The Girl on the Velvet Swing

by Simon Baatz

  5. “Hereditary Insanity,” New York Herald, February 5, 1907.

  6. Adams, “State Quickly Puts in Its Case,” New York World, February 5, 1907.

  7. Charles Somerville, “Young Wife’s Awful Story Stuns Jurors,” New York Evening Journal, February 7, 1907; “Evelyn Thaw Tells Her Story,” New York Times, February 8, 1907.

  8. “Evelyn Nesbit Thaw, to Save Husband, Says Stanford White Caused Her Downfall When She Was Sixteen by Drugged Wine,” New York Herald, February 8, 1907.

  9. Irwin Cobb, Exit Laughing (New York: Bobbs-Merrill, 1941), 233–34.

  10. Somerville, “Young Wife’s Awful Story Stuns Jurors,” New York Evening Journal, February 7, 1907; “Mrs. Harry Thaw Tells Jury of Her Relations with Stanford White,” New York World, February 8, 1907; “The Story of Thaw’s Wife,” New York Sun, February 8, 1907; “Evelyn Thaw Tells Her Story,” New York Times, February 8, 1907.

  11. “White Pursued Her after Marriage, Says Evelyn,” New York Evening Telegram, February 8, 1907.

  12. Ibid.

  13. “City Plans to Keep Thaw Testimony Out of Print,” New York Evening Telegram, February 9, 1907; “Would Keep Thaw Case from Public,” New York World, February 11, 1907; “Chicago Opinion Divided upon It,” New York World, February 12, 1907; “Pittsburgh W.C.T.U. Opposes Printing Details of Thaw Trial,” New York World, February 14, 1907.

  14. “Thaw Indictments for Four Editors,” New York Evening Telegram, February 14, 1907; “Asks House to Keep Thaw Trial Out of the Mails,” New York Evening Telegram, February 14, 1907.

  15. “Roosevelt Aims at Censorship of Newspapers,” New York World, February 12, 1907; “President Would Bar Some Newspapers,” New York Herald, February 12, 1907.

  16. “Canada’s Mails Bar Thaw Revelations,” New York Evening Telegram, February 9, 1907; “Roosevelt Plans Thaw Censorship,” New York Times, February 12, 1907.

  17. “Attorney-General on the Thaw Case,” New York World, February 14, 1907.

  18. “Says Thaw Was Insane When He Shot Mr. White,” New York Herald, February 13, 1907.

  19. “Say Harry Thaw Was Insane on Wedding Day,” New York Herald, February 19, 1907.

  20. “Says Thaw Was Insane When He Shot Mr. White,” New York Herald, February 13, 1907; “Thaw Paranoiac Expert Swears,” New York Evening Journal, February 12, 1907.

  21. “Says Thaw Was Insane When He Shot Mr. White,” New York Herald, February 13, 1907.

  22. “Thaw’s Wife Ends Her Story,” New York Sun, February 20, 1907; “Evelyn Nesbit Thaw, under Lash of Mr. Jerome’s Cross-Examination, Becomes a Stammering, Frightened, Shrinking, Faltering Witness,” New York Herald, February 20, 1907.

  23. Richard O’Connor, Courtroom Warrior: The Combative Career of William Travers Jerome (Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1963), 46–48, 60, 74–82.

  24. Ibid., 55–56; Cobb, Exit Laughing, 234.

  25. “Mr. White Not in Studio on Night Evelyn Charges,” New York Herald, February 27, 1907; “Evelyn Thaw Lied on Stand, Jerome Believes,” New York World, April 14, 1907.

  26. “Evelyn Nesbit Thaw, under Lash of Mr. Jerome’s Cross-Examination,” New York Herald, February 20, 1907; “Evelyn Nesbit Admits Accepting $25 a Week from Stanford White Long after Time She Told Husband That Her Life Was Wrecked,” New York Herald, February 21, 1907.

  27. “Evelyn Nesbit Admits Accepting $25 a Week,” New York Herald, February 21, 1907.

  28. “Evelyn Nesbit Thaw, under Lash of Mr. Jerome’s Cross-Examination,” New York Herald, February 20, 1907.

  29. “Evelyn Nesbit Admits Accepting $25 a Week,” New York Herald, February 21, 1907.

