Page:The Great Harry Thaw Case.djvu/63

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

White, beginning with the Saturday preceding the tragedy and ending with the actual scene of the shooting on the Madison Square Roof garden.

"The purpose of punishment of crime is an example to the community," thundered the prosecutor.

"The defendant is charged with the murder of Stanford White with premeditation on June 25, 1906. Mr. White was an architect, a member of the firm of McKim, Meade & White. On the Sunday before his death he went to his home on Long Island with his family. He returned to the city on Monday with his son and his son's friend named King. They went to the Cafe Martin for dinner.

"Mr. White had previously purchased tickets to a theater. After dinner Mr. White drove his son and his son's friend to the theater and then went himself to the Madison Square Roof garden, where a new play, 'Mam'zelle Champagne,' was to be produced.

"Stanford White went to the Madison Square Roof garden and sat alone at one of the small tables there, watching the first production of this play called 'Mam'zelle Champagne.'

"The defendant was there with his wife and two friends, Truxton Beale and Thomas McCaleb. The defendant walked constantly about the place.

"In the middle of the second act the defendant's party started to leave the roof. The defendant let his party go ahead and he lagged behind. Passing the table where Stanford Wihte was sitting, this defen-