The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-04-14
Aged Parent of Harry K, De-
cIareS Son Is Cured of In
sanity and Is Fighting for
His Freedom From PhiIa-
deIphia Asylum,
EVELYN NESBIT OPPOSES
RELEASE OF EX-HUSBAND
Former 'FIOradOra' Girl Says
Slayer of Stanford White
Would ImperiI Heritage of
Their Boy and Revert to
WaStreI,
BIZ United Press
EkVF HaHHF -.

PHILA DELPHIA. April IA
Against the sordid background of the
Thaw case begins today a battle Of
that most potent OF human emotions
mother love Two mothers are fight
ing for their boys
The one Ms. Mary Than gray and
bowed with her SO years. seeks release
of her son larry x Thaw. from the
"Kirkbriles" asylum where he has
been incarcerated for seven years.
The other Evelyn Nesbit. opposes
freedom of the man who was once
her husband, on the grounds mis- re
lease will imperil the riShtful heritage
Of her son, Russell William Thaw, now
15-year-old student in Friends
School at Atlantic CITY
a court fight TO free Harry Thaw
and declare him sane started before
Justice Monahan today.
Claims Mind Cured
Thaws attorneys and those of his
aged mother who wants the boy that
has brought her so much sorrow
back with her for her few remaining
years are basing their action on a
claim that the treatment the million
aire has received at the Pennsylvania
Hospital has cured him Of the men
tai afilIction which led to his attack
upon Frederick Gump. Jr. of Kan
sas City on Christmas day. 1916. 1t
was following his attempted suicide
after this affair Thaw was adjudged
insane.
Into the legal proceedings surround
ing the present move for Thaw's re
lease. Evelyn Nesbit. known now to
the world as cabaret proprietor at
Atlantic City. hurled her boinbshell.
Harry Thaw must not be freed. "
she declared. and those whose duty a..
IL to approve the release have ac
cepted her intervention. 1T is not
for myself | speak. Evelyn said. I
can make my way; scrub floors Il
necessary It's for the boy, my boy
Harry's boy Russell. Harry is m
sane and he mustn't he allowed free
dom to squander Russells rightfui
heritage. He mustn't be free, because
if he is. within six months the world
viii be shocked by another terrible
tragedy such as those to which
Harry's previous insanity drove him.
Evelyn. who was married to Thaw
in 1905 and divorced by the Pitts
burgher a decade later claims he is
the father of her Toy. who was born
in 1909, while Thaw was in Mattewan
81 used 60 visit Harry secretly" she
said. Heavily yelled. / would go at
night to an appointed rendezvous near
Mattewan. Harrys money enabled
him to arrange a few hours OF free
dom from the asylum.
Had Hours Together
On these occasions he would come
out in a curtained limousine followed
by another in which rode goggled
guards to assure his return. We had
hours together this way. unknown to
tie world Afterward Harry would
be driven back to Matteawan and /
would make my way alone to New
York"
The boy. Russell, was born in Ber
lin, whittier Evelyn went with com
panion. After her return came dl-
vorce and denial by Thaw OF the
childs paternity. Evelyn may first
be required to bring proof that the
child is Thaw's before her interven-
ton in the case Of his release is given
legal weight. Hence she plays on her
other trump card, her evidence based
on years as Thaw's wife that insanity
will re-occur if he is gwen freedom.
Would Revert to Wastrel
She claims Thaw now glay-
haired man of 54, would revert to the
wastrel of the COS, who awed even
New York with his lavish entertain
ments and extravaganza. She claims
inheritance for Russell of the Thaw
millions Several fortunes have been
spent by the Thaws in Harry's behalf
since the day in June, 1905, when he
pumped bullets from an automatic re-
volver into the body of Stanford
White, greatest OF American archi-
tects, in the gay setting of Madison
Square Roof Garden
There has ensuod the sensation of
Thaw's escape from Nattewan. the
attack on the GuD1p boy and the at
tempted suicide.
Through it all. the mothe love of
Mrs. Thaw has remained unswervfng.
OF late years, Harry has been per
mitted to visit her occasionally.
But now she wants him back alto
all the spirit engendered by that