Daily press. [volume], January 24, 1907, Image 1

About Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current

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THE DAILY PRESS
Is the only newspaper
in Newport Nowe that
receives the full Asso?
ciated Press report.
VOL. XII. NO. 18
F HARRY
-t
After an all Bay's Session Exam-!
ining Talesmen Two Men Were
Accepted as Jurors.
QUESTIONS ASKED BY JEROME
Wife, f.'.other and Two Sisters of the
Accused Man Were nt His Side?
Thaw Was at Times Very Indiffer?
ent as to What Was Going on In
Court.
(By Associated Preso.)
NEW YORK, Jan. 2:1?The curtain
was rung up today for another act In
the tragedy of real life on the Thaw
White Beetle. The setting was not
the gay all night restaurants of the
Tenderloin, where the principal act?
ors in the tragedy were once familiar
figures. It was not the roof garden j
crowded with the summer revelers
who ou a fateful night clinked glass?
es In rhythm with the orchestra and
lent largely to merry scenes which
were' suddenly hushed Into a silence
of horror as three pistol shots crack?
ed and a noted architect lay dead at
the little round table where he had
been chatting with friends. The story
of the drama was broughtr down to
the grim court room scene where'
twelve men are to sit and render
a Judgment which may mean either
Mho taking of another life, this time
by the state, or a determination that
Harry K. Thaw was justified in the
claim that he shot the'man who had
"mined his wife." There may bo a
third decision, thnt Thaw was Insane
at the time he committed the crime
in demoniacal Insanity.
The long awaited trial began this
morning shortly before 10:30 o'clock
and when an adjournment for the day !
had been taken about 5 p. m., ihere
Were two jurors In the box. A thlr..
juror had been accepted and sworn,
but he was excused in the closing mo
nients of the day's session, the rea?
son fcr the action being of a private
nature and was not made public.
'Nineteen of the 200 talesmen who
were summoned wore cxariilned be-1
fore the day closed. Nearly all of
them seemed anxious to serve and a
small percentage was excused for
cause. The challenge In nearly every
instance was of a ivreonfptorv char?
acter and about evenly divided be?
tween the prosecution and the de?
fense. The examination of the first
twelve men called was followed with
the keenest Interest as it was thought
the line of questioning by the attor?
neys for Thaw would develop the
character of the defense. It was dis?
appointing in this respect. The de
fondant's' counsel seemed perfectly
? willing to nccopt any juror who satis?
factorily answered the questions by
District Attorney Jerome, who per?
sonally conducted the examination.
The defense peremptorily challenged
two talesmen, however, who gave
their business as architects. Mr. Je?
rome asked each talesman In turn If
he would be Influenced by the so
called higher or unwritten law to the
exclusion of actual laws of the
State as they would be laid down
by Justice Fitzgerald. There was
none to sny he would not accept the
court's ruling as to all questions of
law.
The Question of Insanity.
On the question of Insnnity as an
explained to each talesman that the
law excused only those persons who
were laboring under such a defective
reason as not to know the nature
or the quality of the act. committed,
or even to know ?that the act was
wrong.
"That Is t^>o law," declared Mr.
Jerome. "Now would you Import into
your conclusion any Imaginary form
of Insanity you might have In mind
or that might be suggested to you,
to the exclusion of the law that will
be laid down to you by the court?"
In reply tho talesmen sold in turn
that they would be guided solely by
the" court. Thaw's counsel entered
objections only to certain forms of
tho question propounded by Mr. Je?
rome along this line. They declared
they had no objection to the question
in principle.
Questions Asksd of Talesmen.
The usual privilege of talesmen
who declare their conscientious scru?
ples against capital punishment was
missing today. On the other hand,
however, cvory talesman examined
said ho had formed or expressed an
opinion In tho case. All admitted,
however, that their opinions were
based on newspaper reports and these
had been so conflicting from time to
NEWPC
time Q8 tu make their opinion sus?
ceptible of change by the actual evi?
dence. The talesmen were asked if
they knew Thaw's friends, or White's
or anyone connected with the case.
They wore asked If they were In
Madison Square Roof Garden the
night of the tragedy, if they had
friends in Plttsburg, or if their Sym?
pal hy or emotions would affect thelt
fair minded judgment. The examina?
tions by District Attorney Jerome and
by Thaw's counsel varied .Vie on
essential points. The presence of
three noted alienists in the court
room as prospective witnesses for the
prosecution created some comment.
Thaw Indifferent at Times.
