The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-02-28
at the time of his marriage %

He was not mentally sound at that
/ time-there was temporary alteration -
Based solely on your examinations
and excluding everything else, do you
think he was suffering from melan-
cholia at any other time2''
L believe at the time of the shooting
and little before he was in a depress-
ed or melancholic condition
Mr.. jerome tried TO tie the doctor
down to a positive statement that he
could. by his examinations and exclud-
ing everything else. state whether or
not Thaw was suffering from melan-
marriage This, the doctor would net
state positively.
But by taking into consideration thu
will and codicil as well can you state
whether he was insane at the time of
his maria ge2 -
Yes. as 1 have said, I think he was
of unsound mind. I could not classify
ii for ii might change from one form
to another
A recess of Is minutes was taken.
In continuing his examination of DR..
Evans, after the recess. Mr. Jerome
handed the witness a copy Of the Thaw
will and asked him to point out the
mental depression in il.
You can't point out depression on a
piece of paper" said DR.. Evans. He
then read paragraph Of the will. in
which Thaw provided a fund of $4,000
for the prosecution of any persons who
might be suspected in connection with
his taking off
a perturbation of mind. an agitation
and apprehensiveness-
Mr. Jerome asked DR.. Evans If his
five groups of insanity-idiocy. imbecil-
ity, melancholia, 6ementia and mania
coyered all cases. He said the grouping
had been changed during later years.
What are your grand groups now -
First there is the maniacal group.
then the depressed states. the demented
states and special FORMS
Mr. Jerome then suddenly asked:
You are here with the permission of
the directors of the asylum. suppose"
Yes. one is here in this room. the
chairman Of the medical committee"
ing?''
''Why-welI. in the first place I don't
think it's any of your business"
MT Jerome did not continue on the
After DR.. Evans had given the var
ious classes into which insanity was df-
vlded al the Morris Plains asylum. he
said that he considered the classifica-
ton in annual reports and records
matter Of small importance
Dr. Evans declared that in many of
its phases the treatment of INSANITY
was an art rather than science
. Are your groupings of the various
form Of insanity scientific?'' asked Mr..
Jerome
4 hardly claim that" repIied DR.
Evans. they comprise my system of
grouping PATIENTS
Wen. you don't claim this grouping
to be artistic. do you?"
III have to leave that to Won re-
Joined the witness
How long did this defendant suffer
rom this melancholia p" asked the dis
tlict attorney
That is matter Of which 1 could
How lors does this state usually
last in a person afflicted with simple |
or delusionary insanity"
II varies greatly Sometimes only !
DO You know enough about this |
subject to say whether or not such a |
would be unusuaI?''
should say it would
nave had cases clear up during |
the night due to a thorough clearing /
out OF the organs of the BODY
Reading from a text book on insan-
lty Mr. Jerome asked DR.. Evans If it |
was not true that in acute melan- |
cholIa there was . strong tendency to /
In a general way-yes'
Isn't it true that there are trecur-
rences in about one-third of all cases?r
Possibly
And isn't it true that persons suf-
fering from melancholia write long let
-ers complaining of i'll treatment and /
talk continually
Sometimes
Did the letters you read here on the
stand the other day show any signs of |
-
I don't remember If you will show
them TO me 7 Will see"
Did you ever read these letters or
2opies of them before you read them
0n the stand?-'
Dr. Evans said he had not DR..
evans promised read /
and all other documents in evidence in
rhaw's writing and be ready for a
continuation of his crosS-examination
Court then adjourned