Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-04
IS EVANS TRAPPEDP'
Alienists Say He is Wrong About
Adolescent INSANITY.

| NEW YORK, March 4.-With Dr. Brit
| ton D. Evans once more on the stand this
morning to finish his cross-eXamnation in
the trial Of Harry X. Thaw for the murder
of Stanford White, the alienists for the
prosecution will be the watch to see
whether he escaped the logical results OF
Mr. Jerome's attack. 1t is believed that
several points will be pressed home very
sharply.
So far no use has been made of the re-
ports of the Morris Plains Asylum which
the witnessed was asked to furnish to the
district attorney, and it has been said that
1t will be hard for him to fit the classifi-
cation of insanity used by the institution
under his charge with the evidence he has
given. Alienststof repute declare that he
has used the term insanity of Adde'S
cence' in a way unknown to the ordinary
expert. and that in particular his assertions
that Thaw was suffering in April, 1905,
from paranoia decisions is likely to require
much explanation.
DR.. Evans held that the decisions exhib-
ed by the will and codicil, the delusion of
persecution and the delusion connected
with Stanford Whites alleged treatment Of
certain girls are unconnected, and that
was perfectly possible for him to have re-
covered from them as soon as Mr.. White,
their exciting cause, was out Of the way.
About Delusion.
amy one who knows the characteristics
Of delusion,'' said one Of the leading ex-
perts of the city yesterday, knows that
recovery in a short space of time is out Of
the question. A delusion stands for the
gradual disintegration of the intellect, and
If a delusion of one sort Is entertained there
Is almost certain to be another of some kind
or other.
THE question whether they are what we
call systematfzed is merely q matter Of
common sense. In cases of paranoia there
are systeIpatized decisions with the three
chief characteristics of persecution, con-
spiracy and grandeur. The paranoiac rea-
sons with sort Of insane logic, and his ac-
lions and ideas follow naturally from the
one principal. or parent, delusion."
The alienists for the people are also keep
ing very close watch upon the defendants
actions in court. He appears daily with
several large portfolios bullying with papers,
and amuses himself throughout the trial by
turning these over. He is forming sort
of acquaintance with the newspaper men
who sit near him, and occasionally passes
notes to them which may be of value to
Mr.. Jerome In arguing that he is insane
now. His lawyers talk with him constantly
to keep him occupied, but from the time he
enters the court room to the adjournment
he is never left to his own devices.
Had No Row.
1t was said yesterday by A. Russell Pea
body, counsel for the defendant, that there
was absolutely no truth in the statements
published yesterday morning about his hav-
Saturday with an oath. He was being
treated by dentist, DR.. H. A. Parr of "a
West 32d street, in the hospital ward. 1t
was alleged that when Mrs. Thaw came to
the door and asked to be admitted her hus-
band swore at her and ordered her to go
for drive in the park.
There is not a word Of truth in the
story" said Mr.. Peabody, land 1 am very
glad of the opportunity to explain exactly
what happened. Thaw had had some slight
trouble with his teeth The filings of one
or two had come out, and l arranged that
DR.. Parr, who had seen him before should
come and fix tLem.
He came on Saturday by appointment
at 8 o'clock, and his work took him little
over an hour. He left a few minutes after
10 o'clock, and so far as I know Mrs. Thaw
had not then arrived at the Tombs. In any
case she did not see the dentist or Thaw
under his hands.
There is no excuse for stories such as
these. They cause great deal of pain to
the parties concerned and l cannot con-
denim too strongly their deliberate fabrica-
ton
Head Keeper Hanley bore out the official
denial of the story. He said that when
Mrs. Thaw arrived she went upstairs in
the usual way, but was told that her hus-
band was in the hospital ward 1t is a
fairly large room, separated from the ordi-
nary prison, and contains four beds. She
came down at once and applied to Warden
Flynn for permission to go into the cell.
He could not allow the prison rules to be
DTOhcu, anu she WdltSu uutll the Qentdl Op-
erations were completed before she saw
Thaw. Hanley denied emphatically that
there had been any harsh words used to-
ward Mrs. Thaw by her husband.
Thaw passed a quiet day yesterday in his
cell. He received no visits from his law
yers, but received a few letters. He did
not go to the services, but occupied HIM
self with the newspapers and in writing a
number of letters. He was a little impa-
tient over the delay in his trial, but con-
fded to his keepers the belief that Jerome
was failing to make good
If the cross-examination Of Dr. Evans is
completed this morning, it Is expected that
Mrs. William Thaw win take the stand to
testify to influences which may have af-