A portrait of Fred Gump Jr., who was alleged to have been kidnapped and sexually assaulted by Harry Thaw. The caption for the photo, when it appeared in the Harrisburg Daily Independent, January 12, 1917:
On complaint of Frederick Gump Jr., nineteen years old, of Kansas City, Missouri, the Grand Jury of New York has indicted Harry K. Thaw on charges of assault in the second degree and kidnapping. It is alleged that the boy still bears on his body the marks of flagellation which is alleged in the indictment to have been administered Christmas night in Thaw’s room in a New York hotel. The Gump boy is said by those who know him to have been finely formed almost effeminate in type, and to have singularly resembled Evelyn Nesbit in features. His large, expressive eyes and dark brown hair made him a most attractive youth.
In 1906, Harry K. Thaw gained much notoriety for murdering architect Stanford White and getting away with it. Two high-society trials resulted in a deadlocked jury and an acquittal for Thaw.
The Thaw-Gump story can be summarized as follows: In 1917, Harry K. Thaw, a wealthy businessman, was charged with the sexual assault and kidnapping of nineteen year old Frederick K. Gump which had taken place Christmas 1916. Thaw reportedly lured the young man to New York City with the promise of paying for his expenses at the Carnegie Institute. When Gump arrived at Thaw’s New York hotel, he was confronted by Thaw who was armed with a whip. Thaw proceeded to assault him. Thaw then fled to Philadelphia and Gump reported the assault to the police who found Thaw in Philadelphia. But Thaw had just attempted to commit suicide by slashing his throat and slitting his wrist. Thaw recovered and attempted to bribe Gump’s family to get them to drop all charges, but ultimately, Thaw was arrested, jailed and tried – but not for the crime he was alleged to have committed in New York. In Philadelphia, he was found insane and confined at Kirkbride Asylum in Philadelphia. But, in April 1924, Thaw was judged sane and regained his freedom. He then faced the New York criminal charges, which were dismissed because in January 1924, he had made a financial settlement on the civil suit Gump had brought against him and Gump was no longer willing to testify in the criminal case.
The story was published in the local weekly and the area daily newspapers, so Lykens Valley area residents became familiar with it and were able to follow it closely.
Here are some of the news articles available to Lykens Valley readers – concluding with an interesting editorial from the Lykens Standard about its view of the attention given to such “rot.”
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From the Pottsville Republican & Herald, January 10, 1917:
THAW ON WAY TO NEW YORK TO SURRENDER
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, January 10, 1917 — Harry Kendall Thaw is now on his way to New York and will probably surrender to the authorities of the entire state for trial on an indictment charging that he kidnapped and brutally whipped Frederick Gump, a Kansas City youth, at the McAlpin Hotel in that city.
That was the declaration shortly after noon by Steven Stone, Thaw’s attorney. “Thaw is on his way to New York to answer the charges,” the lawyer said. Stone gave this information to a reporter for the United Press. He would not say from where Thaw is going to New York – but he did declare emphatically that Thaw has not been in Pittsburgh within 48 hours.
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From the Pottsville Republican & Herald, January 16, 1917:
LOSES FIRST TILT
THAW’S ALLEGED ACCOMPLICE TAKEN TO NEW YORK
HE HAS BEEN INDICTED
Oliver A. Brower, Arrested in Philadelphia, is Named in Alleged Kidnapping of Frederick Gump
Philadelphia, January 16 [1917] — Oliver A. Brower, said to be an accomplice of Harry K. Thaw in the alleged conspiracy to kidnap Frederick Gump Jr., the nineteen-year-old Kansas City boy, was returned to New York in charge of detectives from that city.
Brower, who was arrested in Philadelphia a week ago, has been indicted by a New York Grand Jury as a party to the alleged conspiracy and Governor Brumbaugh last Saturday honored the request for requisition. In Common Pleas Court No. 1, Thaw attorneys attempted to obtain Brower’s release on a writ of habeas corpus. Judge Patterson denied the writ and Brower, with three detectives, was taken to New York.
Assistant District Attorney William H. Black, of New York, revealed enough regarding Grand Jury revelations to indicate that a vigorous prosecution was to be made against Thaw, who is indicted on two counts, one of flogging Gump with a dog whip and the other of conspiracy to kidnap the boy.
