Omaha daily bee., 1917-01-10
Slayer of Stanford White Is
Charged With Flogging 19-
Year Old Fred Gump
Until Blood Flows.
LAD IS ENTICED TO ROOMS
Accused Man Cannot Be Found,
But Alleged Accomplice
Is Arrested.
MEETS BOY IN CALIFORNIA

New York. Jan. 9.--liarry X. lhaw;
who was legally released fifteen
months ago from an asylum for the
insane where he was sent after he
killed Stanford White, was today i'll
dicted here, charged with kidnapping
Fred Gump, jr,, of Kansas City, Mo-,
a youth of 10 years, and assaulting
him with whip
With him was indicted on the kid
naping charge man described as
George F, O'Byrnes and supposed to
have been employed by Thaw as a
bodyguard, Word was received that
O'Byrnes had been arrested in Phila-
delphia and detectives were looking
for Thaw there tonight
Walsh Filed Complaint.
The complaint was placed against
Thaw with District Attorney Swami
by Frank P. Walsh, former chairman
of the United States Industrial Rela-
tions commission, who, appearing as
Gumps counsel, alleges that Thaw
enticed the youth to his rooms at a
hotel here Christmas night and there
beat him with two whips three diff
ferent times until he bled and became
almost unconscious.
Testimony describing the whipping
of young girls by Thaw made up some
of the most sensational chapters i'll the
numerous court actions on the ques-
ton of Thaw's sanity after his acQuit-
tai of the murder of White on the
grounds of insanity and his commit
ment to the Matteawan state hospital
for the criminal insane. Alienists for
the state testified that whipping was
mania with Thaw.
Met Boy in California.
After several years litigation at a
cost of several hundred thousand
dollars to New York state and to
Thaw and in which bitter partisanship
was engcndered whether he was justly
or unjustly kept in Mattcawan he was
declared sane by jury in habeas
corpus proceedings in the latter part
of 1915 and released by court order
According to the information laid
before the district attorney, il was to-
ward the end OF 1915 that Thaw first
met and became interested in Gump,
He had gone TO California after his
release here to attend the Panama
Pacific exposition at San Francisco
and later went to the southern part OF
the state, spending some time at Long
Beach, Cal, where he met Gump at
an ice cream parlor.
Gump's mother and his father, Fred
Gump, who is said to be manufac-
turer OF leather trunks in Kansas City
we're with the boy at Long Beach and
made no objection to their sons &C
quaintanceship with Thaw, the district
attorney was informed, apparently
sharing popular opinion that he had
been vindicsted."
Corresponds With Gump.
After Thaw left California he con-
tinucd to correspond with Gump. ac'
cording to Mr.. Walsh. These letters
Mr.. Walsh said, warned the boy MOI
to show them TO any one, but he lei
his mother read them and she An
swered them for him. The exchange
of letters continued through 1915
Thaw expressing a great interest If
the boys future and wish to pay FOL
his education abroad.
Although proffers of money BY
Thaw were refused the boy at las
came on to New York and went tc
Thaw's hotel, where it is alleged th'
assault took place.
Arrested as Thaw Aide.
Philadelphia, Jan. 9,--Charged will
aiding and abetting Harry K. Thav
in an alleged assault upon Free
Gump,jr., in New York and will
attempted kidnapping, man said tt
be George F. O'Byrnes and described
as Thaw's bodyguard, was arreste'
at railroad station here today a
he was about to leave the city, H
was held pending requsition from tn
New York authorities.
While admitting, according to tn
detectives, that he is acquainted wit
Thaw, and that he had been with tn
Pittsburghcr in this city until las
night, the prisoner denied that he
O'Byrnes or that he the ma
wanted in New York. He declare
that he had absolutely no knowledg
of the charges upon which he wa
taken into custody and said that h
had been with Thaw only as frienc
He said his name was Oliver Browal
that he was a Pittsburgh salcsma
and that he had known Thaw 70
some time.
Thinks He Is Man.
Barney Foold, the New York de
tective who assisted in making tn
arrest, however, stated tonight tha
the description he had of O'Byrne
fits the prisoner in all details an
that he is convinced he is the ma
wanted. In support of this belle
Flood said that the police had foun
in the prisoners pockets telegraI
dated December q, from the author
tiles of Long Beach, cal, replying
a message alleged to have been ser
by Thaw seeking information as t
the whereabouts of the Gump boy.
Both his attorney and privat
detective who said he had been er
gagged to act as private bodyguar
for the Pittsburgher while he wa
here, said that Thaw had left tn
city last night for Washington an
, that he intended to leave the capt.;
/ tonight for Pittsburgh. Efforts
locate him here so far have hay
proved futile