The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1913-05-16
THAW ACCUSES
DR., RUSSELL
Swears He Demanded S25,0O0
to Free Him.
RECEIVED BACK S4, zoo
He Declares Others In Matteawan
Asylum Secured Their Liberty by
"Reimbursng" the Superintendent

New York, May 16.-Harry w. Thaw
told a jury in the criminal branch ol
the supreme court that he had paid
John Nicholson Anhut, the young law;
yer, $25,OO0 in securities and cash tQ
obtain his release from the Matteawan
Hospital for the Criminal Insane.
Anhut was to get only small part
OF this money, $2500 or $4,000. and the
balance was to go to reimburse" DR..
John Russell, then superintendent OF
the institution. Thaw has received
back $14,70O of this money.
Thaw made a keener and more alert
witness than he has ever made before,
according to all who have seen him on
the witness stand since he was acquit-
ted of the murder of Stanford White
on the ground of insanity. The quesl
Sions of Arthur c. Palmer, counsel for
Anhut, on trial ON charge OF bribery
did not succeed in rattling the wit.
ness. M
Thav testified that he was at Mat
tsawan on Nov. ;. 1912. He had met
Anhut on that date, first out in the
hall and then in the counsel room,
where they talked for several hours.
DR.. Russell had told him that law
yer would come to see him who would
act for him (RusselD and discuss the
matter of release Thaw had talked to
Russell about this. Thaw then went
into details of his talk with Anhut,
who had told him, the witness testi-
fed, that DR.. Russell's terms were
$25,OOOl Witness told Anhut that the
amount surprised him, and he asked
Anhut if that was the least DR.. Rus
sell would take, and Anhut said it
was.
"How much wox Anhut to get out OF
this?"
81 do not remember exactly, but he
said either $250O or $4,000"
what proceedings we're to be un-
dertaken?"
''Mr Anhut said, and Dr.. Russell
told me before, that it was only neces-
sary for the superintendent to lead
me to the door, pronounce me sane
and let me go. suggested that &c
haps it might be better for -
intendsnt - do thAt thro(
cate 10 the seurt, -
always asssDted sseh
question, hass Mr. Anhdt laid thai o..
Russell did net beAsys this to be me-
eessary. The court might refuse. !"
Mr. De Ford questioned = little fur
thsr along this point, and Thaw dis
cussed the question ut length. He said
q man Of the name of Mathewson, who
had killed his nephew and niece, had
been released in this way; so had
Preusser, the man who killed Miles
M. O'Donnell Richards and few
more. Mr.. De Ford tried to stop him,
but he elaborated on the two methods.
my case is just like Preusser's," he
wound up.
Anhut wanted the $25,00O before
anything was done, Thaw swore.
81 asked him what would be done If
nothing came of it, and Anhut replied
the money would be returned.
"The stipulation was" he continued,
that unless was free by Jan. 1, one
half the money was to be returned If
I were not released by July 1 the bal
ance was to come back"
What was said about raising the
money!"
'T said 70 raise It all at once might
cause suspicion. said might obtain
some stocks to assure Dr.. Russell Of
his payments and to make up the
money in small payments. Anhut said
DR.. Russell wanted all the money or
its equivalent in his hands before he
would release me- I said had some
Pennsylvania stocks. and he said thai
he had a friend who would buy them" :"