Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-03
ANOTHER ORDEAL TO
TEST THAW'S MIND
Lunacy Commission Again Calls.
Him for Examination.
EXPERTS ALL AT ODDS
Great Difference of Opinion Among
the Several Alienists.
CRAZY BEFORE, BUT NOW SANE
Commissioners Will Determine for
Themselves About the Condition
of His Mind at Present.
Great Difference of Opinion Among
the Several Alienists.
CRAZY BEFORE, BUT NOW SANE

| NEW YORK, April 3-The commission
| appointed to examine into the mental con-
! dition Of Harry Thaw finished its open
| hearings this morning and went into secret
session to conduct physical examination.
| Every one was excluded from the court
room except the commission and the
| stenographer, even the attorneys for both
| sides being shut out.
| The morning session was taken up by the
| examination of one expert on each side OF
the case. DR.. Allen Ross Deefendorf testi-
| fled that in his opinion Thaw is at present
| insane, and DR.. Charles G. Wagner swore
| that in his opinion Thaw is at present sane
Before DR.. Deefendorf left the stand there
| was short explosion between District At
| torney Jerome and Commissioner Mcclure.
| Mr.. Mcclure was asking the alenst about
| the difference in his opinion as to Thaw's
| sanity when he shot White and his sanity
now. Mr.. Jerome jumped to his feet and
objected that the commissioners questions
were unfair and that Mr.. Mcclure was try
ing to put the witness in a dishonorable
position.
Mr.. Hartridge jumped up to say something
and for a few moments there was chorus
of voices, which Mr. Mcclure shortly
quoted.
Thaw's Suggestions.
| One of Thaw's remarks to DR.. Wagner
| came a surprise to those who have fol-
| lowed the case. Thaw told the alienist that
it was at his suggestion that conversations
between himself and his wife were put in
evidence, and it was at his suggestion that
Evelyn Nesbit Thaw was called to the
stand. 1t had been understood before that
Thaw was opposed to the appearance Of
| hi wife in his defense.
Much Conflicting Testimony
Thaw's sanity and his ability 10 consult
with his counsel at the present time WILL
| 1t is expected, be finally decided today by
| the lunacy commission which has for q
| week or more been investigating the
question. Much will depend upon another
private examination of Thaw which the
commission has decided upon. Apparently
the conflicting testimony of ,-e alienists
called by both sides in the case has not
tended to clear the question to the salts
faction Of the commission, and their re-
calling Thaw is taken to mean that their
decision will largely depend upon the show
ing made by the defendant himself.
Thaw's examination today will be the
final and crucial test of his mental capacity.
1t will follow a brief public hearing at
which one alienist, and possibly two, will
be examined. Not even Thaw's counsel or
the district attorney will be admitted to
the private examination. With their Of
fetal stenographer the commission will re-
tire to a room in the upper part OF the
criminal court building and put the de-
PENDANT through what tests they please
Putzel Will Examine Him.
DIR. PutZel will examine him as he would
a private patient. and questions may be
asked as to the continuance of the delu-
sons from which Thaw is said to have
suffered last summer.
Ii is the plan to conclude the hearing
with Thaw's examination and unless some
thing unexpected intervenes the commis-
sion will then go into executive session
to consider their report to Justice Fits-
gerald. This report will probably be made
early Thursday before the Thaw trial 10
reconvened in order that the trial may pro-
coed should the decision be favorable TO
the defendant.
Called DR.. Diefendorf.
When the commission went into session
today District Attorney Jerome called TO
the witness stand DIR. Allen Ross Diefen-
dorf, superintendent of the State Hospital
for the Insane at Middletown, Coma. and
professor of mental and nervous diseases
at Yale University. DIR. Diefendorf testi-
fled for the state at the trial of Thaw, de-
claring that defendant knew the ma ture and
quality Of his act when he shot and killed
Stanford White and knew the act was
wrong To the commission today the alien
LIST declared that from what he had seen of
Thaw and the writings he had examined
he was of the opinion that Thaw is not
now capable Of rightly understanding his
own position of approaching the nature OF
the charge against him or Of nationally ad-
vising his counsel.
DR.. Diefendorf examined at some length
the twenty-four pages of suggestions made
nv Thaw to Mr.. Deimas for his supming-up
address. and declared they emanated from
diseased brain. The commission asked
the witness to point out what he consid-
cred insane evidences among the meDoran-
da. DIR. Diefendorf pointed out one pas
sage which District Attorney Jerome started
to read aloud.
II must protest against this" interrupted
Mr.. Hartridse of Thaw's counsel Those
papers were produced for the benefit of the
at secret session and the dis
trict attorney is reading them 10 the re-
porters. 1t Is another case like the Lyon
letters from Pittsburg. They were sent
here to the clerk of the court. 1t was
agreed they might be copied In the district