
 Dr. Russelfs memory was hay con cerning the identity of the lawyer who offered him the bribe. The mans name, he said, had escaped him. he could not describe him except he was of medium build'' nor could he remember the name of the hotel where the incident occurred. He had met him first, at White Plains last summer when the legal proceedings brought in Thaw's behalf were in progress. The superintendent said he had no and thought he could give the com mittee the information later.
 Asked point blank whether he con sidered Thaw insane, Dr. Russell re- fused to answer.
 Annoyed By Naaeins of Clarke.
 Clarke declared Dr. Russell had re- marked to him that Thaw was per feotly sane.'
 Dr. Russell told of a conversation he had had with MT. Hoffman of Pough- keepsie, MT. Thaw's private detective in which the witness said he had been advised he would be called to Albany soon on the "Tha.w matter and that the governor wanted Thaw out" On Feb. 15, Dr. Russell said, he was called on the telephone from Albany by Dr. May, who said the governor had told him that the Thaw case would have to. r take its regular course. The superin-. tendent said that he had been thor oughy annoyed by the nagging Of Clarke.
 Thought Clarke Was in oH It.
 Why didn't you go to the gover- nor?,' asked the committees counsel.
 ''I wanted to see what would happen in this case" replied Dr. Russell.
 Were you trying to get something on the governor"
 "No, but I wanted to see where this thing was going to lead. T didn't think the governor was in it, but I did think this man Clarke was in it and was using the governors name"
 Governor Sulzer said tonight he had ordered the committee to go to the bottom of the matter and spare mo- body.