The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-13

! sanity to which l have referred, but adolf
| escent insanity and paranoiad insanity
are characterized by decisions as to self
importance and exaggerated ego. In adol-
escent insanity. the patient exhibits no
| marked SYMPTOMS. but when the stress
comes 6Dr Evans took on deelamatory
tone of voice. the man does not break
down as the ordinary or normal would.
! There is a complete loss of mental bal
| ance, an explosive condition of the brain.
the reason becomes dethroned, the will
power is lost and the brain is operating
| as ship does in the wind without a
rudder-the balance wheel is gone.
The acts of such a man are not acts
of normal man, but show him to be
| guided by disease and stress. His mind
has left its moorings and yielded to
diseased conditions
ION my first visit | also noticed that
| Mr. Thaw suffered from a rapid flow of
words not characteristic of the normal
mind. He showed condition of abnormal
| excitement-a diseased condition of the
brain"
"In the disease you describe how do the
conditions differ from the conditions in
a normal man who speaks rapidly?'
AN ordinary normal man speaks more
or less deliberately on all matters of
| grave Importance he talks slowly and
his ideas come logically and coneetedly
! In a man of unsound mind the ideas come
rapidly tumbling over each other; Jump
| ing from one subject to another; that
| at once leads a trained observer to sus-
pect unsoundness of mind. To me, 1t
means that the mind has recently come
through or is just going into severe
mental storm: in other words it is either
the twilight or dawn of state of mental
| unsoundness or explosion.
by decisions | mean false ideas, out
! of which man cannot be argued by
logical and ordinary arguments. Mr. Thaw
| exhibited what I believe were false ideas
which my arguments could not shake
when was your next visit to the
Toms >"
Il believe it was September 81"
Jerome Angry.
District Attorney Jerome objected to
this question on the ground that the
date was not fixed.
II have fixed it as nearly as I cam"
| was the Doctors reply
! DIR. Wagner said the 18th day." began
Mr.. Jerome.
II have nothing to do with DR.. Wag-
ner's testimony" interrupted DIR. Evans
Il am not addressing my remarks to
you, SIR" snapped Mr.? Jerome.
Later in the session DR.. Evans explained
| he meant August 10.
ION this VISIT said DR.. Evans, II OBJ
! served that Thaw was still nervous, agi-
tated and had the peculiar expression of
the eye familiar with mental diseases. 1
! also observed his suspicion of me and all
around him. He still exhibited the exag-
gerated ego and seemed disposed to tell
me what to do as examiner rather than
follow directions.
HE still exhibited decisions of persecu-
| ton. a condition of revolt against those
| fancied prosecutions because they were
| unfair. Unlike melancholy in this va
riety of mental disease there is a condi-
| ton of eXaltation."
DR.. Evans next described his third visit
| to Thaw-September 10.
Mr.. ThaW exhibited delusions of sus-
picion. lack of confidence in his advisers
| and an explosiveness of mental makeup
characteristic OF person of unsound
mind"
How long did the third visit last?'
"On1y frteen minutes
what else did you observer"
There were no halluucinations, Mr..
Thaw dismissed the physicians and had
an argument with counsel which I shall
not narrate."
DR.. Evans asked permission to explain
the difference between Authorizations and
| delusions, and then at Mr.. Delmas' sug-
gestion stated the contrast as between
the two, terning the latter as 'misinter-
preted realities"
Mr.. Delmas here interrupted the exam
nation to read from a number of author
tiles in support of the contention adj
vanced by him yesterday that the state
ments of Thaw to the physicians tend
ing to shed light on his state of mind
were admissible
Justice Fitzgerald said as no question
was pending he could not rule.
Mr.. Delmas continued to read from
court decisions as a foundation, he said
for introducing statements made by
Thaw at the time of the homicide and
prior thereto.
Delmas Wants Opinion.
Mr.. Delmas wanted to show that the
statements of the defendant might be
taken into consideration by an expert II
determining the mental condition of his
subject at the time of an examination
He said that yet a witness had not beer
allowed to give such opinions.
Mr.. Jerome said he did not object tC
such opinions.
Mr.. Delmas then asserted that Mr.. Je
rome has reasoned in circle on thi;
subject"
Justice Fitzgerald safd It was a case O
reasoning in a circle. explained by
Mr.. Delmas, but he did not understand
the facts that way. Mr.. Jerome again
declared that he would object to an opin
ion as to whether or not Thaw was In
sane or sane subsequent to the shooting
but he wished the questions TO be dis
tinctly confined to a given period
"The statements made by man II
prison I'm his own Defense" said Mr.. Je
rome ARE not admissible under any cir
cumstanees. But if they claim that ths
man was Insane at the time of the eN
animation as well as when the act wa.
committed, then 7 am perfectly willing
that these conversations shall go on rec
ord"
Justice Fitzgerald sustained Mr.. Je
rome's objections and Mr.. Delmas pro
ceeded to question DR.. Evans.
Mr. Jerome objected and wraneled Over
the question until 1t was put follows:
"Were the oral statements made by
Mr. Thaw material In the formation OF
your opinion as to his mental condition.
yes"
Now. what was it Mr.. Thaw said?"
NDistriet Attorney Jerome objected on tht
ground that answer involved unsworr
statements of a defendant not shown t.
have been of unsound mind.
Il repeat" said Mr.. Jerome, that
have no objection to this export stating
whether or not Harry Thaw was insane
at the time of these examinations. If thC
doctors say Thaw was insane, then tbs
conversation can come in
Justice Fitzgerald again sustained the
district attorney. The defense noted ar
exception.
II will now ask you. doctor" continued
Mr.. Delmas IF as a result of your eight
examinations, YOU formed an opinion as
to this mans mental state at the time oil
your Visits?'
Yes"
DR.. Evans then went on the next visit
on September %. DIR. Wagner was also
| present.