  30. “Love Secrets,” New York Evening Journal, February 25, 1907.

  31. “Mrs. Thaw All Day under Fire,” New York Sun, February 21, 1907; “Evelyn Nesbit Admits Accepting $25 a Week,” New York Herald, February 21, 1907.

  32. Charles Somerville, “Days of Rest Do Much for All Principals,” New York Evening Journal, February 25, 1907.

  33. “Evelyn Thaw Sheds Tears as Mr. Jerome’s Questions Bare Her Life’s Secrets,” New York Herald, February 22, 1907.

  34. “Mrs. Holman Puts the Blame on Thaw for Girl’s Sacrifice,” New York Evening Journal, February 25, 1907.

  35. Samuel Hopkins Adams, “Mrs. Thaw Paints Her Own Picture in Darker Tints,” New York World, February 22, 1907; Samuel Hopkins Adams, “Crisis To-Day in Wife’s Story and Thaw’s Defense,” New York World, February 26, 1907.

  36. “Evelyn Thaw Sheds Tears,” New York Herald, February 22, 1907; “Her Life with White and Thaw,” New York Sun, February 22, 1907; Charles Somerville, “Prisoner’s Wife Sobs on Stand as Jerome Drags Out Her Heart Secrets,” New York Evening Journal, February 21, 1907.

  37. Arthur Train, True Stories of Crime: From the District Attorney’s Office (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1922), 283–313; Richard H. Rovere, Howe & Hummel: Their True and Scandalous History (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1985), 134–62; Cait Murphy, Scoundrels in Law: The Trials of Howe & Hummel (New York: HarperCollins, 2010), 244–48.

  38. Somerville, “Days of Rest,” New York Evening Journal, February 25, 1907.

  39. “Says Thaw Beat, Throttled and Cowhided Her,” New York Herald, February 26, 1907.

  40. Adams, “Crisis To-Day in Wife’s Story,” New York World, February 26, 1907.

  41. “Says Thaw Beat, Throttled and Cowhided Her,” New York Herald, February 26, 1907.

  42. “Saw Thaw, Lucid, Scan the Garden for His Victim,” New York Herald, March 13, 1907.

  43. “Hummel, Whom Jerome Punished, Testifies for Him,” New York World, March 16, 1907.

  44. “In Beginning His Pleas for the Life of Harry K. Thaw, Mr. Delmas Eloquently Asks Belief in Evelyn’s Story,” New York Herald, April 9, 1907; “Delmas at Last Gives a Name to Thaw’s Insanity,” New York World, April 10, 1907.

  45. “Thaw Jury Is Locked Up for the Night after Hearing Mr. Jerome Demand Death in the Electric Chair for Slayer of Stanford White,” New York Herald, April 11, 1907.

  46. Instructions of the Judge to the Jury, Box 131.1 (Thaw Murder Trial), fol. 4705, New York State Historical Association.

  47. Instructions of the Judge to the Jury, Box 131.1 (Thaw Murder Trial), fols. 4708, 4711, New York State Historical Association.

  48. “Thaw to Be Tried Again; Jury Disagrees, Seven Voting for Conviction,” New York World, April 13, 1907.

  49. “Thaw Jury, Unable to Reach Verdict, Again Locked Up for the Night,” New York Herald, April 12, 1907.

  50. “Jurors Did Their Best, They Say, to Reach an Agreement,” New York World, April 13, 1907.

  51. “Thaw to Be Tried Again,” New York World, April 13, 1907; “Standing Seven for Murder in First Degree and Five for Acquittal,” New York Herald, April 13, 1907.

  Chapter 6 Second Trial

  1. “One Crushed by Grief and Illness, the Other Radiant, Thaw’s Mother and His Wife Seek to Save His Life,” New York Herald, January 18, 1908.

  2. “Mrs. William Thaw Now Says There Is Insanity in Her Family,” New York Herald, January 23, 1908.

  3. “Martin Littleton Dies at 62; Noted Orator, Lawyer,” New York Herald Tribune, December 20, 1934; “M. W. Littleton Sr., Lawyer, Dies at 62,” New York Times, December 20, 1934; “Martin W. Littleton Sr. Dies,” New York Sun, December 24, 1934.

