Evening star., 1947-02-23

fornia. There he met Fred Gump
jr., son of a Kansis City manufac-
turer, and with his normal good
nature took an interest in the boy
and profesSed a desire to educate
him. The two returned to New
York Christmas eve, 1916. Trouble
began again, however. ThaW was
accused of horsewhipping the boy,
and was indicted on that charge. He
fled to Philadelphia, and there, jan
uary II, 1917, was found in an apart
ment, his throat slashed by his own
hand.
Ordered Back to Asylum.
His injury was not serious, and
ThaW was soon under arrest again
The courts ruled him lunatic and
ordered him committed to an asy-
lum, where he spent seven years be-
fore a jury hearing his appeal Tor
release decided in April Of 1924 that
he was sane.
He returned to New York, pleaded
not guilty to the horse-whipping
charge still open against him, gave
bail, then vanished for a while to
lead the life of country gentleman
on an estate at Westchester, Va.
What happened to the Gump case
never was definitely known, al
though Thaw was said to have made
private settlement with the boy S
father. New York authorities pro-
| fessed willingness to proceed with
the case, though doubtful that the
necessary witnesses could be found
because of the time that had
elapsed. The case presumably lapsed
and died.
His struggles to escape the law
had not been his only difficulties In
the wears after shooting White. His
wife had left for Europe during that
time. She returned in 1912 with a
how she called Russell K. ThaW,
who, she said, was born in Hamburg
in 1909. Thaw contested the par
entaqe. A successful suit for divorce
was brought, and all other litigation
EVELYN Nesbit attempted IN her
efforts to have the boy participate
in the Thaw estate was without
avail.
No ill-feeling was apparent be-
tween Thaw and his former Wl1e,
nevertheless. They met frequently
under what appeared to be wholly
amicable conditions. ThaW helped
Evelyn Nesbit acquire a home for
herself and her son, and contributed
to her support at intervals. They
remained good friends even though
Thaw almost wrecked her night club
in New York in 1927 when his argu-
ment with another patron reached
the stage of flying fists and swing
| ing bottles.
Sought to Clear Ex-Wife.
The circumstances that led to the
shooting of White he blamed wholly
on the architect. So deep was his
feeling that in 1926 he published
"The Traitor" a book of vindication
of Evelyn Nesbit and an explana-
ton of himself "I had to write
this" he said. The venture, how
ever, cost him $1,000. for an edition
of 10000, Only some 1000 copies
were sold.
A year as a country gentleman"
was enough for ThaW's restless,
nervous nature. Declaring himself
bored" he engaged Raymond Ken
ney, former New York policeman,
pugilist and war veteran as his pri-
vate secretary and descended once
more upon Broadway. He described
it as rotten" and nothing like the
old days." but he spent $500 in a
one-night celebration at a night
club while entertainers thronged
about him as in days gone by.
He travelled between New York
and Atlantic City, ever hunting new
pleasures. Meanwhile, decrepit
automobile crept across the conti-
nent from California to Winchester,
Va. There Miss Forrest Walsh, 10,
! of Los Angeles and her mother said
they had come for the daughters
marriage to Thaw, which they as
serted he had promised in several
love letters they offered to produce
in support of their claim. ThaW
YEARLY denied the whole affair, but,
learning the two were destitute be-
cause of their journey, offered them
funds with which to return home.
A few days of rain and Thaw's con-
tinued denial of their claim, and
the two abandoned their siege of his
Winchester estate, and left for Cali
fornia There they filed suit for
100000, alleging breach of prom