The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-04-03
at his trial. DR.. Wagner first took the
stand.

4
DR.. Wagner declared that throughout
the trial Thaw had acted and converseo
| in al entirely retional manner tte 1ui-
l ly understood the nature of the proceed
| ings against him and had ADVISED Win
1 his attorneys in the hearing.
DIR. Wagner said he had talked with
| Thaw as late as this morning when ne
discussed the trial for more than nall
an hour.
GA -eross-examination District Attor-
ney Jerome showed DR.. Wagner the
suggestions Thaw made to Mr; Delmas
for his summing up and asked;
written as joke, but in good falth py
a man on trial for his life, IS 1t your
opinion they are product OF d souilo
and normal mind?"
There are many very excellent sus-
gastions among these made by Mr-
Thaw," replied the doctor
Dr. Wagner told the commission he
had testified at the trlal thaI i13a NAV
Stanford White. and was insane Tor
two months afterward in the Tom ps.
Are YOU prepared, doctor, in view
of all you know of this defenoant. ms
family personally, to say he is a sane
man today?" asked Mr.. Jerome.
ssI am not here to state that posi-
tively,'' said DR.. Wagner. Prom my
conversation with him this morning,
and from my intercourse with him dur
ing the trial, I am forced to say that
1 was unable to discover anything to
warrant the opinion that he Is not
sane"
Mr.. Jerome's efforts to secure more
direct reply were ineffectual.
DR.. Wagner repeated to the commits
sion some of his more recent conver-
sations with Thaw. When he first saw
Thaw in the Tombs the prisoner said
he had acted as an agent of Providence
in despatching Stanford White. II
talked with him on that subject this
morning" continued DR.. Wagner, land
L 49, - &c
any supernatural agency in the killing
of Stanford White. He said no, he
was convinced there was not asked
him If he thought his present condi-
it had been very serious, but he
thought his attorneys had made such
progress at the trial that his position
was not SO serious as at first
ST asked Mr.. Thaw if he had made
any of the trial arrangements with his
counsel. He said he had made definite
arrangements with some of them, but
had not felt that Ii was necessary to do
so with his personal friends among
the attorneys. / asked him If he had
advised with his counsel on all points
of the trial. He said he had not done
so at first, but as the trial proceeded
he had made more suggestions. some
of which were acted upon and some
not. Taken altogether his talk was in
telligent. his answers responsive. and
he showed a clear grasp of the entire
situation
fThe grasp of a man who is now
sane % suggested District Attorney Je-
rome
II have already stated, Mr.. Jerome.
that I was unable to discover anything
upon which to base an opinion that he
is not sane. It would require a longer
time than I have had for me to be-
come entirely convinced that Mr..
Thaw has completely recovered
Speaking of his advice to counsel.
Il - Gf1,- e-xx-s1
the fact that this defendant once stud
led 1aw?"
''Yes, he told me he had taken up
the study of law at Harvard"
Attorney Hartridge tried to draw
more definite answer from DR.. Wag-
ner as to Thaw's present condition but
he replied:
'sI have not enough evidence before
me to state absolutely beyond all
question. as a scientific man, that he
has entirely recovered.
f'But as a scientific man you have
not discovered anything during the
more than two months of this trial to
enable you to saw he is at present in
sane have you p?
mo sir. ] have not"
Mr. Hartridge then stated that Dr.
White was read DIV to take the stand IL
the commission required mis- testimony
but Messrs. Mcclure and Olney. of
the commission. said II would be un-
necessary the latter adding:
at think we will get all We require
from our own examination of the de-
fendant."
The commission then went into ex-
ecutive session for the final mental
and physical examinations of Thaw.
Even the LAWYERS on both sides were
ba rred from this last hearing
DR.. PutzeI. a member of the COM
mission. it was announced, would
make whatever physical examination
was deemed necessary
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