  4. “Martin Littleton Dies at 62,” New York Herald Tribune, December 20, 1934; “M. W. Littleton Sr.,” New York Times, December 20, 1934.

  5. “Mrs. William Thaw Now Says,” New York Herald, January 23, 1908; “Thaw’s Mother Kills Defense of Hereditary Taint,” New York World, January 23, 1908.

  6. “Mrs. William Thaw Now Says,” New York Herald, January 23, 1908.

  7. Ibid.

  8. “Tell of Thaw’s Odd Behavior,” New York World, January 18, 1908; “Evelyn Thaw on the Stand,” New York Evening Journal, January 17, 1908.

  9. “White Threatened Thaw’s Life,” New York Evening Journal, January 16, 1908; “Jerome
May Admit Insanity of Thaw,” New York Times, January 17, 1908.

  10. “Thaw Insane at School,” New York Evening Journal, January 14, 1908; “Insanity Secrets of Thaw Family Held Inviolate,” New York Herald, January 15, 1908.

  11. “Insanity Secrets,” New York Herald, January 15, 1908.

  12. “Harry Thaw Ordered 20 Tons of Ice,” New York Evening Journal, January 27, 1908; “Defence Says Thaw Has ‘Manic-Depressive’ Insanity and Rests Its Case,” New York Herald, January 28, 1908.

  13. “Harry Thaw Ordered 20 Tons of Ice,” New York Evening Journal, January 27, 1908; “Defence Says Thaw Has ‘Manic-Depressive’ Insanity,” New York Herald, January 28, 1908.

  14. “Thaw’s Wife Says Husband Planned Death in Waldorf,” New York Herald, January 21, 1908.

  15. “Thaw Twice Was Bent on Suicide, His Wife Swears,” New York World, January 21, 1908.

  16. “Evelyn Thaw Tells Life Story Again,” New York Times, January 21, 1908.

  17. “Thaw’s Wife Says Husband Planned Death in Waldorf,” New York Herald, January 21, 1908.

  18. “Defence Says Thaw Has ‘Manic-Depressive’ Insanity,” New York Herald, January 28, 1908.

  19. “Thaw’s Defense In: Alienists Have Bad Hour,” New York World, January 28, 1908; “Defence Says Thaw Has ‘Manic-Depressive’ Insanity,” New York Herald, January 28, 1908.

  20. “Calling Thaw a Maniac, Pleads for His Life,” New York Herald, January 30, 1908; “Littleton Begs for Thaw’s Life,” New York Evening Journal, January 29, 1908.

  21. “Littleton in Plea for Thaw Assails Jerome,” New York World, January 30, 1908; “Calling Thaw a Maniac,” New York Herald, January 30, 1908; “Littleton Begs for Thaw’s Life,” New York Evening Journal, January 29, 1908.

  22. “Jerome, in Summing Up, Acts Thaw Tragedy!” New York Evening Journal, January 30, 1908; “Calling Him Sane, Mr. Jerome Demands Death for Harry Thaw, but Emphasizes Second Degree,” New York Herald, January 31, 1908.

  23. “Two Girls Tell of Thaw’s Insanity,” New York Evening Journal, January 15, 1908; “Thaw a Coward First and Last, Says Jerome,” New York World, January 31, 1908.

  24. “Jerome, in Summing Up, Acts Thaw Tragedy!” New York Evening Journal, January 30, 1908.

  25. Ibid.

  26. “Calling Him Sane, Mr. Jerome Demands Death,” New York Herald, January 31, 1908.

  27. Charles Somerville, “Thaw Jury Foreman a Fine American Type,” New York Evening Journal, January 8, 1908; “Thaw Jury Ready, First Witnesses Called Monday,” New York Herald, January 11, 1908.

  28. “Harry Thaw, Not Guilty on Ground of Insanity, Locked Up in Matteawan,” New York Herald, February 2, 1908.

  29. Charles Somerville, “‘Jury Will Acquit Me,’ Says Thaw,” New York Evening Journal, February 1, 1908.

  30. “For 25 Hours Jurors Disputed before Reaching Their Verdict,” New York World, February 2, 1908.

