VOL. XLVI.XO. 14,418.
PORTLAND, OREGON, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1907.
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
k
:
)
TERRIBLE ORDEAL
OF EVELYN Till
Darkest Secrets of Life
See the Light.
FLOOD OF TEARS BURSTS OUT
Relations With White Contin
ued for Months.
HE ALWAYS USED FORCE
Forsook III in One Christmas Night
to Join Thaw Lived at Hotel and
Traveled With Husband Be
fore Their Marriage.
XBW YORK. Feb. 21. Under the stress
of cross-examination, in which District
Attorney Jerome gave no quarter, Mrs.
Evelyn Nesbit Thaw broke down upon
the witness stand today. With blinding
tears burning their way down cheeks
which from ashen white had flushed
crimson, she admitted that after her first
experience with Stanford White her rela
tions with the architect continued several
months.
There were other confessions also,
which, while damaging to her character,
accentuated all the more the terrible
personal sacrifice she is making in the
effort to save her husband from the elec
tric chair. The case has progressed to
the point where the defendant has been
all but lost sight of. His girl.lit'.e wife Is
the figure about whom the storm lashes.
She it Is whose life Is being ' searched
out and who is being held up to scorn
by the prosecution.
Tlinw Sinks Into Background.
Thaw, his face buried in his hands,
might easily have been out of the court
room picture today and none would have
missed him. All eyes were upon the wit
ness chair jtnd the slight figure in blue
which occupied- It- During the day and
at all times heretofore Mrs. Thaw has
had to sit on the edge of the chair in
order that her feet might reach the floor.
To make her more comfortable for the
long ordeal, a footstool and a. back
cushion were provided during the after
noon. At the close of the most eventful day
of the trial, Mr. Jerome announced that,
he probably would keep Mrs. Thaw un
der fire for two more days. Adjournment
was taken until Monday morning, al
though at one time Justice Fitzgerald
said that to accommodate out-of-town
witnesses he would hold court tomorrow
and Saturday.
Inmost Secrets Brought to Light.
There was no subject affecting the wit
ness of so intimate a nature that the
District Attorney hesitated to haul it
from its hiding place and hold it before
the gaze of the world, all the while re
quiring that she should recognize and
own the fault in .her own words.
When Mr. Jerome was flaying Mrs.
Thaw with questions as to her relations
with White, demanding to know every
detail, and while bitter tears were welling
to her eyes, two newspaper women, ac
customed to harsh scenes of life, hastily
left the courtroom and made a hasty
retreat out of the big portals. At last
the prosecutor himself relented some
what and suggested that the proceedings
should be suspended. Mr. Dclmas thought
he detected an unfavorable move in tills
and protested that the witness would be
able to proceed. Mrs. Thaw wiped her
eyes, stiffened up a bit and nodded to
Mr. Jerome to proceed.
First Intimacy With Thaw.
After bringing out that her relations
with White continued for some time, Mr.
Jerome went deeper. Mrs. Thaw admitted
that In 1908, after the return from Europe,
she spent a night In Thaw's apartments
in New York and that for three weeks
he and she occupied connecting apart
ments at the Grand Hotel here,
Mrs. Thaw admitted that the cham
pagne, which she had declared had tasted
bitter the night she lost consciousness in
the mirrored bedroom was no more bitter
than any other champagne she had
drunk. In fact, she declared it tasted
like all the rest and denied that she had
intended the jury to assume otherwise.
Used White to Qnict Mother.
Mr3. Thaw made what was considered
her most damaging statement to the de
fendant when she admitted he had shown
her copies of cablegrams sent to Stan
ford White from Europe asking him to
use his Influence with a certain man In
London to prevent Mrs. Nesbit from in
terfering with Evelyn's continuing In
Thaw's company. Mrs. Thaw also was
forced to admit that, when she and her
mother went abroad with Thaw in 1903,
they were still drawing upon the bounty
of Stanford White. Mrs. Thaw declared
that she had a letter of credit for MOO or
JTiOO which was given to her by White
and which she later turned over to Thaw.
There was still a balance in the Mercan
tile Trust Company to her order.
'But mamma got all of that," said the
witness.