Thaw sat during tho day at the ta?
ble set apart for hla counsel. At
times he seemed to take a lively In
t^r-sl in examination of the men
summoned to decide his rate, leaning
well forward ami holding his hand to
his ear to catch every word that
might fall from the tins of the tales?
men. Again he would sebih listless
and his eves, deep set .and having
something of a stare, roved about the
court room. His face was pallid
doubtless due to his seven mouths'
confinement in the Tombs. Thaw Is
fully six foot in Ii eight and Is quit"
thin. He wore a dark blue sack suit
and had a plaid ulster coat.
HIc Family With Him.
Just behind the prisoner fat
several mem) us of bin family fath?
ered Iwro for the trial. They hnd
arrlvd before the prisoner was sum
mend for the morning session and
grpeted him with a smile as he strodeI
past on the way to his seat. With
his eyes resolutely to the front.
Thaw did not see his mother or his
wife until ho was almost upon them.
Then his sober face broke into n
oulck smile and he bowed graciously.
Mrs. Wm. Thaw, tho prisoner's]
mother, was the flr.^i of tho family!
to arrive. She was dressed In black
and were a heavy black veil, her.
white hair showing in striking con?
trast against the sombro costume.|
She sat with her eves fixed upon I
her son and spoke but seldom to her,
children during the long afternoon I
session. She threw back her veil
to see and study the faces of the i
prospective jurors as they were call-!
cd to the stand. The Countess of,
Yarmouth, who was Miss Alice Thaw,1
followed her mother.
Her gown was of brown cut with J
coat effect. The brown hat was of j
fur and a heavy brown veil covered
her face. Rut the counters, too, nf
ter she had become more accustomed I
to her surroundings, pushed aside the
veil which had hidden her features.
Brother and Sister Much Alike.
There was a decided murmur In]
the court room as the spectators not?
ed the striking resemblance between!
the countess and the prisoner. The
lines of her face were more delicate |
and the features daintily moulded i
but they seemed to make the rcsem-'
1-lance all the more striking. Mrs.
George Lander Carnegie, another sla-.
tor cf the defendant, came in with
tho countess and there wan a livelv
craning of necks to catch tho first
glimpse of Mrs. Evelyn Nesblt Thaw
around whom the storm of great trial
will rage, she quickly appeared with
May McKenzie, the actress, who has
been hor sole companion since the
night of the tragedy when tho ar?
tists' model, wife of Stanford White's
slayer fled to Miss McKenzie'? apart?
ment. The younger Mrs. Thaw was
dressed in dark blue and wore a ploin
dark hat. which was nlmost. entirely
covered by a white tullo veil.
Mrs. Thaw Looked Well.
Not. once during tho day did Mrs.
Thaw remove the veil', but. her fea?
tures were plainly dlscernahlo and
there was about them much of the
bounty which caused her to he so
wildly soueht as a model by noted
artists. Her mass of hair made a
pretty setting for the ivory of hor
chocks. She poomed to tnlco earnest
Interest In tho examination of the
talesmen and wns constantly nodding
Fror head as to give assent to some
mental conclusion she had reached
Hardlv once during the day did
Harry Thaw take his eyes from the
front and look at his relatives. His
brother. Edward Thaw, and brother
in-law, George Carnegie, sat almost,
at bis elbow.
The family njirty wns escorted to
waiting automobile cabs at tho end
of the dy by n snuad of policemen.
Ouito a crowd loitered about tho
building to catch a glimpse of Mrs.
Thaw and others.
Aside from tho members of tho
fnmllv, there were only four women
in the court room nnd these wore
newgnaper writers. Tho attendance
todnv was confined to newspaper
peonlo and jury talesmen.
Tho jurors who remained In the
box when the day was done and who
were turned over to a bailiff who will
have them In charge until tho end
of the (rial, wore Deeming R. Smith,
a reti'-f>d manufpr-hiror of umbrellas,
nnd Charles. H. Fecke. an employing
teamster. Roth men arc married and
have families. Smith Is about BR
venrs old and Fecke about 45. The
trtnl will bo r?sumod tomorrow nt
10:30 and there will ho two daily
(Continued on Pngo Three.)
)RT NEWS, VA., TU
LARGE AMOUNTS FOR
RIVER AND HARBORS
Hampton Roads and James River
Get Substantial Appropriations
and Improvements.
LARGEST EVER MADE BY CONGRESS
One Hundred and Seventy Five
Thousand Dollars Will Be Ex?
pended In Deepening the James?
Norfolk Harbor Receives a Very
Large Appropriation.
(By Associated Press.)
WASHINGTON. D. C, Jan. 23.?