  31. Ibid.

  32. “Harry Thaw, Not Guilty on Ground of Insanity,” New York Herald, February 2, 1908.

  33. Ibid.

  34. Ibid.; “Thaw Acquitted Because Insane, Sent to Asylum,” New York World, February 2, 1908.

  35. “Harry Thaw, Not Guilty,” New York Herald, February 2, 1908; “Thaw Acquitted Because Insane,” New York World, February 2, 1908.

  Chapter 7 Asylum

  1. Henry M. Hurd, ed., The Institutional Care of the Insane in the United States and Canada, 4 vols. (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press, 1916), 3:243.

  2. Fifty-First Annual Report of the Medical Superintendent of the Matteawan State Hospital (Matteawan, N.Y., 1910), 8, 14–16.

  3. “Harry Thaw, Not Guilty on Ground of Insanity, Locked Up in Matteawan,” New York Herald, February 2, 1908.

  4. “What Thaw’s New Prison Is Like,” New York World, February 2, 1908; “He’s No. 719 at the Asylum,” New York Times, February 2, 1908.

  5. “Thaw Sulks in His Asylum Uniform,” New York Times, February 3, 1908; “Say Maniacs Are Menace to Thaw,” New York Herald, February 4, 1908; “Matteawan Askew in Thaw’s Opinion,” New York Times, February 4, 1908; “Thaw Predicts He Will Go Free in Week,” New York Herald, February 3, 1908.

  6. “Myles M’Donnell Shot Dead in Albany,” New York Times, June 8, 1904; “Preusser Verdict Insanity,” New York Times, June 24, 1906; “McDonnell’s Slayer Now Sane,” New York Times, August 2, 1906.

  7. “Setback for Thaw,” New York Evening Journal, February 5, 1908.

  8. Evelyn Nesbit, Prodigal Days: The Untold Story (New York: Julian Messner, 1934), 213.

  9. Ibid., 213–14.

  10. “Matteawan Askew in Thaw’s Opinion,” New York Times, February 4, 1908; Charles Somerville, “Will Invoke Law to a Sensational Degree for Thaw,” New York Evening Journal, February 4, 1908.

  11. “Setback for Thaw,” New York Evening Journal, February 5, 1908.

  12. “Robert Brockway Lamb, M.D.,” New York State Journal of Medicine 52 (1952): 1685–86; Fifty-Second Annual Report of the Medical Superintendent of the Matteawan State Hospital (Matteawan, N.Y., 1911), 7–8.

  13. “First Step to Free Thaw,” New York Sun, April 21, 1908; “Thaw Lawyers Attack Law,” New York Sun, May 14, 1908.

  14. “Thaw’s Fate Is Now in Hands of Dutchess Judge,” New York World, May 5, 1908.

  15. “Thaw Declared to Be Insane,” New York Sun, May 26, 1908; Editorial, “The Insanity of Thaw,” New York Times, May 26, 1908.

  16. “Thaw Attacks Wife after Learning of Detectives’ Report,” New York World, March 9, 1908.

  17. “Thaw’s Wife Testifies She Began Action to Annul Her Marriage,” New York Herald, August 27, 1913; Nesbit, Prodigal Days, 216; “$1,000 a Month to Mrs. Thaw,” New York Sun, May 27, 1908.

  18. Nesbit, Prodigal Days, 208–10, 216–17, 218, 230.

  19. “Law Seals Lips of Mrs. Thaw on Threat to Kill,” New York World, July 14, 1909.

  20. Ibid.

  21. “Thaw’s Threat to Kill Her Wrung from His Wife,” New York World, July 16, 1909; “Mrs. Thaw Tells of Threat,” New York Sun, July 16, 1909; “Thaw Threat Let In; Said He’d Kill Wife,” New York Times, July 16, 1909.

  22. “‘I Threaten Evelyn? Absurd,’ Says Thaw,” New York World, July 16, 1909.

  23. “Thaw Evidence to Show Him Insane,” New York World, August 3, 1909; “Thaw Insane and Menace If Free, Assert Alienists at Sanity Hearing,” New York Herald, August 4, 1909.

  24. “Thaw with Whip Beat Many Girls, Woman Testifies,” New York World, July 28, 1909; “Thaw, Shown His Foolish Writings, Loses His Bravado,” New York World, July 30, 1909.