Black told the court that Thaw had beaten the Gump boy in his apartments in the McAlpin Hotel in New York on Christmas day, and that Gump, escaping from his assailants, fled to his home in Kansas City, and there told his story.
It was the boy’s story in Kansas City that aroused his father, a trunk manufacturer, to action, and the assistant district attorney said that Brower became involved in the scandal when Thaw, fearing an expose, began to bend every effort to get the boy back to New York in order to silence him.
Testimony showed that when Brower was arrested in Philadelphia he carried a mass of Thaw’s correspondence, including the “Dear Master” letter, and copies of two telegrams. One of these was the wire to a telegraph operator in Long Beach, California, where Thaw met Gump, to ascertain Gump’s Kansas City address. The other was the Long Beach reply, giving general delivery, Kansas City, Missouri, as the boy’s post office address.
Thaw, the assistant district attorney said, was unaware that the boy had told his story to his father and that the evidence already had been laid before the New York Grand Jury. On January 6, he said, the day that the telegrams were exchanged, Frederick Gump Jr. had returned to New York in company with his counsel, Frank P. Walsh, Kansas City attorney and former chairman of the federal commission on industrial relations and was testifying before the Grand Jury.
Black further said that an agent had been sent to Kansas City to negotiate with Gump and it was arranged to give him $500 if he would keep silence in the matter.
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In mid-January, the story broke into the local newspapers. Three similar stories, but with two different headlines, appeared in the Elizabethville Echo (January 18, 1917), the Pine Grove Press Herald (January 19, 1917), and the West Schuylkill Herald (January 19, 1917).
THAW FAILS IN ATTEMPT TO DIE: Tries to Commit Suicide in Philadelphia Where He Hid from New York Police. SLASHES THROAT AND WRIST. Under Arrest in Hospital, He Will Be Taken to New York to Face Charge of Whipping Boy – Doctors Say He Will Recover. (Echo and Herald)
THAW FAILS TO DIE. Tries to Commit Suicide in Philadelphia, where He Hid from Police. (Press Herald)
Philadelphia — Harry Kendall Thaw, after an unsuccessful attempt at suicide, is a prisoner in St. Mary’s Hospital in the Kensington section of Philadelphia. Two policemen are on constant guard to prevent another such attempt before he answers four criminal charges – kidnapping, second degree assault, conspiracy to flee justice, and attempting suicide.
His frustrated self-destruction disclosed his whereabouts to the police of Philadelphia, who had been searching for him, and ended his eighteen months of freedom, the only period of non-surveillance he had enjoyed since he killed Stanford White in June 1906.
Thaw now is well on his way to recovery. The razor with which he slashed himself in the neck missed his jugular vein and two gashes on his wrist severed only a small artery. Although several tablets of bichloride of mercury were found in his pockets, the physicians of St. Mary’s are certain he did not swallow any poison. It will be many days however, before he can be moved to New York.
Thaw, in the hours he intended should be his last, left no message. Those who had contact with him say that although he applied the term “blackmail” to the charges made by Frederick Gump Jr. of Kansas City, he was pessimistic about the outcome of a trial on the accusations. He was further depressed by the sweep of newspaper editorials against him. This last factor is one that would operate more strongly upon Thaw than upon probably any other man in 10,000 because of his insatiable appetite for favorable newspaper comment.
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From the Harrisburg Daily Independent, January 12, 1917:
THAW RALLIES FROM ATTEMPT TO KILL SELF
HIS FAMILY PLANS TO COMBAT CHARGES PLACED AGAINST HIM BY THE GUMPS
HINT NOW AT BLACKMAIL
PITTSBURGH MILLIONAIRE WILL FACE INDICTMENT FOR ATTEMPTING SUICIDE —
CONDITION WILL PERMIT REMOVAL WITHIN TWO WEEKS
By Associated Press
Philadelphia, January 12 [1917] – Harry K. Thaw, who attempted suicide yesterday while in seclusion in the home of a West Philadelphia family, was improved today and, according to physicians, he will be able to leave St. Mary’s hospital within two weeks.
Dr. Elwood R. Kirby, of this city, who was summoned by the Thaw family to attend him, said today he felt sure Thaw had not taken poison. The finding of slow poison tablets in Thaw’s pocket gave rise to the fear that he may have swallowed one. The physician said Thaw showed none of the early symptoms of the poison and that his condition was satisfactory.