The River and Harbor appropriation
bill will be reported to the House
tomorrow by the committee on
tlvers and harbors and will carry an
appropriation aggregating $83.400,138.
Of this sum $34,631,012 I3 cash
available between July 1, 1907 and
July 1. 1908, and $48,834,020 Is au?
thorized for continuing contracts, no
Ohle limit being fixed as to when
It shall be expended.
Thi.; bill is a record breaker In
size, exceeding by many millions
tin. amount allowed for river nntf
harbor Improvements by any other
Congress.
Among the Items in the bill nro/
Norfolk harbor and its npproachep
$S7,S25; Channel from deep water In
Hampton Roads-;-) Norfolk, $282.U0'i?
<-.-..and continuing ??r0.'i00: Hn.np
t"n It .a.Is $12.000,: : Cl
: City harbor $2S.O0O; /ork. * ... -.
? pan! and Pnmunkoy rivers and Oc
eoqnano and Carters' creeks $40,
000; Rappahnnnodk river $77,7.?!)
cash and $90,000 continuing; James
river $175,000, Nouse and
Trent rlvors $30,000; Waterway
between New River and Swanaboro
$17,000; Cape Fear river at and be
lowWilmlngton $1115,000 cash and
$250,000 continuing. Sonth Sarpllha:
Wlnyaw Bay $30,000 inland waiter
ways between Charleston Harbor an"
opp?sltle McClcllansvills $75,200.
Cuarletton $25,000 Wnccatnaw river,
X. C. and S. C. and Little Peo Dee
river S. C, $20,000. Snntec. Wateree
ami ConEaree.
GREAT SPEED OF AUTOS
Ten Mile Race Made In Seven
Minutes and 42 Seconds.
MOTOR CYLE HIE II46 SEGOMOS
American Machines Were Clearly
Outclassed in Most of the Races
on the Ormond Beach Course Yes?
terday?Big 100 Mile Race Today.
(By Associated Press).
ORMOND. DAYTONA BRACH.
FLA., Jan. 23.?Four events were
run off today, the second ef the
fifth international automobile tourna?
ment.
The twenty milo event for Ameri?
can touring cars only was won by
Perlam. in 22 minutes, 32 4-5 sec?
onds, considered unusually font time
for a fully equipped tourmg ear
front a standing atari. Four cars
started In this event, but two did
not finish, one having clutch trou?
ble and the other being distanced.
Tho ten mile event, open to all
weights and pawcr3, was won by
E. ii. Blaitely in a gttfcollne car in
seven minutes 42 2-5 seconds. A
steam car finished second, just ten
seconds behind 'the winner. In this
event Mario t, driving the reord
making t.teanv.r of last year blew
out both cylinder heads and it
It. was thought put out of all fu?
ture events, hut repairs have been
made and he will start in events
tomorrow.
Twenty mile International touring
(Continued on Page Seven.)
V USD AY. JANUARY
PRESIDENT URGES |
SUBSIDIES FOR SHIPS
Sends o Special Message to Both
Houses of Congress on
the Subject.
-
DEVELOP SOUTH AMERICAN TRADE
Says That United States Trade
Ships Touching at Ports are Few!
and Far Between?Claims That!
Mississippi Valley Would Be as
Much Bensfitted ac Coast Towns.
(Isy Associated Prems.)
WASHINGTON, l>. C, .Ian. 23.
President's Koo&ovoit's message In
support of ship subsidy was re?
ceived and read by both Houses
or Congress today.
After the reading In the House,
the massage was referred to the
committee on Merchant Marin?; an ?
Pisltorlos, from which a (null sub
? sidy measure hnt? Just been ro
ported.
In the Senate the message was
sent to the committee on Com
mo reo. The President enlls at?
tention to the necessity for enact?
ment of legislation to help American
Shipping and American trade by
encouraging the bulbing and running
llm-s of large and BWlft steamers
to South America and the Orient.
Stnito aid to steamship linen, tho
President nay;, is as much a part
of the commercial iiystt in of today
sUto employment of consuls to
promote linsinosiv. The president
' dlsciistto tile bill now before tho
] committee and Bttyu it would surely
. be discreditable for us to surrender >
? lo our commercial rivals the great
commerce of the Orient, the groa:
j commerce wo should have with
? South America, and even our c
communication with Hawaii and t*.o .
Philippines. j
i "The urgent nf^e-.l of our country's
j making an offort !?> do something
like Its share of its own carrying
trade on the ocean," the President j
says, "has been called to our nt-i
: '.euti.m in striking fashion by the |
I experience of Secretary Hoot on his
'TWENTY KILLED IN MINE
I The Names of Only Two of the
Dead are Known.