Mr. Jerome dwelt for a long while upon
the cablegrams which Thaw is said to
have sent White. He brought out that
the cablegrams were sent after Thaw
knew of the relations which had existed
between Miss Nesbit and White. Mrs.
xiuw would not admit that she knew
positively who sent the cablegrams or
whether her name was signed to them.
Surely," remarked Mr. Jerome, "you
don't mean to say that he signed his own
name"
"No," she replied, "I don't mean that at
all."
Gets Whole History From Mother.
' A letter written by Mrs. Thaw In 1904
and telling of her gay life In Paris with
Harry Thaw and a "bunch from the
tenderloin" was read to the jury by
Mr. Jerome. This brought out more testi
mony as to the "Dead Rat," a Parisian
cafe. There seemed to be nothing in the
witness' past life about which the prose
cutor was not Informed. He seemed to
have been able to trace her every step,
largely due, doubtless, to the typewritten
etateme-nt of the mother. Wihlch Air.
Jerome nearly always holds in his -hand
while hurling questions at the daughter.
In single-spaced typewriting the state
ment seems to cover fully 76 pages.
The springing of sensations aid not rest
all with the District Attorney. Mr. Del
mas sent a genuine thrill through the
courtroom by declaring that he had been
Informed it was the purpose of the Dis
trict Attorney to indict Mrs. Thaw. Mr.
Jerome denied that any such statement
had been made, but did not deny the
purpose.
Struggle for White's Letters.
This Incident came about near the close
of the afternoon session, when Mr.
Jerome, In an effort to make the defend
ant produce certain letters from Stan
ford White, which Mrs. Thaw had de
clared were in the possession of Clif
ford Hartrldge, one of her husband's at
torneys, called Mr. Hartrldge to the wit
ness stand. The lawyer declined to answer
all the questions relating to the letters
and, when It became necessary for him to
give some better reason than the mere
fact that he was attorney for the defend
ant. Mr. Delmas said Mr. Hartridge had
been retained by Mrs. Thaw to protect
her interests when she had heard that
she was to be indicted.
During the afternoon Mrs. Thaw had
declared that she was perfectly willing
that the letters should be produced.
"They are your property, are they
not?" asked Mr. Jerome.
"No, I gave them to Mr. Thaw."
Mi1. Jerome directed his assistant, Mr.
Garvan, to have a subpena issued for Mr.
Hartrldge. When this was done, Mr.
Jerome again demanded the letters. Mr.
Hartrldge said he had no Intention of
complying, as he had received the letters
from the hands of the defendant. Mr.
Jerome appealed to Justice Fitzgerald, but
he had neglected to have an affidavit
made as to the service of the subpena,
and Justice Fitzgerald said there was
nothing upon which he could act. Mr.
Garvin was directed by his chief to draw
up the affidavit. There the matter
rested. .
Forced to Finish Willi Mrs. Thaw.
Just after luncheon recess, the District
Attorney wanted permission to discontinue
the cross-examination of Mrs. Thaw long
enough to take the testimony of Doctors
Deemar, of Kittanning, and Blngaman, of
Pittsburg, both of whom are. to testify as
to traces of insanity in both branches
of the defendant's family. Mr. Jerome
said he was Informed the physicians were
about to leave the jurisdiction of tie
court.'
"They are returning to Pittsburg to
night," said Mr. Hartrldge, "but they
will be back at any time they are wanted.
Mrs. Thaw is under a most severe strain
and her cross-examination should be
concluded at once."
Doctors Blngaman and Deemar were
called to the stand and said they would
stay If necessary.
Mr. Jerome insisted their testimony be
taken and Thaw's ' counsel insisted that
the cross-examination proceed. Just he
fore adjournment Mr. Jerome said he felt
that tne physicians ' would be available
when wanted and asked that the recess
over the holiday and until Monday be
taken. Counsel for the defense consented.
Mrs. Thaw will again he on the stand
all of Monday and possibly all of Tues
day. SEAKCHKS DEEP INTO PAST
Jerome Forces Mrs. Thaw to Tell
Shameful Secrets.
NEW YORK, Feb. 21. Thaw entered
the courtroom Immediately after the
(Concluded on Page 12.)
Htiag.
"Trvo , Govern,
air
H H .
N r Of
rtOt
t vtv
PASSAGE
BLOCKED
oy GAS 0CT0P05
CoTfey Bill Held Back
by Enemies.