The patient, under guard of two detectives and a nurse, spent a good night and slept well. He has had little to say since he was brought to the hospital. Thaw asked for his doctor during the night, but did not ask for any members of his family nor did he make any reference to the charges lodged against him by the New York authorities, who accuse him of kidnapping and beating Frederick Gump Jr., of Kansas City.
His Mind Hazy
Dr. Kirby said he found Thaw’s mind still somewhat hazy this morning, as though he were suffering from the after-effects of a drug or liquor.
Captain of Detectives Tate expressed the opinion that Thaw does not realize that he is under arrest. Later in the day, he said, he will be question Thaw if his condition permits and try to draw out of him a statement regarding the Gump charges. Captain Tate will probably be accompanied by Assistant District Attorney Black, of New York.
When Thaw is able to leave the hospital, Captain Tate said, he will be arraigned before a police magistrate on a charge of attempting suicide.
Hold Family Council
Whether the family will contest the efforts of the New York authorities to have Thaw surrendered to them is not definitely known here. It is said a conference of members of the Thaw family and close friends will be held later in the day to determine what steps to take to combat the New York charges. According to private detectives in the employ of the Thaw family, the Gump charges are looked upon as an attempt at blackmail.
The Philadelphia detectives are not satisfied with the story told by Samuel Maloney, the Philadelphia representative of a New York detective agency, that he had made arrangements to have Thaw turned over to District Attorney Swann in New York. Maloney said he took Thaw to the quiet residential district of West Philadelphia so as to get him in condition to be taken to New York. Maloney said Thaw had been making the rounds of cafes here and when he got word from New York that Thaw was about to be arrested, he thought the best thing to do was to keep him in seclusion for a few days.
To Probe Detective’s Motive
Captain of Detectives Tate made it known that he purposed questioning Maloney to learn whether anyone was guilty of an attempt to obstruct justice in hiding Thaw. Maloney, who formerly was a political leader in one of the Philadelphia wards, said he has no fears of an investigation. He added that other arrangements had been competed to surrender Thaw. Among those who who took part in making those arrangements, he said, was the counsel for the Thaw family in Pittsburgh.
Mrs. Thaw, it is said, will not come here unless her son’s condition demands her presence or unless he insists that she be sent for. The hospital authorities are keeping her informed of his condition.
Watched By Six Detectives
Thaw occupies a suite of two rooms and a bath, adjoining which is a large porch. Six Philadelphia detectives have been assigned to the hospital where they are working in shifts. Every precaution has been taken by the police to prevent Thaw doing any further harm to himself notwithstanding the report that he last night said he was glad he did not kill himself.
Frank Johnston, an attorney of New York, and Dr. Walter Riddell, of Pittsburgh, are here to look after Thaw’s interests.
Family Is Suspicious
“I was with Thaw in this city last Monday night,” said Johnston. “At that time Harry was in high spirits and I noticed nothing wrong or unusual about him. The members of Thaw’s family are very suspicious of this boy’s charges against Harry. The fact that the mother of this youth has saved up various pieces of evidence arouses suspicion and weakens the case. Further than that, I can say nothing now.”
Dr. Riddell said he came not in a professional capacity, but as the personal representative of Thaw’s mother.
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From the Pine Grove Press Herald, February 2, 1917:
ACCUSER OF HARRY THAW
Frederick Gump Jr., Kansas City high school boy, on whose charges a warrant for the arrest of Harry Thaw of Pittsburgh was issued. Thaw is now in Philadelphia recovering from self-inflicted wounds.
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The Elizabethville Echo (March 29, 1917), and the Pine Grove Press Herald (March 23, 1917) reported the same story, apparently from the wire services:
Harry K. Thaw was adjudged a lunatic by the Common Pleas Court of Philadelphia and under the law cannot be taken to New York on requisition to stand trial on charges of assaulting Frederick Gump Jr., a high school student of Kansas City, Missouri. Thaw will be kept in St. Mary’s Hospital pending his removal to a Pennsylvania asylum.
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From the Elizabethville Echo, May 24, 1917:
Harry Thaw will be an inmate of the Pennsylvania Hospital for Insanity. A decree authorizing his removal [from St. Mary’s Hospital, Philadelphia] was signed by Judge Martin.
