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Evelyn Thaw on Her Way to the insane Asylum.
Photograph Taken During One of Her Frequent Visits to Her Husband, and Showing a
Bundle of Various Things Harry Thaw Had Asked For.
and. of course, visited him frequently. I never met her any more,
unless by accident. Any business affairs due to the fact that I was
her son's wife were conducted through the medium of agents. I
realized that the value of my continued loyalty—my testimony in
the event of legal measures with a view of getting Harry out of
the asylum—-was all that sustained any sort of interest in me on
the part of the Thaw family. In that respect our interests were
common. If Harry should be freed, that would mean a reversal
of the insanity verdict, and I would no longer be, legally, at least,
the wife of a lunatic. Outside of Harry’s competency to manage
his own fiscal affairs, my financial position as his wife was,
and would coutiuue to be untenable.
All this was constantly in my mind. But 1 could as yet foresee
more than a very small part of the penalty I was to pay for being;
the wife of an iucuraible lunatic. Though I shall not burden your
mind with the course in detait of the six attempts that were to
be made to get Harry out of the aSylum, there were incidents of
the period covered by those trials which have a vital part in the
story—as will be seen.
Unconsciously, however, I had begun to construct my future on
the solid basis of independent reward for independent effort—
even in the first weeks of my experience as the wife of a convicted
and imprisoned lunatic.
Next Sunday Evelyn Thaw Tells How She
Was Abandoned by the Thaw Family and Was
Reduced to Poverty.
I job
nd>d
with-
with
flera
n in
.opt}
r, tor
edits
iitoe.
anee-
and
[fairs
rtUch
'here
good
gave
omen
I let-
jrade
f the
i tend,
ad in
; the
d me
iven-
emi-
co ra
il the
of the people who believed In them. People would say In theft
kindest manner: “Oh, yes—hut that is all past now—don’t-let us
tnIk about it.”
i know of no more exasperating experience than to be for
given for an offense which one has not committed. Then there
were other people who had less cause to do me injury, and from
'their own senseless desire for notoriety, or in a spirit of “fun,”
ca i-ed me a great deal of aunoyauce—more aunoynnee, indeed,
than any of the invent
ors of diabolical "inci
dents” had ever caused
me.
Here Is a case in
point. A girl went down
to Salt Lake City, hired
a suite at the best hotel
and with her friends
painted the city of
saints the brightest ver-
million for a week. She
inscribed her name on
the register as Evelyn
Thaw. Her behavior
caused some stir—
which is putting the
matter very mildly. But
one day. at the height
of the excitement, she
was seen by a journal
ist who had sat through
the trials.
To be exact, she was
pointed out by a local
reporter.
"That is Evelyn
Thaw," he said, and my
friend raised his eye
brows "She is no
more Evelyn Thaw than
1 am," be said, and then
and there the imperson
ation collapsed The
girl admitted that she
had taken the name in
frolic. Sometimes I
found these incidents
a m u 8 i n g. The case
"My husband's paranoia caused quoted was not a soli-
hi* brain to busy itself not with tary example by any
melancholy anti depression at his means
confinement, but with an exatia- —•
lion of mind. Harry pointed out
that there should be a new winy
built, with special accommoda
tion* for distinguished guests-
The kitchen should have a new
and up-to-date equipment, the
dining rooms were not large and
airy enough; there ‘was a press
ing need of a complete law li
brary—and some efficient land
scape gardening would make the.
premise* much more attractive.
but
iulo
vairy
t fail
in
why
iauae
oney.
some
ruth
were
then
egtn
-Henry Thaw Sketched at Mat-
teawan by Evelyn Nesbit.
Viewed from the time
of this writing (the
Summer and Autumn of
1913) the event of
Harry’s commitment to
Matteawan Inaugurated
the constructive period
of my life. But I was
not to begin to realize
this important fact until
many months had gone
by. each bringing fresh
burdens of responsibil
ity as a wife, new agita
tions. more illusions vanished.
it is hardly possible to describe the effect of that momentous
verdict upon myself, upon Harry, upon all of those deeply con
cerned. It was like being dropped over the edge of a precipice of
long-continued, tense dread, not to be shuttered to pieces on the
rocks below, but to find one’s self floundering in a morass. Minds
which had remained keen and vigilant during the long and vital
struggle suddenly relaxed Both armies—that of the prosecution
►as well as that of the defense—were in a state of disorderly re
treat, their leaders’ wits apparently “wool gathering’’—which
probably was just as well. as. for the time being, at least, the
lighting was over
Harry’s Ego Soars to Great Heights.