ATTACKS PERPETUAL GRANTS
Four Multnomah Senators Are
Among Obstructionists.
HODSON IS THEIR LEADER
Portland Corporation Sends Its Lob
byists to Aid Him in Smother
ing Effort to Revoke Un
limited Franchises.
SALEM, Or., Feb. 21. (Special.)-Eager
to defeat the Coffey bill, which would re
peal the two state franchises of the Port
land Gas Company, as granted by the
Oregon Legislature in 1S59 and 1S74, the
majority of the members of the Mult
nomah Senate delegation Beach. Hodson,
Bailey and Slchel have kept possession
of the bill 13 days without reporting it
back, or even considering it, and today
filibustered over the bill for the purpose
of putting off reporting it until so late it
cannot pass the Senate.
These four Senators from Multnomah
are aided here tonight by a lobby of the
Portland Gas Company, headed by J. N.
Teal, C. F. Swigert and John C. Lewis,
who are putting forth strenuous efforts
to block the bill, which they realize will
be in great danger of passing If it shall
escape from the clutches of the Mult
nomah Senators who have held It captive
for nearly two weeks.
The Gas Company is calling to its aid
all the forces and influences at its com
mand, and has invaded the Capitol with
them. Its lobbyists have been In confer
ence with the four friendly Senators to
night, devising means to keep tlie bill
from going before the Senate, or of
amending it in such a way- ns. to defeat
Its purpose, or of delaying it until it can
not pass. Teal and Swigert hurried here
today when notified of a movement to
drag the bill out of the hands of the
Multnomah Senators.
Tried to Drag Out Bill.
This morning friends of the bill, led
by Senators Nottingham and Malarkey of
Multnomah and Representatives Coffey
and Driscoll of Multnomah, had planned
to drag out the bill, but the other Mult
nomah Senators successfully put this oft
with the promise to hold a meeting of
the Multnomah Senators at 1 o'clock for
consideration of the measure. Malarkey
and Nottingham consented to wait until
after the meeting. Beach and Hodson
wanted to hold the meeting later in the
day. but were forced to the earlier hour
by threats of taking the bill out of their
hands.
At the conference Hodson. Beach, Bailey
and Sichei declared their hostility to the
bill on the ground that it would con
fiscate vested interests of the gas com
pany. In an endeavor to meet their objections
Malarkey proposed amendment to the
bill. The four opposing Senators were
hostile even to amendment, whereupon
Malarkey and Nottingham announced that
they would submit a minority report to
the Senate carrying the amendment and
let the others puf in their majority re
port. Perceiving that this would bring
out the bill at once, the others replied
.fetvy
Cswce
o- twe. v??,iis
that they . would wait until they could
see the amendment in writing.
What Delay Would Mean.
After the meeting they declared that
they would not consider It until tomorrow
morning. As the Legislature will adjourn
the next day, one minute after the noon
hour, it will be seen that the delay is
very valuable to the gas company. .
The Malarkey amendment provides that
the act shall not become effective until
after the city shall have granted, or
tendered, the gas company a new charter
for not less than 15 years, nor more than
2a years.
Tonight the opposing Senators say that
they are dissatisfied with the amendment
and will present another. They do not
know what it will be, because, they say,
they have not yet prepared It. But Hod
son reveals his Implacable hostility to the
measure by declaring it innately uncon
stitutional. This Is in. ling With Hodson's entire
course lir the' Legislature,.- He was the
candidate of the corporations and the
gas company for ' the presidency of the
Senate- He made known before .coming
to the Legislature that he would- oppose
any effort to pass a bill that would compel
the gas company to exchange its old
perpetual franchise for a new limited
one. Had lie been elected President, the
Coffey bill would have had a poor show
in the Senate, and he could have done it
more damage than by merely holding pos
session of it as a member of the Mult
nomah delegation.
Checkmated by Beach.
It is evident that tomorrow the four
hostile Senators will keep up their en
deavors to block the efforts of Ma
larkey and Nottingham to bring out
the bill. Nottingham arose, late this
afternoon, to move that the bill be
taken from the Multnomah delegation
and referred to the committee on re
vision of laws, but Beach, who was
aware of the plan, checkmated him by
moving: adjournment.