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While Thaw was in the hospital for the insane, he made the local news papers on several occasions because of furloughs granted to him by the court.
An example from the Elizabethville Echo, July 10, 1919:
Harry K. Thaw is back in the Pennsylvania Hospital for the Insane, Philadelphia, once more after a five day vacation, during which he visited his mother in Pittsburgh on her birthday. The leave was granted by President Judge Martin and extended from June 12 to June 17. This was the second time in seven months that Thaw was allowed to go home.
Another example from the Lykens Standard, February 23, 1923:
COURT GRANTS THAW TRIP TO PITTSBURGH
Harry K. Thaw left the Pennsylvania Hospital for the Insane, Wednesday morning on a ten-day vacation in the home of his mother, Mrs. Mary [Copley] Thaw in Pittsburgh.
President Judge Martin of Common Pleas Court, granted the petition presented by former Judge Gordon, on behalf of Thaw’s mother that he be permitted to visit her for ten days. Thaw will be accompanied by a guard who will be held responsible for his safe return. Thaw must be returned to the hospital by March 3.
This will make the third vacation Thaw has been permitted since he was committed to the institution by Judge Martin, May 16, 1917. Both previous visits were to the home of his mother who if 80 years old.
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The issue of the civil suit against Thaw by Gump’s family appeared to nearing a settlement. This was reported in the Harrisburg Telegraph, January 3, 1924:
GUMPS WILLING TO SETTLE DAMAGE SUIT
New York, January 3 [1924] — Confirmation of reports that Harry K. Thaw would seek his freedom from a Philadelphia asylum to face charges of having whipped Frederick Gump Jr., of Kansas City, in a New York hotel in 1917, today was followed by announcement that Gump would agree to settle a $650,000 civil damage suit against Thaw out of court and indicated that he would let the criminal charge lapse.
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Some of the particulars of the civil settlement were reported in the Harrisburg Evening News, January 12, 1924:
THAW SETTLES PRIVATELY
By United Press
PHILADELPHIA, January 12 [1924] — The suit brought by Frederick Gump, of Kansas City, Missouri, against Harry K. Thaw… who is now confined in the Pennsylvania Hospital for Mental Diseases, to recover $650,000 damages for an alleged assault in a New York hotel in 1917 has been settled out of court for a sum said to be approximately $100,000.
The civil action was started against Thaw in 1917 when a summons was issued by Frederick Gump, then 19 years old, through his father, Frederick B. Gump.
The statement of claim filed by the Gumps state the young man in 1915 entered negotiations with Thaw for employment in the Highland Iron Works of Pittsburgh, when Thaw was a director and active in management of the concern.
Gump, it was alleged, was to have received a stated salary and in addition to be given a course at the Carnegie School of Technology and the Schools of Mines at Pittsburgh.
In pursuance of these negotiations young Gump went to New York in December 1916 to close his contract for employment.
The statement filed in court her avers that the youth was “enticed” by Thaw into a room of a hotel and “there unlawfully, violently confined for many hours,” during which time Thaw “made a savage attack and did commit assault and battery on him,” and with “atrocious cruelty did beat him with whips.”
Damages of $500,000 was claimed on behalf of the boy and $150,000 on behalf of the father. The suit in addition to naming Thaw as a defendant was also directed against J. Dunniston Lyon and Walter Riddle, committee of the estate of Thaw, and Mrs. Mary C. Thaw, who is legal guardian of her son’s person.
Numerous time the case was on the trial calendar but each time was continued or marked not reached pending settlement. The case was listed for trial January 22 [1924].
The settlement just reached, after pending five years was brought about chiefly to thwart the activities of Bartholomew R. Coyne, New York attorney, who recently announced he was preparing to start action to have Thaw declared sane so as to secure his release from the asylum, it was learned authoritatively today.
The 81-year-old mother of the asylum inmate and trustees of Thaw’s estate are opposed to [Thaw]… obtaining his freedom and it is believed for this reason the case was settled before it was brought to trial on January 22, because they did not wish Thaw to be led into the belief that his liberty might be secured.
