Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-02-05
PLEA TO SAVE LIFE
IS HEREDITARY INSANITY

WI III iJuD -lt ntl 10 marry
HIM and she refused.
The reason for this refusal YOU
wiz hear from her lips" announced
Mr. Gleason. Suffice to say the
reason had TO do with an incident i'm
her life with reference to Stanford
White" Thus laying the ground
work for the plea of insanity, the de-
PENDANTS lawyer declared that brain
disease laid hold of Thaw some three
or tours years ago. II was claimed
there have been many cases where a
person had been pronounced insane
upon one subject and that alone.
Mr.. Gleason cited instances OF TEN.
porary insanity, based upon, a single
act.
Insanity in the Family.
I'VE will not base our plea, how.
ever. upon 4 single act" he added.
1T will be shown that there was in.
sanity OH 10th sides of this defend.
ants family. Heredity has made us
what we are; heredity has made the
living world. Our case is far remoy.
ed from the much discussed defense
OF emotional insanity. You must
disabuse your minds of all you have
read in the newspapers and cspec-
laliv of the idea that has gone abroad
that we are TO rely upon some higher
or unwritten laws. We rely upon the
constitution aud the laws of the i'm.
perial State Of New York and upon
them alone
You will understand this mans in
sanity. II will not require experts to
tell You of It, 1t is within you to
judge him and YOU will say from the
evidence that when he killed Stan
ford White he was an insane man."
Why He Carried Gun.
II was asserted that Thaw labored
under the delusion that his life was
in danger when he was in New York
city and he believed threats had been
made TO kill him. This accounted
for the fact that since January. 1904
he had carried pistol He had
placed it in his overcnat pocket the
night he went to the Madison Square
Roof Garden. There, he turned sud-
denly and saw what he thouaht was
q demon glowing at him. The ~
pulse came. He felt that to- kill
White would he an act of Providence
and so set deliberately about his
task. II was but the work of an
insane man, Mr.. Gleason declared
from the decisions of disordered
brain. Counsel told the story of
Thaw's defense in n conversational
way as If he were taking every jury
men of the twelve into his conf
dence. They listened intently. Mr.
Gleason was twice interrupted by
District Attorney Jerome on the
ground that he was arguing the case
from the evidence instead of plainly
stating what the evidence was to be-
The Interruptions caused Mr.. Glea-
son to repeat in some instances, but
his remarks did not seem TO lose
weight by the process.
Caravans Opening Address.
In adopting a calm. dispassionate
note in addressing the Jury, Thaws
attorney followed in the pathway
hewn ~ Assistant Attorney Garvan.
who opened for the prosecution at the
beginning of today's session. The
rumor that there were to be further
changes in the jury. box would not
down until Mr.. Garvan actually began
his address. 1t was said that District
Attorney Jerome had brought all the
pressure and persuasion at his com.
mand to gain consent for the removal
of one or two of the men, hut Thaw's
counsel held out against all pleading
for further revision of the trial
panel. Mr.. Caravan in telling the
story Of the alleged murder occupied
less than ten minutes and the prose
cution's entire case was kept within
two hours. With the exception of
young White and the coroners ply
sician, who performed the autopsy
and described the wounds of Whites
body, the only person called to the
stand by the state were five eye wit.
neSSeS.
Brief Cross Examination.
they were cross examined briefly
by Adelphin Delmas of the defense,
who thus appeared in the proceed
ings for the first time The witnesses
related the deliberate manner in
which Thaw approached White, faced
him and fired. They repeated Thaw's
assertion "de ruined my wife," and
Mrs. Thaw's remarks to her hus-
band. yes. but look what fix you
are in now" To this last remark
Thaw replied: "Dearie, have prob
ally saved your life"
1t was brought out that Thaw look
ed back at his victim as he walked
away with staring look In his
eyes" Mr.. Caravans outline of the
states testimony was the brefest
POSSIBLE story of the crime He told
how White went to the Roof Garden
on Madison Square Garden to see the
initial production of summer must
cal. comedy and then related in sim
ple language the incident of the kill
ing.
"The people claim" he concluded,
"that IL was a cruel. deliberate. mali
cious, premediated taking of human
life. After proving the fact to you
We VIII ask you to find the defendant
guilty of the crime of murder In the
first degree"