Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-07-09
DETAILS Of MURDER
OF WHITE REVIEWED
BY THAW ON STAND
Witness Says He Walked
Straight Up To Victim and
I, Shot Him
THAW MAKES GOOD
IMPRESSION ON JURY
Evelyn Thaw Sill Claims She
Is Too III To Testify
AT Trial

New York, July 9--"I walked up
the aisle straight in front of him and
shot him,
while crowded court room hung
breathlessly upon every word that came
from his lips, Harry H. Thaw today
thus told in few words Of the climax
ct the tragedy enacted in the Madison
Square roof garden nine years ago when
he shot and killed Stanford White, the
noted architect.
After having been fed by Deputy At.
torney General Cook over every period
of his life during his examination in his
sanity trial during Yesterdays session,
the climax came today when the prose.
cut0r came in his questioning to the
point of the actual killing of White.
Thaw was not nervous or uffled as
he described the shooting of the man,
who, he said, he believed had led
Evelyn Nesbit to ruin. He spoke cy.
enly and in a we'll modul0ted tone, not
even raising his voice as the tense scene
on the roof garden was again drawn in
clear outlines. And as he proceeded
with his story ThNw often ga2cd up.
ward as if trying e. visualize this tragic
moment in his life
He had told of having carried a gun
throughout the day on which White
was shot, He said he feared an attempt
upon his life by members of the Monk
Eastman gang. He denied, however,
that he believed Eastman had been EN-.
ployed by White. He was then led by
Cook to tell Of his other movements
Of the day until he finally arrived al
the Madison Square roof with Evelyn
" Evelyn had gone ahead" said
Thaw, "and | stopped at table to
speak TO an acquaintance. ] looked
up and saw Mr., White. He had his
arms on the table and his head was in
his hands when first noticed him
"Thcn he lifted his head and stared
at me.
81 walked up the aisle straight in
front Of him and-shot him. -
Thaw paused for a half minute after
telling Of walking up the aisle and be-.
fore uttering the words "Bhot him.
A de0thlike silence had fallen over
the court room as Thaw pronounced the
final words Of his act. The witness
looked straight at the deputy attorney
general. There was minute pause.
Then Thaw said quietly;
"Is that alll"
"Go on, said Cook.
John B Stunchfield, counsel for
Thaw objected He declared the wit.
ness had answered Cooks question re-.
garding the actual shooting.
He answered it very seriously and
well, Justice Hendricks interposed.
81 should tell the jury, however, -
Thaw added. after Justice Hendricks
had commended him for his testimony,
'that before ] shot White, I saw MN
move his hand toward his buck
pocketln
Thaw controlled himself remarkably
well while answering questions regard.
ing Mrs Susan Merrill, proprietor "
house visited by Thaw.
"Did she tell you white offered her
money for innocent girls3" asked
Cook.
"she told me White offered her. and
other women engaged in similar bust
ness, $4,000 for each girl, " was the re.
ply.
Thow admitted he had paid Mrs Mer.
rim sums OF money, "for information.
He denied thc payments were made for
the suppression VI testimony The 20.
tai amount paid her, Thaw said, was
between $500 and 1900.
Cook tried il learn Thaw's present
attitude toward Evelyn Nesbit Thaw
but Attorney sinchfield objected and
was sustained
'Did you a.ll White because be- ruin.
cd Evelyn or because be injured other
girlsl" asked Cook.
"lf Mis-. Neabit had escaped White
would probably never have paid any