As for me, !. the wife, had "saved Harry Thaw.” So every one
said. Jerome loudest of all. Doubtless many would consider
that I was warranted in feeling deep satisfaction over that mem-
1 arable Jerome utterance to the effect that no wife had ever made
| greater sacrifices or deserved greater rewards. Truly, the sacri-
! fires had been made, and.perhaps they might yield some part of
the recompense they merited; but in the meantime I found my
self stuck fast fn the morass, from which 1 could see no prospect
of extricating myself.
1 ' Applying that verdict personally, I now saw myself the wife of
an. incurable lunatic. Worse yet. ol a lunatic whose family
heartily disapproved of me.
What were to be the conditions of my life from now on? What
bad i to evpect. to hope for? And candor c»mi>e!s me to say that,
at first there was visible justification of that verdict—by means
of which I had “saved Harry Thaw ’
It is useless, and lacking in candor, to mince matters. For sev
eral days—even longer—after listening to the pronouncement o<
•he jury. Harry’s words, bis manner and all his actions were those
of as craxy a man as ever lived. His well-developed ego swelled
to incredible dimensions. He exaggerated everything, using the
most extravagant language, rolling characteristic words under his
tongue with indescribable relish.
"So they’re locking me up with a lot of bugs’’—after this fash-
ion’Tie rambled on. "Well. I won’t be in there a minute. I’ll have
fflom ail buffaloed. Most of the lawyers are buffaloed already; so
are a lot of the experts. What’s the use of worrying? Do I look
worried?” And so on.
If it appears light-minded in me to present" some idea of these
' dis- early days of Harry’s existent* as a criminally iitsane person by
offer judgment of the court, remember this is "the story of my life.”
... and I am revealing my first Impressions of my prospects as the
their wjf e of a lunatic-convict, probably incarcerated for th^ remaining
were Period of his life.
In this spirit I recall here Harry’s behavior during the trip to
Matteawan.
This apparent finish of the cause velebre of those days, of
course, treated a tremendous sensation in New York, and hardly
came
have
i the
ieard
seion
iaTty
g his
r at-
ictetl.
dark
s hot
of h
to a
ound
!ome
:ould
com-
and
ulity
less of a sensation elsewhere—and Harry revelled in hla undia.
puted occupation of the centre of the stage. In change of hit
guards, and entirely surrounded by lawyers, friends and news
paper reporters, he presented the reverse of the picture of Na
poleon on the deck of the Bellerophon en route to St. Helena.
Any one among the spectators not acquainted with the facts might
reasonably have supposed him to be a popular idol whose ser
vices to mauklnd were about to be officially recognized.
With a cigar in his teeth, his eyes bulging, he talked incessantly
in much the vein indicated above, to any and all of his applauding
retinue. The guards were considerate—naturally. Their cele
brated charge might exploit himself to his heart’s content; neither
were they so mean-spirited as not to Join in the general applause.
There were incidents marking the usual delay at Fishkill Land
ing amply calculated to Increase my apprehensions regarding
Harry’ mental condition—and, incidentally, the fresh problems
looming on his wife’s horizon. He chewed his cigar still more
energetically, his eyes bulged still further from their sockets, and
his utterances had increased in extravagance. And—I regret
that candor obliges me to add—the sympathetic guards permitted
an indulgence in refreshments that was unwise, to say the least
To quote an enthusiastic and graphic newspaper reporter:
"Harry and the whole party left Fishkill Landing soused to
their eyebrows.”
The arrival at Matteawan was rather late in the evening. Con
sidering the condition of the prisoner and most of the party, it
will be imagined that the breaking up of the celebration was pro
longed and rather trying to the authorities. Harry, however, saw
the outer doors close upon him without the slightest abatement of
his extravagant self-confidence. I learned upon a subsequent visit
to the institution—I made these visits frequently for quite a long
time—that he kept poor Dr. Lamb, the superintendent, up nearly
all night, assuring him of his (Harry’s) distinguished considera
tion, and regretting that he would leave so soon.
The situation within the walls of the asylum for several days
was not one upon which to build any hopes about Harry. The
whole place was an indescribable babel of excitement, largely
sympathetic for Harry, and resentful toward those who had placed
him there. In short, the new inmate found himself even more of
a hero within those wails than he had been outside. Scores of
the prisoners who were victims of paranoia, and, consequently.
Intensely active mentally In their deluded way, had learned of the
verdict in advance of Harry’s arrival, and were prepared to give
him a fitting welcome. The next morning they literally swarmed
about him, giving him an opportunity which he did not neglect,
to go over alt the points of his "case” and show how easily he
would "buffalo” the lawyers and free himself.