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Then in 1924, Harry Thaw stood trial in Philadelphia in an attempt to be judged sane. The declaration of sanity was opposed by Harry Thaw‘s father’s estate and his mother. Some excerpts from an article that appeared in the Pottsville Republican & Herald, April 22, 1924.
THAW EXPECTS JURY VERDICT WILL AGAIN MAKE HIM FREE MAN
Odds were freely offered today that Harry Thaw will be adjudged a sane man before nightfall.
A verdict favorable to Thaw by the jury hearing his petition for freedom from the asylum that has held him for seven years was anticipated….
“I’ll be free before tonight,” [he] said. He plans to make his peace with New York authorities who want him in connection with the beating of Frederick Gump Jr., in that city in 1917….
Thaw spent last night packing up his belongings, his phonograph and his history books preparatory to leaving “Kirkbride’s.” He wore the broadest of smiles this morning as Attorney Arthur Dickson resumed his speech at 10 a. m….
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From the Harrisburg Evening News, May 20, 1924:
THAW BAIL IN GUMP CASED FIXED AT $10,000
By United Press
NEW YORK, May 20 [1924] — Bail for Harry K. Thaw, who came to New York this afternoon to answer an indictment in connection with his whipping of Frederick Gump Jr., in the McAlpin Hotel, seven years ago, was fixed at $10,000.
A detective who has held a bench warrant for Thaw for the period of his incarceration in “Kirkbride’s”… from which [he]… was formally freed today, went to the station today to meet Thaw and serve the warrant. Thaw’s train was due here at 3:30 p. m. The case will come up before Judge Olvaney in general sessions.
Thaw was arrested as he arrived at the station in New York.
He pleaded not guilty to both indictments and was released on bail. After posing naturedly for flashlight pictures in the reporters’ room, the millionaire said he was returning immediately to Pittsburgh in order to be with his mother who had received word that another son had died in California. No date has been set for Thaw’s trial here.
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From the West Schuylkill Herald, May 30, 1924:
Harry K. Shaw arrives in New York, pleads to Gump charges, and is released on bail.
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From the Elizabethville Echo, May 8, 1924
PHILADELPHIA — Harry K. Thaw… recently declared sane by a jury here, was paroled from Kirkbride’s here by Judge John Monaghan. He was allowed to go to Pittsburgh for an indefinite period.
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On July 11, 1924, the Lykens Standard, in its Williamstown news, reported the following connection tot the Lykens Valley. It seems that one of the guards of Thaw during this period was Joseph Connelly:
Mrs. Joseph Connelly left for her home in Philadelphia on Friday. She was accompanied by her brother George Smith, wife and daughter Catherine and Laura. Mr. Commely is the guard of Harry K. Thaw.
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From the Harrisburg Telegraph, December 17, 1924:
THAW IS FREED OF OLD INDICTMENTS
New York, December 17 [1924] — Three indictments charging Harry K. Thaw with second-degree assault, kidnapping and conspiracy, were dismissed today by Judge McIntyre in the Court of General Sessions. The indictment were returned in 1917 and alleged that Thaw assaulted and kidnapped Frederick Gump.
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Finally, in reflecting on the coverage of the Harry K. Thaw and Frederick Gump Jr. affair, the Lykens Standard produced a blistering editorial, May 30, 1924, on how it was treated by the press:
EDITORIAL COMMENT
Another Epic
Harry Thaw is safe home in Pittsburgh and morons turn reluctantly to the next best thriller. He got on the front page frequently for ten years and may get exited again. He made the editors of noisy newspapers gleeful, and they in turn regaled with tales of his misdoings. Recently he was released from the insane asylum with much journalistic ceremony. He attended to a few matters such as settling money [claims]… and then went into seclusion. Thus passes another epic from our literary perusing; another spasm of what big city papers insist is vital news.
Curiously enough, both big newspapers and their readers point to each other when one questions the reason for featuring the frailities of human nature. Big newspapers, needing big circulations say people want such rot. Since the big circulations thus become bigger, who can blame them? The readers, in turn, say their finer feelings rebel at it, and that they trust editors to deal out what they are to have. But — also strangely — no matter how much the mob resents sensational news, it gorges on such, and a history compiled from some of our most extensive prizes of illuminative journalism would indicate to posterity that we slid gracelessly to the dogs.
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News articles from Newspapers.com.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.