Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-08-20
Writ's Real Purpose
Is to Gain DELAY
Until His Relatives
Have Arrived.
SENTIMENT OF CANADIANS
is IN FAVOR OF FUGITIVE
Wealth of Stanford White Slay-
er's Kin Expected to Defeat
Proceedings to Compel His
. Return to Asylum.

SHERBROoKE, Quebec, Aug. 90
Application for writ of habe;.
corpus demanding the immediate re-
lease of Harry K. Thaw, fugitive
slayer of Stanford White, was SUBJ
mitted this afternoon to Judge
Globensky in the Superior Court at
Sherbrooke by Charles D. White, a
lawyer, retained by telegraph over
night, by the Thaw family
This move, regarded at first as a
formality to bring Thaw into court
after his arrest yesterday as a fugi-
tive from Matteawan, was subse-
quently explained by his counsel as
being more significant. They con-
tended that he has been detained
illegally and that through habeas
corpus he should be set free at once
The court announced that 1t would
take the matter under consideration
at 2:S0 o'clock Should 1t grant the
application, arguments to sustain the
writ could be heard later, probably
tomorrow, possibly not until next
week.
Thaw, Cautioned, Is Silent.
Meanwhile Thaw remained a Sc
cluded prisoner in the SherbroOke
Jail. Cautioned by his family, he
refused to discuss his case. Only
his lawyers saw him.
From the hospital ward of the
prison with two guards watching
him, he sent out for cigars, fresh
linen and, delicacies, but he refused
steadfastly to receive interviewers,
even barring "old friends who had
reported his murder trials and subse-
quent court battles.
Sherbrooke takes the presence of
its prisoner calmly. Perhaps 200 per-
sons a score of them women, gath
cred in the courl-room awaiting the
proceedings. Around The Jail was
only handful of the curious.
Reporter Friends of Old See Him.
An army of old acquaintance as it
were-newspaper men who reported
the Thaw murder trials In New York,
or followed the recurring sanity pro-
prison cell today. One glance was
enough. Itwas Harry Thaw.
Thaw-like, he had demanded special
beding on his cot; Thaw-like. he
talked of statements he purposed to
issue. though for the time he de-
elined to be interviewed
He said that he slept well.
The question OF insanity was not
embodied in the commitment which
brings Thaw before the immigration
authorities here. He is held merely
as a fugitive from the penitentiary
at Matteawan, where he was confined
on "a criminal charge" for life.
Thaw himself was quick to see the
chances for fighting deportation on
such grounds, for at Matteawan he
was charged with nothing. being held
as a lunatic acquitted of the White
murder. Along such lines it was eX-
pected his lawyers would seek to bar
deportation to New York State.
May Change Charge.
The immigration officials. it was
said, were aware of this loop-hole in
the commitment and were consider
ing the advisability of chang
charge. However, should they deport
him simply as an undesirable alien
lunatic, it might mean his entering
the United States, via some State
other than New York, and this would
involve protracted extradition pro-
ceedngs, the outcome of which would
be doubtful
Since his arrival here Thaw money
has poured into Sherbrooke. An
aienist has already been tentatively
engaged. Thaw would welcome any
test of his sanity, it is said, as in
dicated last night in his statement
quoting William Travers Jerome, y
FORMER QlSlrlCL attorney OF new OfR,
to the effect that he (Thaw) was a
sane man.
The hospital cell in which Thaw
is confined is a roomy apartment
within the jail building. 1t is care
fully protected by barred windows
and iron doors and is thirty =
from the ground. Two guards re
mained with him all night. Thaw
had only few cents in his pocket
when arrested yesterday and was
without funds when he wanted to
purchase fresh linen this morning.
He was finicky about his personal
appearance. and after a barber had
shaved off four days groth of
heard he said he would like to have :
new necktie. He was given money
to supply his needs. and after brush
ing the dust Of at least, four States
and of Canada from his clothes he
said he was ready to appear in court
at any time.
The Supreme Court, or as locally
designated. "Le Cour Superieur," was
well crow ded long before the proceed
ings began. Thaw's new chief coun-
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