Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 39, Number 65, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 April 1907 — CLOSE OF THAW CASE. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

CLOSE OF THAW CASE.

JURY FAILS TO AGREE IN GREAT MURDER TRIAL. . ——— Famous Legal Battle Lasts for Three Months—Proceedings Have Been Eagerly Followed by Reading Public in Two Continents, . ——— .¶ The Thaw jury disagreed and the long trial of the murderer of Stanford White ended without result. Thaw was remanded to the Tombs without bail to await a new trial. His second trial, however, cannot take place for some time—a year, perhaps. Thus closed the most remarkable trial in New York’s criminal annals. .¶ The trial cost the State, it is said, not less than $78,000. How many times that sum it cost the defense may never be known, though conservative estimates place it at $235,000. And at its close matters stand jnst where they did before. The jury was out over fortyseven hours, and on the eighth and last ballot stood seven for murder in the first degree, which would carry with it the death penalty, and five for acquittal on the ground of insanity. .¶ Events moved swiftly and thrillingly in the last day of the great Thaw trial in New York. For Thaw and for those who were hoping for his acquittal it was the most soul trying ordeal of the twelve weeks which the trial had lasted. Upon the heels of District Attorney Jerome's closing address, nearly every word of which was like the blow of a lash on Thaw and his girl wife, Justice Fitzgerald charged the jury in a manner that seemed to dry up every vestige of hope for Stanford White’s slayer. And then the case was given to the jury. .¶ The closing day of the trial proceedings was the most dramatic since the prisoner’s wife recited her pitiful story on the witness stand. District Attorney Jerome dissected the argument of Mr. Delmas for the defense and tore it to shreds. Seizing upon incidents in Thaw’s life, he pictured the prisoner as a man whose character was as black as that of Stanford White, and Evelyn Nesbit he portrayed as a girl anything but the innocent child Mr. Delmas had shown her. .¶ Harry K. Thaw sat with clenched fists and blanched face while District Attorney Jerome tore his life to shreds, and demanded that the jury assess against him the death penalty. Sarcasm tipped every word which the district attorney spoke. He declared the pathetic “unwritten law” arguments of

Mr. Delmas, if hooded by the jury, would turn New Y'ork Into the semblance of a western mining camp, apd ridiculed the "dementia Americana’' on which the final plea for acquittal had been made. The district attorney declared that romance mid sentiment did not enter into tjie issue; it was not a question of Stanford White's character or Evelyn Thaw's sufferings; it was a plain, matter-of-fact homicide. "A common, cowardly tenderloin murder,” is the way he termed it. It was Jerome's summing-up speech —the last word in the famous trial before the judge intrusted the prisoner's fate to the jury. Jerome lashed Thaw as with a knout of a thousand flails. It was the most savage attack of the whole trial. There was not a dark page in Thaw's life that was not turned to the light of criticism and blame. So fierce, so vindictive was Jerome that there were many who believed he was purposely seeking to goad Thaw Into some outburst. "He Is guilty and should be punished,” was the burden of his speech. And following this terrific arraignment which had turned the hopes of Thaw and his relatives into forebodings, came the judge’s charge to the Jury. As the jurist, avoiding all efforts at oratorical effect, went over the facts and admonished the men who are to decide on Thaw's fate to put aside passion and prejudice and render a verdict strictly op the legal points at Issue, an expression- -of abject terror overspread the prisoner’s face. The Judge’s definition of Insanity sufficient to cause an acquittal dampened the hopes even of the prisoner's lawyers. After having been out thirty-one hours and still unable to agree upon a verdict, the Jury which had Harry Thaw’s fate lu its hands was locked up for the second night, Thursday, shortly before midnight. Length of trial—Sixty-five court days, extending, with postponements, from Jan. 25 to April 12. Cost to State —$78,086. Cost to defense —$235,000. > Length of jury’s deliberations—Fortyseven hoars and tight minutes.