I THE REMAINDER WERE FOREIGNERS
, Explosion Stopped the Air Fan ana
j It is Unlikely That Any of the
Imprisonod Men Will Be Rescued
Alive?Four Bodies Recovered.
fBy Associated Pross.)
TRINIDAD, COLO.. .Ian. 23.?
Twenty miners, according to tho
! most authoritative Information avail?
able this evening, lustthclr lives
as a result of an explosion which
occurred early today In the Colorado
Fuel and Iron Company's coal mine
near Prlmero. twenty miles west
' of this city.
Two of the dead are Frank Ho
j hart, miner and R. J. l-iumloy, fire
I hoes. The names of tho other men
havo not been learned, as the shilt
boss who checked up the men who
went into the mine last night Is
missing.
All .the men except Luraley wore
foreigners, most of them being Ital
1 ians.
Tho explosion stopped the air fan
whlchwas not repaired until late
today and there Is little chance
that any of the men In the mine
nro alive. Kate advises are that
the niina Iti severely wrecked; The
resmua party has penetrated 300
foot and recovered four bodlea.
Uncle Sum is tco big to play pen
nut diplomacy.
24, 1907.
recent Smith American' tour. The
favts j .'i forth by Mr. Hoot uro
ii rlklng, nnd they cannot but arrest
tho atteh' Ion of our people Tho
great continent to tho south of mi,
which should ho knitted to iih by
the clot-esl commercial ties, Ih hardly
In direct communication with iih at
all, .its Commercial relations being,
almost exclui ivol.v with other people.
Between all tlio prinzipal South
American ports and Europe, lines
of swift and commodious steamers
subsidized by their homo govern
bents ply regularly. Thorn Ik no
bitch1 line of steamers between these
ports and tho United Slates.
The Country Far Behind.
In consequence our shipping in
South America ports Is almost n
negligible i(uanWty; Ifor iiiHtance,
In the year ending June 30, 1005;
there encored the port of lllo Jan
erlo over 3,000 stenmers and Kalling
vessels, from Europb, but from tho
United States no stenmers nnd only
seven sailing vessels, two of which
wen; In distress.
Our commercial com poll tors In
Europe pay in the aggregate hoiuo
twenty-five millions a year to their
steamship linos?Croat Britain pay?
ing nearly seven millions. Japan
pays between throe ami four mill?
ions. By th'- proposed legislation'
the United States- will pay relatively I
Ions than any one of our competi?
tors pay.
South American Trade.
"As far as South America Is
concerned Its aim Is to provide
from the Atlantic and Pacific coasts
better American Hiioh to the great
portb' of South America i linn tin
prceon< European linos. The South
America Republics now boo only
our warships. Under this hill out
trudo friendship will be rundo ovl
dent to them. The bill proposes lo
build large sited i .camera of six?
teen knot speed. There nro nearly
two hundred such steamships al?
ready In the world's forolr.il trade
and over three fourths of thorn
now draw subsidies)?postal or ad?
miralty or both.
"Tho bill win encourage our ?liip
yards, which arc almost as necessary
to the national defense as battle?
ships and the efficiency of Which de?
pends In largo measures on their
steady employment In large construe
t'.O!'. The proposed bill In im?
portant t,) our navy because It gives
a considerable Root of auxilary
n'oanu'hlps, which la now wholly
lac'klng, ami provides for on <-i
fectlvo nnval reserve. Tho bill pro?
vides for 11 steamships subsidized
to the extent of over a million anil
a half from the Atlantic coast, nil
to run to South American ports.
It provides on tho Pacific coatvt for
twenty two steamers subsidized to
tho extent of two millions, and n
quarter, some of these to run to
South America, most of tliom t
Manila, Australia und Asln. B
jit remembered Ihot while tho ships'
' will bo owned on the coasts, tho
cargoes Will largely be supplied
by the Interior, and that the bill
will benefit tho Mississippi valley
as much as It benefits the sen
coast." ,
CONGRESSMEN HAVE
CHANCE TO TALK A LOT
Pension Bill Gives Them ao Open?
ing to Let Loose the Flood
Gates of Oratory.
fBy Associated Press.)
WASHINGTON, p. C, Jan. 23?
This- was a day of oratory In tho
House on tho pension Bill, affording
an opportunity to a number of Re
publicdns to make speeches not
only iu behalf of the hill Itself but
on tho tariff and on the San Tran
cIsco Incident.