  25. “Thaw with Whip Beat Many Girls,” New York World, July 28, 1909.

  26. “Pistol with Which Thaw Slew Mr. White Stolen,” New York Herald, August 3, 1909; “Thaw Evidence to Show Him Insane,” New York World, August 3, 1909.

  27. “Thaw, Free, Would Menace Public, Says Dr. Baker,” New York World, August 4, 1909; “Thaw Insane and Menace If Free,” New York Herald, August 4, 1909.

  28. “Thaw a Lunatic; Liberty Is Denied; He Will Try Again,” New York Herald, August 13, 1909.

  29. “Lees Accuses Himself of Being Incendiary,” Brooklyn Daily Eagle, February 23, 1910.

  30. “Once in Asylum Now Fighting to Have Girl Freed,” New York World, January 17, 1911.

  31. “Girl of 17 among Convicts,” New York Sun, February 19, 1911.

  32. Marguerite Mooers Marshall, “Dora Schram Tells of the Torture She Suffered While in Matteawan,” New York World, February 28, 1911.

  33. “Another Woman Seeks Liberty in Thaw’s Campaign,” New York World, February 28, 1911; “Woman Convict Charges Cruelty in Matteawan,” New York Evening Telegram, March 17, 1911.

  34. “To Leave Matteawan,” New-York Tribune, February 19, 1911.

  35. “Calls Matteawan Worse Than State Prison,” New York World, February 18, 1911.

  36. “Say Insane Man Died of Beating,” New York American, February 9, 1911; “Brutality in Matteawan to Be Revealed,” New Y
ork American, February 10, 1911.

  37. “Asylum Inmate Fell in Attempt to Make Escape,” New York World, February 8, 1911.

  38. “Differ on Nugent’s Death,” New-York Tribune, February 24, 1911; “Galbraith Now Accused,” New-York Tribune, February 28, 1911.

  39. “Matteawan Investigation,” New-York Tribune, February 11, 1911; “Gov. Dix Orders Probe of Abuses at Matteawan,” New York World, March 4, 1911.

  40. “Saxe Bill Unopposed,” New-York Tribune, April 19, 1911; “The Legislature at Work,” New York Sun, April 20, 1911.

  41. “Matteawan Asylum Inquiry,” New York Sun, February 19, 1911; “Supt. Collins, Head of Prisons, Resigns Office,” New York World, April 26, 1911.

  42. “Made a Bogus Court Order,” New York Sun, June 4, 1911; “Dr. Lamb Explains,” New York Sun, June 18, 1911.

  43. “Dr. Lamb Out,” New York Sun, July 8, 1911; “Dr. R. B. Lamb Resigns,” New-York Tribune, July 8, 1911.

  44. “Dr. Amos Baker Resigns,” New-York Tribune, August 15, 1911; “Glad That Dr. Lamb Resigned,” New York Sun, August 20, 1911.

  45. “Mrs. Edward R. Thomas Sues for Divorce,” New-York Tribune, March 20, 1912.

  46. “Mrs. Evelyn Thaw in New Fight for Her Baby’s Sake,” New York Herald, May 13, 1912; Nesbit, Prodigal Days, 239–44.

  47. Nesbit, Prodigal Days, 244–47.

  48. “Evelyn Thaw Says Husband Is Father of Her Young Son,” New York Evening Journal, May 9, 1913.

  49. “Thaw Letter Fake, Says C. J. Shearn,” New York Sun, May 17, 1912.

  50. “Wife Who Saved Him on Stand against Thaw in Fight for Liberty,” New York World, June 19, 1912; “Thaw’s ‘Silence Money’ Paid to Over 200 Girls, Swears Susan Merrill,” New York World, June 20, 1912.

  51. “Thaw’s Wife as Witness Tells of His Crazy Acts,” New York World, June 20, 1912; “Evelyn Thaw Again on Witness Stand,” New York Sun, June 20, 1912.

  52. “Mrs. Thaw in Rage Shouts She Won’t Tell of Her Ruin,” New York World, June 22, 1912.

  53. Ibid.

  54. “Thaw Still Mad, Release a Peril, Justice Decides,” New York World, July 27, 1912.