Career of Evely-n Nesbit Thaw. Byron’s expression, “The fatal gift of beauty,” is strangely exemplified in the life story of Evelyn Nesbit Thaw. Evelyn Nesbit’s early home, like Thaw’s, was in Pittsburg. She is the daughter of Winfield Scott Nesbit, a lawyer who had a small practice and died leaving the widow with only a pittance. At the age of 14 Evelyn began to work for her living in a photographic studio in Philadelphia. Her employer took a picture of her to hang in an exhibition, and Evelyn woke up the next morning to find herself a famous beauty. Artists began to beg her to pose for them, and within a few months she was earning a good income in New Y’ork as a model. In these model days she met White, who induced her to go upon the stage, and persuaded a theatrical manager to give her a trial. Later White sent Miss Nesbit to a fashionable eastern school and after that she returned to the stage. Among the host of men who were smitten by her charms was Harry Thaw. His attentions were at first received with disfavor, although he had a habit of sending to her home grand pianob.

pearl necklaces, etc. These gifts were returned by her mother, who chaperoned her devotedly. Miss Xesbit subsequently went to Europe with her mother, and Thaw pursued. After a few months Mrs. Xesbit returned to announce that her daughter was at last accepting the attentions of "that odious man,” and that she wished to have nothing more to do with her. Mrs. Xesbit married again, and Miss Evelyn went on her unchaperoned way. Little is known of the European exploits of Thaw and the girl. They automobiled together, but were very discreet, the only adventure being an arrest in Switterland for fast driving, wh«<h they were booked by the police as man and wife. Oct. 22. 1904, they registered at Claridge’s in London as “H. K, Thaw and wife.” When Harry’s family heard of it they sent cutting cablegrams. Nor. 1 the pair landed in New York and went to the Cumberland hotel. Two days later they were ejected from the Cumberland. Then, after being refused rooms by four hotels. Thaw and Mis Xesbit parted temporarily. Thaw went to Pittsburg to confar with hla family. Miss Xesbit followed him in the spring and April 4, 1905*

they were married with Mrs. Thaw’s consent at Pittsburg. Victim of Thaw*a Bullets. Stanford White, victim of Thaw’s bullets, was one of the best known architects in the country. He designed many famous structures throughout the land, iucluding a number of the most prominent buildings for the Columbian exposition. Mr. White was born in New York City Nov. 9, 1853. There is hardly a city of prominence in the country that does not boast at least one building designed by his firm. Possessing himself a sense of beauty that enabled him instantly to grasp the

possibilities of a new suggestion, great or small, the amount of work of which he was capable was the despair of every man with whom he came into business relations. *He could accomplish his greatest duties on apparently three or four hours’ sleep, and in addition to all of his vast enterprises, White was known over Europe and America as one of the most companionable and lovable men of his time. Cultivated, gifted in practically all the arts, he took with him wherever he went that extraordinary love of fun and boisterous jollity that distinguished him to the end and that made his presence sought and prized in evfcry branch of

society. Mr. White designed Madison Square garden, in which he met his death, and his great studio was in the tower, where he held all his famous artistic entertainments. Shooting of White. Stanford- White was shot dead by Harry K. Thaw on the Madison Square ?6of garden on the night of Monday, June 25, 1906, during a performance of “Mamzelle Champagne,” in full view of tte gay throng seated at the tables watching the premiere of the musical comedy. Three shots were fired by Thaw, each taking effect in the head of the architect, who dropped to the floor a lifeless form. White had no opportunity to defend himself. He had been sitting at one of the tables deeply engrossed in the light opera which was being enacted, when he was suddenly confronted by the Plttsburger. Without a word of warning the latter leaned over the table, held the re volver within a foot of the architect’s head and fired. As White fell backward dead Thaw turned on his heel and calmly surveyed the excited crowd. He had almost reached the side of his wife when a fireman, stationed on the roof garden, made him a prisoner.

STANFORD WHITE.

ATTORNEY JEROME.

DELPHIN M. DELMAS.

BIRTHPLACE OF EVELYN NES BIT THAW AT TARENTUM, PA.