The motion to adjourn was carried
and further delay was thus won by
the gas company's defenders.
RAILWAY MEN MAY STRIKE
WESTERN ROADS REFUSE TO
v-GKAXT WAGE INXHEASE.
Meeting AVill Be Held Today, When
Final Effort- for Settlement of
Issue Will Be Made.
CHICAGO. Feb. 21. An acute stage was
reached tonight in wage negotiations be
tween Western railroads and 50,000 con
ductors and train service employes, which
tomorrow may develop into a complete
wtrrance of reltio Negotiations hsve
been going on for nearly, ft fnonth. The
men are sking for an eight-hour day,
and an increase xf wages of 15 per cent.
Today the railroad officials issued, a
statement saying they were willing to
grant an increase of 9 per cent in pay
and that this was their final answer.
The union officials' reply to this an
nouncement was that if such was the
case it would "be useless to continue the
negotiations looking to a settlement and
that unless the railroads were willing to
grant further concessions the question of
a strike would be voted on at once.
Late tonight arrangements were made for
another meeting tomorrow when a final
efTort will be made to come to a peace
able understanding.
SHEA AND GANG ACQUITTED
Leaders or Teamsters' Strike Not
Guilty of Conspiracy.
CHICAGO. Feb. 21. President Cornelius
P. Shea, of the International Brotherhood
of Teamsters, and his fellow-defendants,
who have been on trial on a charge of
conspiracy committed In the course of the
teamsters', strike agains't the department
stores in Chicago two years ago. were
found not guilty by a jury in the Criminal
Court tonight.
Five Babies at One Birth.
MIDDLEBORO. Ky.. Feb. 21. Mrs. Za
browski, wife of a Polish miner -at Fork
Ridge, gave birth to five children, three
girls and two boys. AH of the children
are doing well.
HARRY MURPHY DROPS IN ON THE LEGISLATORS AT SALEM
ot '
-to
t3VlvD
V4TH L. '
7
MOVE TO
E
Judge Shows Disposi
tion to Grant It.
NO PR00FB00KS WERE OFFICIAL
Lack of Evidence Hermann
Was in Conspiracy.
REASON FOR DESTRUCTION
Prosecution Offers to Prove Con
spiracy and Destroyed Books to
Hide Guilt Court Takes
Time to Consider.
OREGONIAX NEWS BUREAU. Wash
ington, Feb. 21. Counsel for Representa
tive Hermann sprang a surprise today by
submitting a motion In court asking that
the letter-book case be taken from the
Jury and that the charges against the de
fendant be dismissed, maintaining that
there was a fatal variance between the
Indictment and the evidence offered. Af
ter argument the court announced that it
would take the motion under considera
tion and adjournment was taken until
Monday. Prior to the argument the jury
was dismissed for the day.
Mr. Worthlngton. in offering the motion,
declared that neither the District Attor
ney nor the grand jury had shown due
diligence in securing evidence upon which
to base a valid indictment, and that the
Government's proof so far submitted did
not prove the contention of the prosecu
tion that the destroyed letter-books were
of official character.
The District Attorney and hip assistant
defended the indictment, Mr. Baker de
claring: "You cannot take a technicality to get
the defendant off."
. After hearing argument justice Stafford
made this tentative announcement to the
District Attorney:
!
Court States Difficulty.
"The letters were destroyed. Can you
show that the letters. If not destroyed,
would have proven a conspiracy? If it
comes to that question, you say you can
not. The letters need explanation to show
criminality. When letters are of a crim
inal nature they would show a
motive. I think you must find from
some other source evidence that there
was a conspiracy between Hermann and
the parties mentioned In the letters, or
to whom they were written. I cannot see
how the Jury is to Infer that the letters
were criminal, no such letters being
shown, from the fact that an alleged con
spiracy existed and that some letters were
written to men accused of this crime.
Would you have the jury Infer that some
incriminating letters were in the de
stroyed books, other letters apparently
innocent being shown here? I think not.
However, I will not now decide the
point."
Say Purpose Was Fraud.
In opposing Mr.' Worthington's motion,
Assistant District Attorney Adkins said
the prosecution would show that the
books were public records, written to
persons charged with , defrauding the
Governments JWe desire to produce
evidence to show that Hermann was
guilty of entering into a conspiracy and
that the books were destroyed to hide
his guilt," he said: "We expect to show
that in the Spring of 1902, Joost H.
