Evening star., 1937-03-12
Deliberations Begun After
Champagne Party Stories
Are Heard.
.FISTICUFFS IN SOCIETY
SETTING ARE DESCRIBED
"This Creature" Overcharged
Him. Playboy Asserts of
Shoreham Waiter.
BULLETIN.


Shoreham Hotel, was awarded 5000
compensatory and $4,000 punitive
damages against Harry K. Thaw
this afternoon by District Court
jury which had heard Jacks
charges that the millionaire play
boy struck him in the eye with his
fist during gay champagne party
January 3, 1885.
A jury will be called upon today to
write the last scene in the drama of
the millionaire and the waiter, which
opened in District Court yesterday
morning.
The principal actors we're Harry K.
Thaw, wealthy one-time playboy,
whose Staying of Stanford White 80
years ago was national sensation,
and Paul Jaeck, 80, the Shoreham
Hotel headwaiter.
Included in the dramatis personae
were Washington socialite, a movie
actress, prominent physician a den-
tist, lawyer. a trade association ex-.
ecutive and several persons less easily
| described
They spoke their lines yesterday,
describing the gay champagne party
staged two years ago by Thaw in the
Shoreham Hotel, which ended in his
election after an alteration with the
headwaiter.
Jack asked for 10000 to compen-
safe him for injuries he said were
caused to his left eye by blow Thaw
struck with his fist, in which he held
a lighted cigarette.
Headwaiter Is Heard.
The headwaiter, heavy-set native of
Switzerland, told the jury that Thaws
alleged attack climaxed an evening
I Of boisterous conduct during which
| the millionaire annoyed the guests
by humping lighted matches and
cigarettes about, and by giving a solo
dance with war whoops"
ThaW came back by referring to
Jack as this wretched person" and
"thiS creature" while the audience
Uttered.
The plaintiff was the first witness
as the trial opened before Justice
Jesse c. Adkins and jury composed
entirely Of men. The bulky, gray
haired defendant, sat quietly behind
his chief counsel, Col Christopher s.
Garnett.
1t was after Jaeck had told the
walter serving Thaw's table to bring
the millionaire water instead of cham
pagne that the assault occurred, the
headwaiter testified
He said Thaws bill was SIS and
there was a dispute over the amount.
Thaw said it was about $50 and in
cluded charge of $3.50 for a bottle
of fiat champagne which was sent
back unused.
Documentary evidence Of the exact
amount of Thaw's bill was introduced
this morning in the form of hotel rec
ords which showed the total to be
$3.50
Argument of the case then began.
Claims He Was Thrown Out.
The defendant charged that Jack
and "the bouncer" forcibly elected
him from the hotel dining room in
front of some 500 guests. He said
Jack struck him.
Did that make you angry?" in
quired John J. Sirica, counsel for
Jack.
NO." replied Thaw, but I was
angry when this creature said
wouldn't pay my bill I overheard
him tell the waiter, Watch hin-I
think he will go away and not pay his
bill That remark was without any
justification. I have known 200 or 300
!, headwaiters all over the world and
none of them ever accused me of such
thing.
why this creature isn't even the
headwaiter, he's only assistant head
waiter I know the headwaiter."
Sirica asked Thaw if it wasn't q
fact that he had ordered last drink
a. his party was about to leave.
mo-" shouted Thaw in voice so
loud and sharp that almost every
spectator in the crowded court room
gave a decided start.
Witnesses for Jack included the
socially prominent Mrs. Abner Drury,
. jr: Ralph Proctor, hotel detective
Walter Heini. captain of walters. and
DR.. Harry NJ Kaufman, chief Of the
Emergency Hospital staff, who gave
Jaeck emergency treatment for his
injured eye.
Proctor, Heinz and Mrs. Drury said
!, they saw Thaw strike Jack.
One of the principal defense wit
nesses, Gordon B. Prowse, said he saw
the whole incident, and Thaw never
was disorderly and was not the ag-
gressor.
Says He watched Thaw.
Prowse occupied a table across the
dining room from the millionaire and
his party OF eight. He testified the
: word soon got around the hotel that
Thaw was in the room and he became
) the center Of attention. Because the
, millionaire was q celebrity he kept
l his eyes on him good part of the eve
ming, the witness said.
Under cross-examination by Sirica
concerning his reason for observing
Thaw, the witness replied: IF there
was pink elephant over there !
would keep my eyes on it."
He said the Thaw group was "hav-
! ing good time just as college party
: might"
K Sirica continued to press him, and
Prowse, explaining the attention he
i paid Thaw, said he had often seen
a political and financial celebrities al
y the hotel but never person promi-
r nent in criminal circles"
Thaw was released from custody fol-
|, lowing Whites Staying after he had
spent several years in hospital TO,
= the insane.
Movie Actress on Stand.
I Miss Diana Nash, blond movie &C.
tress, who was . member Of Thaw'l