Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-02-26
.atteawan Head Not
Backward in Sug-
gestions, He Says.
DON'T HIRE ALIENISTS, PLLI
Do" HIS ALLEGED WORDS
Lawyer Says He Had $25, COO
to Get Whites Slayer
Free.

ALBANY, y. y. FEB. 2s.-John
Nicholson Anhut, the lawyer accused
by Or John W. Russell. superinten-
dent Of Matteawan Hospital. of hav-
ing offered him bribe of s20.oo0 to
release Harry X. Thaw. was wit
ness today before Governor sulzer's
committee Of inquiry.
Mr.. Anbut SAID he was admitted 10
the bar in Detroit in 1895. While in
Michigan he was elected a State sena-
tor. He came to New York in 1872.
The witness said he knew Russell
"very we'll During last summers
Thaw hearing a White Plains he said
they were together nearly every eve
ming. we were always talking about
Thaw, Thaw's family, Thaws ceun-
sci and Thaw's money" he said
Anhut testified that II. A. Hoffman,
said TO be Thaw's agent, called on
him in New York last October and
told him that Thaw wanted to see
him right away" He subsequently
visited Thaw at Matteawan
Anhut Got $4,000.
Dr. Russell told me said Anhut.
that he had recommended me to
Thaw. Hoffman called on me again
on November 20 and paid me $25 GOO,
under the following agreement S12. 500
TO be returned January l. unless the
matter (Thaw's release) was eonsum-
mated. the remainder to be returned
July | unless Thaw was released by
| that date.
was in quandary as 10 just
how to proceed. knew the man
wanted was DIR. Russell I telephoned
him and he came down the next day.
| He told me he had never been in
hanson cab, so [ ordered one We
rode to the Savoy and had couple
/ of drin3<s-they were better than soda
water. We talked informally about
Thaw. / told DR.. Russell about my
retainer. how much ii was and the
circumstances.
In the course OF his converse ton
/ he told me he released about % per
cent. Of the inmates of Matteawan
each year.
i told DR.. Russell that | would like
TO get some new alienists TO examine
/ Thaw. He thereupon said:
My boy. you don't want to do
that. 1T is too soon after the other
] hearing. You want to wait awhile
! | didn't like that, but he had recon-
mended me and l wanted to cater to
/ him."
1 Anhut said that the matter dragged
along until the middle of December.
"On December is / telephoned him
again and he came down to see me
Broad Hint.
/ II asked if he had prepared a list
of alienists for me as had request
ed He replied that he had not. Then
he said: What do you want alienists
for, anyway; I'm as good as half a
dozen alienists.
HE looked at me rather queerly
and asked: What did you say you
got from Thaw?' 1 replied that had
received a retaining fee of $25, 900, but
that I would have to return half of
it January 1.
" Where do I come in?' Russell then
asked me. What do you mean2 I
replied. Well he answered. I got
the case for you, didn't 1? and even
if my job as superintendent does pay
$4,000 a year. I wouldn't do anything
for Thaw unless I got money for it
Il didn't care what Russell had ia
his mind. for I knew he couldn't re-
lease Thaw. but could only make
favorable report. He had already
stated in open court his opinion as
to Thaw's mental condition. and |
realized that If he made favorable
report now the matter would go be-
fore the attorney-general | didn't
believe any judge would release
Thaw, unless there was some other
reason than DR.. RusselFs mere say SO.
Shortly afterward DIR. Russell
asked me if l wouldn't be satisfied
with So, ,oO0?'
POking Chestnuts Out.
by this time, declared Anhut. 'ft
began to look as though l was going
to hold the bag and was going to get
little or nothing out of what I had
thought was going to be a beautiful
lawsuit.
IF DR.. Russell had in his mind
that he was to receive any money,
such proposition was not in my
mind Although he had recommend
ed me to Thaw l would not even give
him Christmas present, because it
might look like a bribe.
when | saw that DIR. Russell
wanted money, l dropped the subject
and left him. l had no further COM
municatio with him
In response to an inquiry. Anhut
explained that the $4,000 which he re-
ceived. included $1,000 in cash and
500, 900 in securities. On Jan. l. he
said. he returned $4,000. retaining
$40. 700. less expenses. to be returned
by July /.
Anhut denied ever having used Gov
ernor Sulzer's name in connection
with the Thaw case. The story of the
alleged bribe developed during an in
vestigation by the committee of a.
charge that its secretary, William F.
Clark, had used the governors name
without authority in an endeavor to
bring about Thaw's release. This
Clark denied
Gus c. Roeder, a New York news
paper man. testified. concerning his
investigation OF the story, and at the
conclusion of his testimony. the CON-
Haittee adjourned TO Matteawan.
4chere they viii examine Thaw today