New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-23
Mrs. Thaw Confident That
Sanity Test Will Free Son
Lawyers and Alienists
in Battle Array as Jurors
Are Chosen.

In the nine years since Harry n.
Thaw killed Stanford White he has
been the principal in nine court pro-
ceedings Of various kinds. here and in
Canada and New Hampshire, ell grow
ing out Of that killing. Yesterday be-
gan the tenth Thaw trial.
In all these trials enough lawyers
20 fl out a country town have come
and gone on both sides, but there has
been one unchanGing personality
throughout in addition to Thaw him
self. That has been his steadfast, gray
haired mother, an imperious figure,
for whom there is always a natural
pushing aside Of chairs and respectful
opening of a passageway when she en-
ters court. She was there yesterday
It would not have seemed like bona
fije Thaw trial had she been absent
As she came into Justice Hendricks
court she seemed unaware of her sur
roundings. SO used has she become to
court that y. - was nothing TO make
her feel strange. So used to be pointed
out and whispered about and stared at
has she become, that she went to her
seat as if all unconscious of the cram
ing necks and the many eyes centred on
her.
Mother Sees Victory Near.
Her face wore the expression Of
woman who feels that at last the time
has come. after many years of sorrow
and hope deferred, for the liberation
of her son. She sat all day, patient, in
tcrested and attentive, watching the
selection of the twelve men who are to
help Justice Hendrck decide whether
her hopes shall be realized and her son
set free, or whether he shall go back,
probably for life, to a lunatic asylum
among the grimacing, laughing or
madly struggling insane.
That is the picture always IN her
mind; that is the picture which that
long line of lawyers who have passed
out of the case have conjured up before
the sympathies of jurors IN previous
Thaw trials in their appeal for ms
liberty. The picture that presented
itself TO the eyes of visitors yesterday
in court was that of great cultured
family, with millions of wealth. emoat-
tied against the powers or the state
With Mrs. Thaw were her daughter'
Mrs. George Lauder Carnegie, and her
son. Josiah Thaw. About the court
room sat the private detectives and the
secretary, whose sole duty mas peer,
these many years 10 do the Gle
work in the incessant tight for freedoH.
His lob has been as active ono
90 that Of a corporation corresponding
secretary, so extensive has been the
campaign waged. ..L
Al The counsel table sat Thaw with
his array of counsel. There was John
B. Stanchfeld, who some say never
COOS Ia court for less than Sl,OoO
dav. with him were Abel |. Smith )r"
Morgan J. O'Brien, jr., who. are asso-
ciated with him, and several members
of his own Office staff.
Opposite were. the attorneys TOT the
state, Frank Cook, Deputy Attorney
General. and Alfred Becker, also OF the
Attorney Generals staff. Through the
also sat their detectives
clerks and other assistants.
Alienists in Battle Array.
Nor did this complete the picture.
A. the tables sat half dozen expert
aIienists DIR. Austin Flint, the most
~nTeIenting Of those who have test
fed that Thaw Is incurably insane; pr.
Carlos Macdonald, also prom!iiein'
in the previous Ihaw ttiais'
pa otLers These were for the state.
Then The there were still others for the
Thaw is not the defendant at this
trial. He is the relator. 1t IS ne VINO
is the aggressor, not the ueIe'uaon r.nus;on
here. He is making the application
for his release, and the state must show
cause cor "'' why he should not be released.
rack OF all this, filling the seats IN
the public part of the courtroom, sat
a serious, multifarlous company %
Continued on page s. column