On tho latter subject vMr. Hayes
of California insisted that ail Cat
ifornia desired was to bo permitted
to continue American and that the
Chinoso exclusion jaw should bo
made to apply to Japanese coolies.
Mr. GrosvOnor of Ohio occupied
an hour and a half in a discussion
of the tariff.
Mr, Crumnaeker of Indiana and
Mv. Taylor of Ohio spoke on pen?
sion legislation of a genoral char
actor, both having bills before the
pension committee tending lo broad
en the -scope of existing pension
laws.
A spirited controversy arose over
nn offon' to have tho pension agen?
cies of tho country raducod from
eighteen 'to nine. The provision wo
sharply antagonized by members rep?
resenting districts In which ngen
cloa would be removed.
*<$>$<$-$<$ 4*5**$^-;: ?
THE WEATHER.
Fair and not bo cold
Thursday. Friday,
partly cloudy, warmer.,
followed by snow or
rain In north portions.
PRICK TWO CENTS
BRITISH BEGINNING
TO CHANGE OPINION
Believe Swettenham's Letter In
advised But Santion the Mo?
tive That Prompted It.
ARMED MEN 110 RIGHT ON ISLAND
, ;
Preoident Roosevelt Writes to tha
v ' ? 'V.
British Legation That He Considers
. V
the Incident Closed?Colonial Of*
flee Now Has Copy of the Letter
Swcttcnham Sent to Admiral Davis
-
fBv Associated PrcirB.l
LONDON, Jan. 23.?Tho Colonial
office la now In possession of official
advices from Kir Alexander Swollen
hnm. the Governor of Jamaica, con
corning the exchange or letters be?
tween himself and Rear Admiral Da?
vis, but the extent of these advices
and whether or not they contain an
apology or extenuating circumstances
bus not bson disclosed. It appoara
that, tho Imperial authorities request;
ed the Governor of Jamaica to send
them a copy of his letter to Rear
Admiral Davis. This now has boon
furnished, und It shows that tho let
tor as Bent out by tho Associated
Props was to nil Intents and purposes
a correct copy.
No Excuse Say Officials.
What the British government and
people condemn Is the tone of the let?
ter to Roar Admiral Davis, the foreign
office having (lectured that there wtui
"no excuse for such language from
an official to the officer of a friendly
nation engaged in a work of human?
ity."
Hut on the question whether or not
Governor Swettonhnni was Justified .
In asking Rear Admiral Davis to
withdraw his tinned forces from tho
island British opinion Inclines to hold
that the governor acted clearly with?
in his rights.
President Dismisses Incident.
WASHINGTON, D. ('., Jan. 23.
The President has finally dismissed
the Incident connected with the re?
fusal by Governor K wet t Milium of
Kingston of aid from Admiral Davis
ns was shown In a letter addressed
by Acting Secretary Bacon to Charge
do Affairs Howard, Among other
things the letter stivs:
"! can only repeat to you in thin
more formal way. what I said per?
sonally last evening, assuring you of
the President's sincere appreciation
of the cordial spirit shown by your
government. It. lu especially gratify?
ing to the President to feel that It
his been possible for this country to
show In any practical way. however
small, Its friendship to n community
of your people In a time of such suf?
fering und need."
Another Quake at Kluqston.
KINGSTON, JAMAICA, Jan. 22.?
(Tuesday)?Two earthquake Bhocko,
the heaviest since the deutruclion of
January 14. were felt hero at 2 o'clock
this afternoon. Several buildings
were thrown down and there was
great alarm among tho people. No
one was Injured.
MR. SCHMELZ OFFERS
IMPORTANT AMENDMENTS
By-laws of Exposition Company Prob?
ably Will be Changed !n Sev?
eral Particulars.
Several Important amendments to
theby-laws of tho Janiestown lOxposi
tlon Company were offered by Mr.
George A. Schmelz at the meetlngu
of the directors of the company in
Norfolk Tuesday afternoon.
Probably the most Important
amendment (provides thnt the direc?
tors shall meet monthly instead of
quarterly. In order that they may
keep In touch with the exposition
work. Other changes provide Tor
elections to fill vacancies on the exe?
cutive committee by the directors:
that tho executive committee shall
not expend more than ?25,000 with?
out authority from tho directors;
that the board of governors shall uot
spend more than $10.000 without the
approval of the executive committee;
thnt. no salaries shall be changed
without ratification by the directors,
ind that the executive committee,
shall, within ten days after Us elec?
tion, nominate six holders cf com?
mon stock and one State commis?
sioner to serve as governors of the
company;