One beautiful young girl, two lavish and prominent men. Toss in desire and a family ancestry of mental instability and the result is a formula for a surprising homicide, at an outdoor theater in the core of New York City before about a thousand observers. The trial that pursued was immediately named “the trial of the century”.The 1907 trial, and a second the following year after the main jury hung, helped closed the curtain on America's “Gilded Age”. The Trial of Harry Thaw demonstrates a cross-section between crime, class, capitalism because Harry Thaw was an eccentric millionaire who murdered Stanford White and was able to outsmart the criminal justice system.
Fifteen-year-old Evelyn Nesbit came to the big apple in December 1900 to continue a modeling career that had begun to blossom in her home state of Pennsylvania. Soon, Nesbit, along with her contemporary and inexplicable face, found herself in high demand for modeling jobs, among photographers and portrait artists alike. Evelyn Nesbit became America's first genuine pin-up girl. Her gorgeous appearance overcame an absence of training as a actress when, in May 1901, she accepted a role as a chorus girl in Broadway's most popular musical of the day, “Florodora”. It was during her time in “Florodora” that Evelyn was introduced to the forty six year-old Stanford White, New York City's most famous architect and notorious philanderer. White-designed landmarks could be found all over the city, from his Washington Memorial Arch to the Bowery Savings Bank to the Gould Library at New York University and White's Madison Square Garden. White instantly chosen Evelyn as his new object of affection and a focus, showering her with gifts, valuable introductions, and money to support her family. He assured the dubious Mrs. Nesbit that his interests in her daughter were strictly wholesome, and over the approaching months, he attained her trust. Mrs. Nesbit gave her blessing to Evelyn's attendance at a series of lunches and parties hosted by White. She began calling Stanny their “benefactor”. Evelyn, her mother, and White became, in the words of the young model, “fast friends”.
About two months after the relationship began, Mrs. Nesbit went back home to Pittsburgh when White promised to pay the fare and create all necessary arrangements. White was left alone with Evelyn, who had been told by her mother to “obey everything Mr. White says.” A cab requested by White picked up Evelyn, who was expecting another party at his house but there have been no guests to be found. White apologized, explaining that every one his other invitations were unable to attend, however they'd make the most out of the evening. The champagne flowed freely and rapidly, Nesbit, according to her account, passed out. Once she awoke, she found herself lying nude on silk sheets during a reflected covered bed. A streak of blood expended her inner thigh. As Evelyn began to cry, White passed her a robe and said, “Don't cry, Kittens. It's all over. Now you belong to me.” White made her promise to not tell anyone what happened, her mother especially. And as Mrs. Nesbit had made Evelyn swear to obey Mr. White, she did simply that.
With a secret identity known as “Mr. Munroe”, Harry Kendall Thaw, an eccentric millionaire from Pittsburgh, was one of the countless men who had a crush on the young Evelyn. During her time at the “Wild Rose”, Thaw attended forty performances and regularly sent Evelyn flowers, letters, and offers of larger gifts. He also asked for dates, which Evelyn politely declined. Thaw's interest in Nesbit appeared to have its source in Thaw's obsessive hate of Stanford White, who he believed was blackballing him from New York City clubs he sought to join, and who he considered to be a “wholesale ravisher of young ladies”. Fueling Thaw's love of Nesbit was his desire to protect Evelyn from the dastardly Mr. White. Stanford White was knew of Thaw from his social circles, and knew him to be mentally unstable and a drug addict. That information, plus jealousy over seeing Evelyn pursued by another man, pushed White to warn her to remain far from Thaw. In April of 1903, while nearing the end of her term at private school, Nesbit developed acute appendicitis requiring live-saving surgery or so they claim. Thaw hurried to her hospital room and kissed Evelyn's shaking hand. Throughout the operation, Thaw and Mrs. Nesbit talk of Evelyn's future. A couple of months later, in what Evelyn later would say "the worst mistake of her life,” Evelyn, her mother and Thaw sailed from the city for an extended getaway from the pressures of the city.
In a Paris hotel suite, at Thaw's urging, Evelyn Nesbit told the story of her champagne-fueled deflowering two years earlier with Stanford White. As she did, Harry shuddered, gaped, whimpered, and went limp. Over and over he repeated, “Poor child! Poor child!” or “Oh, God! Oh, God!”. The story of that fall night on 24th Street would continue for years to haunt Harry K. Thaw. Weeks later, once her mother had sailed back to the United States, Evelyn found herself with Harry during a rented castle in rural Oesterreich. In her life history of Nesbit described the castle as “a immense Gothic nightmare of cold stones and dimly lit, draughty passageways, grimmer than something within the Grimm brothers' tales.” On her first night at the castle, asleep in her chamber, Evelyn was suddenly woke up by a “bug-eyed, seething, and startlingly naked Harry,” Harry threw her blanket aside and began lashing her legs with a leather whip. Harry, then ripped her nightgown off of Evelyn and proceeded to rape her, screaming all the time about White.
