The 1906 Murder of Architect Stanford White and the Scandal That Shook New York

In June 1906, socialite Harry Thaw shot architect Stanford White dead on the rooftop of Madison Square Garden in New York City, in front of a crowd. The murder was the culmination of a love triangle involving Thaw's wife, Evelyn Nesbit, a former model and actress who had been involved with White. White, a founding partner of McKim, Mead & White, designed iconic structures like the original Madison Square Garden and Washington Square Arch. He used his wealth and influence to prey on young women, including Nesbit, whom he met when she was 16. Thaw, a wealthy heir with a history of erratic behavior and violence, married Nesbit in 1905. His obsession with White's past relationship with Nesbit led to the murder. The subsequent trials were a media sensation. The first trial ended in a mistrial; the second, with defense attorney Delphin Delmas arguing temporary insanity, resulted in Thaw being found not guilty by reason of insanity and committed to Matteawan State Hospital for the Criminally Insane. The case exposed the corruption and power imbalances of New York's Gilded Age elite.