---------- > From: WDHUNT <WDHUNT@prodigy.net> > To: VCrawf@aol.com; HUNT-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [HUNT-L] Madison Square Garden > Date: Wednesday, March 24, 1999 8:38 PM > > This might be a bit far removed from what you are looking for but I have a > photocopy of a newspaper article which might be helpful. > PRINCETON - "Two Princeton University workmen apparently had more on > their minds than construction when the University's McCosh Hall was being > built in the early years of this century. > Graffiti revealed when a blackboard was removed during recent > renovations indicates that two workers named HUNT and Gaunt were following > the murder trial of Harry Kendall Thaw, the railroad millionaire accussed > of murdering famed architect Stanford White. > "If you're at all interested in turn of the century Americana, it's > interesting." said Ann Halliday, assistant to the chairman of Princeton's > English Department. > Several theories have been formulated about the message, which is > scrawled in brown lettering and reads, 'W P HOPE EVELYN THAW ACQUITTED, > 1907'. It is signed 'HUNT GAUNT."(PICTURE) > The drama of the trial centered around Evelyn Nesbit, a showgirl and > model who married Thaw after her career had allegedly been advanced through > an intimate relationship with White. > Thaw, who had suspected that his wife remained romantically linked > with White even after the marriage, shot White to death on June 24, 1906 on > top of New York's Madison Square garden during a theatrical performance. > White was the architect who had designed madison Square Garden. > Claiming that the act was meant to protect his wife's honor, Thaw > underwent two trials. > The first trial ended in a hung jury, while Thaw was acquitted in the > second trial for reasons of insanity. > University archivist Earl Coleman confirms that at least three workers > named HUNT and Gaunt were employed by the university during the period in > question. Bert J. and George W. Hunt (my grandfather and great > grandfather) and Reuben P. Gaunt were working as carpenters when McCosh > Hall was built. > Some observers, including English Professor Thomas Roche, theorize > that W P HOPE is the name of a person, while others think the initials > stand for 'we the people' or 'worker's party." > Halliday thinks that perhaps the workers sypathized with Evelyn Nesbit > Thaw's working class background, hence the 'worker's party' or 'we the > people' designation. > No one seems to know why HUNT and Gaunt wrote that they wanted Evelyn > Thaw acquitted, since she was never accused of the crime. She did however, > play a central role in the trial. > The New York Times of June 26, 1906 describes Evelyn Thaw as being > "....of frivlous disposition and no doubt refused to break off her > friendship for (White) after marrying young Thaw...." > > I hope this provides a helpful clue. > > Happy HUNTing, > > Wayne Hunt > Encinitas, CA > > ---------- > > From: VCrawf@aol.com > > To: HUNT-L@rootsweb.com > > Subject: Re: [HUNT-L] Madison Square Garden > > Date: Tuesday, March 23, 1999 3:52 PM > > > > > > Salut, listers. The possible Madison Square Garden connection is > > intriguing, isn't it? I am looking for HUNT family that Iived in or > very > > near New York City around that time - three brothers who I am told were > "very > > successful" and perhaps they were involved. > > > > The brothers were: Frank S. HUNT, born 2 March 1891; > > Phillip L. HUNT, born 22 June 1895; and > > Leonard G. HUNT, born c. 1902. > > > > You see they would have been just the ages to be wheeling and dealing in > the > > 1920s and 1930s! > > > > These three came from Peabody MA and were the sons of Herbert Vincent > HUNT and > > Mary [Shephard] EGAN. > > > > If anyone can connect with any of the above, please let me know. All > hints > > and hunches gratefully received. > > > > Ginny Crawford > > VCrawf@aol.com > > Carmel Valley CA > > > > > > > > > > > > ==== HUNT Mailing List ==== > > Review names and download HUNT gedcom files from Courtney Tompkins site > > <http://www.geocities.com/heartland/plains/4813/ged1/gedlink.html>