Vrvt?
hermnn
-Zr Slipper
iL mm ' .
6chnelder wrote him that he would give
information unfolding gigantic land
frauds perpetrated by the Benson-Hyde
ring and that Hermann wrote letters dis
couraging the giving of this Information
and that he sent a special agent to see
what Schneider would tell. Hermann
was interested with Loomis and Ormsby
in similar schemes in Oregon, the Butte
Creek fence case, where 25,000 acres were
involved, and the Blue Mountain forest
reserve case."
Must Prove Criminality.
Mr. Adkins declared that the Govern
ment can show that there were letters
in the destroyed 1 ks addressed to all
the conspirators which dealt with the
conspiracies.
Justice Stafford here suggested that the
District Attorney should get evidence to
satisfy the jury that there was some
thing criminal or incriminating in the
books and questioned the right of the
prosecution to argue that there was any
thing wrong in the 'books, because the
(Concluded on Page 4.)
CONTENTS TODAY'S PAPER
The Wefttber.
YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature, 53
degrees; minimum, 43.
TODAY'S Rain; wind? mostly southerly. i
loreiyo.
Steamer Berlin wrecked and all lost except
one passenger. Page 2.
National. -
Violent assaults on forest reserves in the ,
Senate. Page 4.
Democrats In House filibuster against lim
ited debate. Page 3.
Tawney says this will b billion-dollar Con
gress. Page 3.
roil tics.
Senator Bailey says all charges are falsa
and would like to shoot accusers. Page 4.
Mayor Dunne carries Chicago Democratic
primaries. Page 4.
Domestic.
Jerome mercilessly compels Mrs. Thaw to
expose her life's secrets and she breaks
down In court. Page 1.
Haskln writes on George Washington. Page
1.
Prosecution In Hermann case strikes new
snag. Page 1.
John L. Sullivan has Interview with Car
dinal Gibbons. Page 3.
Mc Vicars, former Portland actor, acci
dentally killed. Page -
Gates tells size of Rockefeller's fortune.
Page 4.
Crisis In wage dispute on Western railroads.
Page 4.
Shea and other teamsters' leaders acquitted.
Page 4.
Pacific Coast.
Olympia solons suffering from an attack of
Spring fever. Page 5.
Love of wine, women and gold enter Into
story of dusky maiden on trial for mur
der. Page 5-
I. H. McMahan starts suit against Frank I.
Dunbar to recover ?10o,tXH received in
fees. Page 7.
Detectives relate what Steve Adams told
them of the alleged murder of Fred Ty
ler. Page 3.
. Oregon Legislature.
J?oar Multnomah Senators aiding Portland
gas monopoly in attempt to prevent re
vocation of perpetual franchises. Page 1.
Portland Jobbers still fighting pure food law.
Page .
Bingham's brush Are bill passes House; will
benefit farmers. Page 6.
Perkins bill permitting slaughter of song
birds passes Senate. Page B.
Normal schools in little danger from pres
ent Legislature. Page 6.
Bill to make County Treasurer tax coltector
killed by amendment. Page 7.
Portland and Vicinity.
Syndicate Leaded by Calvin Hellfg reported
to be negotiating for purchase of Mar-
quam Theater. Page 11.
Valley investors buy corner at Fourth and
Burnside streets for f 8r,4H0. Page 13.
Groom "married" at sea proves uncle of
bride ar.d gts marriage license handed
back. Page 10.
C. M. Levey refuses to confirm purchase of
A. & C. R. Railroad. Page 10.
No more arc lights can be allowed this
year unless lighting appropriation is in
creased. Page 11.
W. L. Flnley renews attack on sweeping
nature of repeal of song bird protection.
Page 10.
Primary election will be held May 4. Page
11.
Commercial and Martne.
Sharp drop in sugar effective today. Page 17.
Hill stocks are under pressure. Page 17.
Wheat quiet and easy at Chicago. Pago 17.
General trade conditions continue favorable.
Page 17.
Steamship Gymeric clears with full cargo
of wheat. Page 10.
Steamer Ohio chartered for excursion from
Los Angeles. Page 10. 1
t.