On June 25, 1906, Thaw bought tickets for the opening night of “Mam’zelle Champaigne” at Madison Square Garden. Before the show, the couple stopped at Cafe Martin where none other than Stanford White was as well. After this encounter, Thaw remained enraged and distant during the show and the rest of the night. As the show was coming to an end, White arrived at his usual table in the front row. Scared of what her husband might do, Evelyn suggested they should leave but got caught in conversation with a friend, Harry slipped away. The New York Times recorded the details of what happened next:
“White must have seen Thaw approaching. But he made no move. Thaw placed the pistol almost against the head of the sitting man and fired three shots in quick succession. White’s elbow slid from the table, the table crashed over, sending a glass clinking along with the heavier sound. The body then tumbled from the chair.” (New York Times, June 26, 1906)
Initially, many people thought it was a practical joke but, as the situation sank in, actors and other guests fled in terror. Thaw held up his hands to show him meant no other harm. This murder hearing would be known to the public as “The Trial of the Century”. The impact of the media caused the jury to be hidden from the public. This was the first time in American law where this happened.
District Attorney William T. Jerome’s original strategy was to have Thaw declared legally insane and put in an asylum. His lawyer, Lewis Delafield, agreed that this would be a definite way to avoid the electric chair. However Thaw wanted nothing to do with the insanity plea. Harry claimed he looked forward to expose the “set of perverts” who preyed on young girls. While the Thaw family was unable to believe Harry was insane, they planned on proving, with an army of lawyers, that their son experienced a mere lapse of judgment. They claimed it was a temporary insanity that could happen to any American man under the same circumstances. It took Harry fourteen months in jail to be convinced that the insanity plea was the best idea his escape. Doctor C.C. Wiley was the first witness for defense and the Thaw family psychiatrist. Doctor Wiley claimed the murder was the act of an insane. Immediately after the shooting, Thaw commented to Evelyn saying, “I have probably just saved your life” which was “an indication of insane delusion”. Famous for never losing a case, Delphin Delmas was appointed the new lead attorney on Thaw’s case. With his appointment, Delmas decides to change the way the jury sees Stanford White. Delmas worked to convince the jury to hate White so much that they could learn to forgive Thaw as the murderer. After many countless hours of deliberation, Harry was sentenced to the Matteawan State Hospital for the Criminally Insane in Fishkill, New York. However, in 1913, Thaw was able to walk right of the the hospital and into a getaway car that sped off to Quebec.
The influences of class are seen heavily throughout the story. All three of the main characters in this are wealthy. If they didn’t start with money, they earned it over time, like Evelyn and her family. As for White and Thaw, they were born into money which gave them a different outlook on life. In the case of Harry, he had been given everything on a silver platter since he was a young child, which affected him all throughout him. Harry being an eccentric millionaire obviously helped him win the trial. While in prison, Harry was treated to full course meals and the guards treated him with the utmost respect. Being able to hired the best lawyer in country made a terrific impact on the case and verdict.
Between the rapes, beatings and murder, crime is the most prominent aspect of the story.
First, we have the rape of sixteen year old Evelyn by Stanford White. Then we have the beating and rape of Evelyn by Harry Thaw in Oesterreich. Finally, we have the murder of Stanford White by Harry Thaw.
In capitalism, there are winners and losers. People who succeed and people who fail. In this particular story, we can tell who the winners and losers are quite easily. Harry Thaw is considered a winner under the principles of capitalism. And it’s obvious how. Harry Thaw was convicted of a murder that thousands of people witnessed. Him and his team of lawyers convinced the jury that he was insane and was to be sent off to an insane asylum, where he was about to escape. He was also able to get away with the rape and beating of Evelyn Nesbit. No one during that time knew Evelyn was raped and beaten by Thaw until she sold her story to become a movie. Stanford White on the other hand is considered a loser under the principles of capitalism. He was murdered by someone who had an unjust hatred for him. Class and capitalism go hand in hand, because if you are rich, it is more likely that you are able to outsmart the criminal justice system. The opposite it goes if you’re poor.
Throughout this bizarre love affair that ends in murder, one can see the influences of crime, class and capitalism