The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-02-20
Trying Ordeal for Young
 Woman. FAMOUS BEAUTY HOLDS
 UP WELL UNDER THE FIRE
District Attorney Reflects on
 Her crediblity.
Goes Back Into Her Past Life and By other Means Attempts To show she Is Not worthy or
 Belief.
Inta her Past Lifc and

bit Thaw today entered upon the orueai of her cross examination, and before District Attorney Jerome had the wit ness in charge for half an hour, he nad secured from the court a ruling which apparently opens the way for bringing into the trial of Harry K. Thaw all manner of evidence which may tend 10 discredit the defendants wife.
 Heretofore 1t has been held that the rules of evidence protected young Mrs. Thaw and that regardless of whether her story was true or false. the fact that she had told 1t to her husband was the one essential point. Mrs. Thaw had been allowed to repeat the story so that the jury might judge as to It's effect on unbalancing the mind of the man on trial for the murder of Stan. ford White.
 MT. Jerome. by simple question. opened the way for the introduction of testimony tending to show the truth or falsity of Mrs. Thaw's story. He ask ed the witness: te y,ss was the story you told MT. Thaw true?"
 Tt was," she replied firmly.
 MT. Delmas objected strongly to the question, but Justice Fitzgerald held u to be competent as tending to show the credibility of the witness. Whe- ther Mir. Jerome intends to take ad- vantage of the ruling in an attempt to tnTOW QOuDl hpOH tuo AtdtH thS story. or whether Justice Fitzgerald in- tended by ruling to cover the whole subject of Mrs. Thaws' evidence, the future conduct of the case alone can determine.
 Justice Fitzgerald allowed MT. Je- rome to bring from Mrs. J J., Came of Boston, a friend of Mrs. Thaw, who took the witness stand curing the morning session, many material points as to the movements of Harry Thaw and Evelyn Nesbit following their re- pubiiShSd inci5snt Of their being eject. eA from tho Hotel Cumberland Tn this eity--the proprietor Insisting that they should register as man and wife or leave their suites, and which adjoined.
 Denied Attack on Evelyn.
 In bringing out these facts, MT. Jerome deSied that he was attacking Mrs. Thaw and said he was simply testing the credibility of Mrs. Came. The District Attorney seemed re- luctant to begin the cross examination of Mrs. Thaw today. desiring to have the matter postponed until Thursday morning in order that he might deter mine whether or not further exami- nation of the witness was necessary on. the issues involved in the case.
 "After have looked further into the matter, may decide to cross examine Mrs Thaw," MT. Jerome stated to the court, "or I may waive my right. If when all the testimony as to the in- sanity of this defendant is In shall be honestly of the opinion that he was insane at the time this act was com mitted, I do not propose to take up the time of this court and the jury con- tending-
 Jerome. He wanted to know If the District Attorney meant that If he was honestly convinced that Thaw was in- sane when he shot White he would abandon the prosecution.
 T promise nothing" retorted the prosecuting attorney.
 wordy conflict ensued during which MT. Jerome hinted at broken confer ences and evasion of stipulations. He declared he did not wish to humiliate the witness with cross examination which he might deem unnecessary However if am forced to do 1t, will" said Afr. Jerome, with something of a menace in his tone
 You may proceed" replied Mr. Delmas.
 Mrs. Thaw Nervous.
 Mrs Thaw moved bit nervously in inc witness chair and waited for MT. Jerome's opening questions. They had to do with he. signatures to certain papers, some of which the prosecutor declared were receipts for money Mrs. Thaw had drawn from the Mercantile Trust Company in 1902-$25 Il week.
 Mrs Thaw's confidence grew as the cross examlnatio went on. and she was always ready with ans" CTS. MT. Jerome jumped from point to point in her story and under the plea of test ing her credibility was allowed to ask many pointed questions. He wanted to know when she first heard that she had been named as a correspondent in the George w. Lederer divorce case. MT. DeImas jumped to his feet with A protest. Mrs Thaw called him over
 .I,A -..1 thing in his ear and the attorney With drew his objection.
 q read of 1t in the newspapers. said the witness, cheerily. when Mir, Jerome reported the question.
 MT. Jerome brought out that Mrs. Thaw had written to Stanford White from BoIougne after Thaw had pro- posed to her in Paris
 "Did you also cable Mir. White?' he also asked.
 The witness could not remember The cross examination had barely got into full swing when adjournment for the day was ordered.
 Mrs. Thaw will resume the stand tomorrow morning and the indications are that she may be kept there in the chair throughout the day.
 Tbe reluctance of the District At torncv to subject Mrs. Thaw to eros: examination again lent color to the ru' mors that MT. Jerome still contem nlates moving for the appointment o A commission in lunacy to test Thaw'i state Of mind at the present time Now that he has entered upon the crosi examination, he seems determined t' make it a thorough one:
 In completing her direct testimon, 0,re Thaw had told of the converse lions she and her husband had had re earding the fate of the other yount women at the hands of Stanford White Cna of these girls was known as "Th nic girl" she was 15 years of ag' and wore only gauge dress when sh snrang from a big pic at stage din nor. ,,A ,,,,. ,,a. L.,r,. had told her that Stanfort