Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1907-02-21
POINT FOR JEROME.
TIE Court Rules That he May A.
tack the TruthfuIness Of Story
Told by Mrs. Thaw.
Cross EXAMINATION OPENS
The Ruling Of judge Fitzgerald Has
q Wide significance and Opens
Up an Avenue that DeImas
Thought Closed. e


New York, Feb. 20.-Mrs. Evelyn
Nesbit Thaw Tuesday concluded her
story of her connection with the
Thaw-White tragedy. She was the
first witness called Tuesday at the
trial Of her husband, and before the
Luncheon recess was ordered she
had been given into the hands OF Dis
trict Attorney Jerome for cross ex-
animation. Mr.. jerome reserved his
right, saying he had not yet de-
termined whether the cross examine
ton was needful as to the issues in-
yolyed in the case. While Mr.. jerome
mus released the prisoners young
wife for the time being, he soon
found himself in a position to In
directly attack her credibility, al.
though in answering Mr.. Delmas
objections he declared that he had
no such purpose in mind.
When Mrs. Thaw entered on the or
deal of her crossexamination and be-
fore District Attorney Jerome had had
the witness in charge for hals an hour
he had secured from the court q ruiz
ing which apparently opens the way
for bringing into the trial OF Harry
K. Thaw all manner of evidence
which may tend to discredit the de-
PENDANTS wife. Heretofore it has been
held that the rules Of evidence pro-
tscted young Mrs. Thaw and mat
regardless Of whether her story was
true or false. the fact that she had
told It to her husband was the one
essential point. Mrs. Thaw has Deen
allowed to repeat the story SO that
the Jury might Judge as to It's erect
in unbalanciug the mind of the man
on trial for the murder OF Stanford
White.
Mr. Jerome by a simple question,
opened the way for the introduction OF
testimony to show the truth or falsity
Of Mrs. Thaw's story. He asked the
witness:
"Was the story you told Mr. Thaw
true?"
at was" she replied firmly.
Mr.. Delmas, Thaw's leading coun-
sel. objected strongly to the question
hut Justice Fitzgerald held 1t to be
competent as tending to show the
credibility Of the witness. Whether
Mr.. Jerome intends to take advan-
tage Of the ruling in an attempt TO
throw doubt on the truth OF the story
or whether Justice Fitzgerald intend
ed his ruling to cover the whole sub
iect Of Mrs. Thaw's evidence, the fu'
ture conduct Of the case alone can de-
terr.ine. Mr.. Delmas will continue to
ffgh. with constant objections the In
PRODUCTION Of any testimony as to
events in the young woman's life, but
the subject of the credibility OF wit
ness is wide one and Justice Fitz-
gerald early Tuesday indicated that
he would be ..berai in his iuterpretA'
ton Of the rules.
Mrs. Game of Boston had testified to
hearing Harry Thaw ask Mrs. Nesbit
that he be allowed to marry her daugh-
ter. She also testified to an incident
at the theater in which Stanford White
appeared, the object being to show
the effect Whites presence had
on the defendant
When Mrs. Caine was taken in
hand by Mr.. Jerome he began a
searching inquiry into her acquaint-
anceship with the Thaws, and ask
ed her all about their movements,
directing his questions particularly
to a trip which Thaw and Evelyn
Nesbit made to Europe. He brought
out the fact that Mrs. Nesbit had not
accompanied her daughter on this
trip, and next took up the move
ments of the defendant and Miss
Nesbit after their return from
Europe in 1904. He asked about
1.-THE hotel Cumberland episode" re-
ferring to the time when Miss Nesbit
and Thaw were required to leave
that hotel unless they registered as
man and wife. This latter fact was
not gotten before the jury, but Mr..
Jerome had not concluded his cross
examination when the luncheon re-
cess was ordered.
Young Mrs. Thaw testified Tuesday
that she had told her husband Of a
statement May Mackenzie made to
the effect that Stanford White had
declared:
Il viii get her back"
This was when Miss Mackenzie
had told the architect that Harry
ana Evelyn were most happy in their
married life.
Mra Thaw identified a letters
written By Stanford White, but they
were not read but were marked for
Identification.
ThaW'S letter 10 Anthony comStook
vas read. It complained Of Whitss
alleged practices and described his
studio IN Madison Square Gar
lower ana tn0s6 m west
strest with the velvet swing and
mirrorod bedroom. and a third
. on East Tventy-ssventh street.