Harry Thaw’s Actions Justify Verdict.
Like all the rest of the world, these peculiarly deluded creatures
were obsessed with the Harry Thaw idea. He was the command
ing figure in the great multitude of victims of the law’s absurdi
ties, including themselves. So they paid him homage exaggerated
most unwholesomely by the very nature of their malady. There
could be, and was, but one effect upon Harry—to cause him In
his speech and actions to more and more Justify the verdict which
had placed him in such company.
Of course, this condition of things was permitted to last only a
short tiraei The enthusiasm of a Chinese prisoner—a New York
Chinatown murderer whose name I disremember—elevated him
to the position of leader of Harry’s paranoiac audience. He or
ganized forces within the prison and assured them that very
shortly an army “eighty thousand strong,” mobilized by his orders-
would march upon the Matteawan Bastille and level it to the
ground—unless their distinguished comrade were speedily set at
liberty. There Is little doubt that, at this time, Harry was quite
as mad as the rest of them. Fortunately, for him, the superin
tendent was now ready to give him steady employment of a kind
to occupy his mind in saner directions. He was given the posi
tion of librarian of the asylum—a happy choice, as‘ it flattered
Harry’s opinion of his own literary accomplishments and kept
him busy in a congenial way.
My next visit found him calmer—but his habitual, familiar be
lief in his genius for improving upon all of the achievements of
mankind was still much magnified. My husband's paranoia
caused his brain to busy itself not with melancholy and depres
sion at ills confinement, but with an exaltation of mind. Dr. Lamb
found himself constantly buttonholed and harangued about the
need of various Improvements. Harry pointed out that there
should be a new wing built with special accommodations for dis
tinguished guests. The kitchen should have a new and up-to-date
equipment, the dining rooms were not large and airy enough,
there was a pressing teed' of’ a complete law library—and some
efficient latiscapc gardening would make the premises much more
attractive.
Harry was treated with every consideration. He had a room of
his own and every reasonable comfort. Whenever I visited the
asylum he was granted every facility for meeting me without the
distracting presence of outsiders, both within the buildiug and
outside. 1 was with him quite alone for hours at a time. Occa
sionally his wardens treated him to pleasant motor trips about
the country.
Gradually, as Harry's improvement suggested possibilities of
his eventual release, 1 managed to flounder a bit nearer to the
shore of the morass Into which the insanity verdict had plunged
me. I still loved Harry—I was sorry for him, and pity retains
love even as it creates it. Although he had consistently neglected
to show appreciation for my sacrifices and my efforts to have hftn
restored to liberty, I knew that l retained his affection, emphati
cally. If he should be freed, the attitude of the rest of the Thaw
family toward me would be of comparatively small consequence.
It was impossible in existing circumstances for any hopes or ex
pectations to pursue an even tenor. The verdict of a trial jury
and powerful influences were against us. There were moments
when ail the old love and comradeship which had been ours In the
happiest days of our association rekindled, and I have recollections
of happy, as well as most upbappy, moments amid the grim and
repressive surroundings of Matteawan.
Probably you are asking the mental question: Do you really
mean that you still loved a madman? Is it possible that you still
retained true affection for a man, if not actually mad. so incon
sistent, so self-absorbed, so great an egotist as was Harry Thaw
always?
I answer, yes. l,ove does not die of a sudden. When love goes
it fades in patches—there were still patches which appealed to
me very strongly. No woman possessed of womanly feeling can
be a eugenist in practise, however much she may be convinced of
the sanity of eugenic principles in theory. Reason would depopu
late the world, but no human brain can uplift itself to comprehend
the greeted Reason of Nature. The puny logic of humanity can
run with Nature’s scheme just so far and no farther—sooner or
later it find itgelf in conflict with the dominant logic and goes
ignominiously to the wall.
This Is not an apology from the wife of a lunatic for continuing
relations with him other than those of a purely business nature.
I was struggling to lift myself out of that morass upon the patches
of love that remained, and the large pity which fosters love. I
felt no moment of that cruelty which would cut a husband off be
cause he was a life prisoner of the State—as to all Intents and
purposes Harry was.
At this time Hurry's mother occupied a cottage near Matteawan,
JEvelyn Thaw’s Own Frank Revelations of Her Kaleidoscopic Career Which Touched
Life at All Points--The Innocent Little Beauty Who Almost Starved to Death
b lie
f any
Id be
W«
We
»r to
in Forlorn Poverty and Suddenly Burst
Into the Most Brilliant Star That Ever
Illuminated New York’s Gay World