The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-04-11
Jerome'S Closing
Imprisoned Plea
For Conviction

NEW YORK April ll.-Alr. Jerome
address TO the jury occupied about three
hours and a quarter. In its course he
pursued the methods with which every
body who has heard him on an occasion
OF importance IS familiar. He never
scared 10 the horid heights Of eloquence
wherein Mr.. Delmas balanced himsef
for the better part OF two days. The fig
ures OF speech that he used were few
and simple, but every word that he ut
tered appeared to carry with II the con-
vicdon that It was spoken sincerely,
and he held the crowded court room
from beginning to end TO an attention
that never faltered for a moment.
There were times in the course Of
the district attorneys speech when
everybody in the court room sat UP
straight and grasped the arms OF his
chair or the back Of the chair in front
of him.
Such a moment arrived when Mr. Jer-
ONE. conjured up a vision of the spirit
Of Stanford White begging Evelyn
Thaw. since his own lips were sealed
and the law forbade any champion, to
say word in his behalf. other occa-
sions ike this came when he assailed
the picture that Mr.. Delnas had drawn
of Thaw as the champion Of virtue. the
modern St. George Staying the Dragon
9 that preyed on human virtue.
Assails 'rDementia Americana"
The district attorney assaned the de
mentia Americana" of Mr.. Delmas. He
strove TO show that there was only one
point at issue. and that was whether
Thaw was sane or insane when he fired
the shots that killed White. and he
solelnnly warned the jurors that they
were under oath to decide the issue on
that. and on that alone.
he ridiculed the brainstorm theory,
and dubbed the California lawyer "Dr.
Delmas," a title he conferred on him
BY virtue Of his discovery of "Dementia
Americana. This shaft stirred even
Mr.. Delmas TO smiles which he averted
MS face to hide from the jury He de-
serlbec the calm way in which the
shooting vas done, and declared that
everything that occurred that night /
showed that Thaw was sane; thar he /
did not then believe he had aefe5 &C /
Gods agent. but that he was merely n /
man who was killing the man he he
lleVeQ 70 nave ruined his wife; the man /
ne mated, and had hated for years, and /
killing him in a deliberate, premeditated 1
manner.
Openly Attacks Abe HummeI.
The district attorney attacked Evelyn |
Thaws story with every resource at his
command He admitted that the Hum i
neil affidavit was not entitled to any
consideration unless it was supported /
by corroboratve evidence. He said that
he now had Hummel where ne had
wanted him for years; that he had con-
victed him Of felony; that he hoped +
soon 70 land him in prison; and that he
would keep him there as long as he could.
But ne contended that the corrOboratfve /
evidence showed that the materials for
me aIndaVit were furnished by Evelyn /
Thaw.
After nnarshaling ali the facts Of the
case IN review he declared that It was
really the simplest case in the world
u IS common, cheap, sordfd Tender
ION murder, he said, and II the prin- I
cipa4s IN II h2d been obscure and Door
persons instead OF q man of genius and
a millionaire, the brainstorm would 8
never have been heard or Again he I
Characterized the brainstorm as the
paranolia u the millionaire.
Charge Considered Adverse.
Ths judges charge, lasting about an
hour, was a concise outline of the law.
and gave the jury the alternative Of rem
dering any one Of the following four
verdicts: Murder in the first degree.
murder IN the second degree, man
slaughter in the first degree. or not /
guilty. on the ground OF insanity. I'll
vas generally accepted as adverse to the
safendant The statute governing the