NCmiN&HRrA
wooty t.v
JQT OMt.
0 vjM.t..0- SHIVIOO,
WASHINGTON
F.
Birthday Observed Ever
Since 1784.
RICHEST AMERICAN AT DEATH
Had Great Estates East and
West of Alleghenies.
CAREFUL BUSINESS MAN
Letters Written in Simple, Dignified
Style Treated Mother AVlth Rev
erence Kvldence Clierry
Tree Story Is True.
BY FREDERIC J. HAPKIK.
WASHINGTON, Feb. JC. (Special
Correspondence.) Georffe Washington
was born 175 years ago tody. His
name will live through all the ages as
the liberator and founder of the great
est country the world has ever known.
Washington was, and is. America In
carnate. The United States has out-
grown the fondest hopes which he en
tertained for the national fledgling he
nursed into life, but with that growth
has grown the name and fame and
honor of him who Is In truth "first In
war, first In peace and first In t'ne
hearts of his countrymen."
The first recorded observance of
Washington's birthday appeared In
the Pennsylvania Packet on Tuesday,
February 17. 17S4 (Old Style). It was
sent by o correspondent In New York,
and read : .
"Wednesday last being the birthday
of His Excellency, General Washing
ton,' the same was celebrated here by
all the true friends of American In
dependence and Constitutional Liberty
with that hilarity and manly , decorum
ever .attendant on the sons of free
dom. In. the cvening.un ontcrtainnirat
was given on board the Kast India
ship in the harbor to a very brilliant
ami respectable company, and. a dis
charge of IS cannon was fired on the
joyful occasion." ,
Richest Man or His Time.
What a difference between condi
tions then and now. At that time there
were barely 5.000,0.10 people In the
United States. There was really no
great American city. New York having
only 33,000. Philadelphia 30,000, Bos
ton is.0'10 and Charleston 16,000 in
habitants. Washington died In De
cember, 1799, and the progress of news
wns so slow at that time that some of
the settlers beyond the Alleghenies did
not learn of his demise until February
and March of the next year.
At the timf. of his death Washing
ton was probably the richest man In
the United States. He had vast hold
ings of real estate and more than half
of his wealth lay west of the Alle
ghenies. Some Idea of his extensive
holdings may be had from an adver
tisement which appeared In the Alex
andria (Virginia l Gazette of th
time, which contained several columns
describing land that he wished to
lease or sell. He offered to "lease
8300 acres of Mount Vernon land, the
properties known as the River Farm,
the Union Farm, the Dogue Run Farm
and the Muddy Hole Farm, respective
ly." The land for sale was "974 4
acres on the southeast side of the
Ohio River; 23.26S acres on the Great
Kanawha. 2042 acres on the Little
Miami, within a mile of the Ohio; and
6000 acres in the Green River country
of Kentucky." .
Great Kstates In Vet.
When he married the pretty Widow
Custls, Washington received into his
hands one-third of the famous Custlo
fortune, amounting to about $76,000
In money. He purchased, among other
places. Great Meadows, the scene of
the battle In the French and Indian
War, where he fought his first fight
and "sig;ied the first and only capitu
lation of his life." At Washington's
Run in the Alleghenies there Is still
an old water-mill In operation, which
stands on the site of one that he built
in 1775.
Mis diary, carefully kept almost with
out a break from 1760 until the close of
his eventful life, shows his careful
methodical habits and gives much in
formation about his extensive business
affairs. Among the products of his place
0 FUNDING
ME
were a yearly manufacture of 1000 bar
rels of meal, 2000 barrels of good whisky
and frequent sales of hogs, sheep, eto.
From 1759 to 1764 Washington was his
own exporter, sending out the produce
from his great farms to Bristol and
Liverpool. Large quantities of tobacco
were handled in his name during this
time, and his agents In England were
instructed to keep their eyes open for
any improved agricultural implements
and send them to him.
Sage Advice on Farming.
That -Washington was a careful man
ager is shown by a letter which he wrote
to one of his overseers. "Economy' In
all things Is beneficial and desirable on
a farm. It shows Itself in nothing more
evidently or more essentially than in not
suffering the provender to be wasted, but
on the contrary In taking care that every
atom of it be used to best advantage;
and likewise in not permitting the
(Concluded on Page 4.)
X