The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1907-02-05


| lief that self defense, induced by the
threats of White to kill the defendant
But the greater part of our evidence
will be TO prove to you that the de
| PENDANT killed Stanford White under
the delusion that it was an act of prov
| idence, that he was the agent of prov.
| idence to kill Stanford White.
1.-THE defendant for three years has
been suffering from disease OF the
brain which eliminated in the killing
Stanford White, and which left its eff
feet clearly observable after the homi-
eide. When examined after the hom-
icide, he was not aware OF his mental
condition and insisted he was sane
and that the act was an act OF provi-
dence.
Now, gentlemen, we have here then
the principal defense which we will
present to you. The defendant killed
Stanford White because he did not
know that act was wrong. Why did
he not know Because, gentlemen,
he was suffering from a disease of the
brain which induced that condition of
mind, under the explosive operations
of which he believed it was right to
kill Stanford White, acting under the
influence of his sanity.
What was the cause of this mental
condition of the brain? Hereditary
insanity in the family the way of his
life and the acts of Stanford White
and the effects produced on the mind
of the man, under which it finally
gave way.
Gentlemen, you are to pass upon
the state of this mans mind at the
time he killed Stanford White. Do
you feel yourselves to be competent
judges, and if so, why? Gentlemen,
| propose to tell you why you are COM
petent, and why the law in it's pru-
dence and wisdom has made you the
sole judges of this question. The
court may lay down it's opinions of the
law, as will undoubtedly be done. Elk
perts may give their theories before
you and witnesses may testify, but up
upon this question, was this man sane
when he killed Stanford White?' you
are the sole and ultimate judges. That
question is not committed to any one
but to you. Upon your oaths you are
bound to honestly decide it.
I'VE will show by the evidence that
this young man had what is termed
psycopathic temperament, with
mind liable to disclose what we would
ordinary call highly nervous tempera-
ments. We will show that the young
man had faint of insanity by hered-
itary and in temperament.
Now he fell in love with young
woman in 1901. The young man
a. n &c.
wife. He went TO the mother of this
girl and told her he planned to marry
the young woman if he could gain her
affections. The daughter underwent
a severe operation in 1902. Mr.. Thaw
that the mother should take
her daughter to Europe to see if she
could there regain her health. They
went, and Mr.. Thaw did accompany
them, openly and avowedly as suit
or for the hand of the daughter, and
that is all
After telling of Thaw's proposals to
Evelyn Nesbit, her refusals to marry
him and finally their marriage in April
1904 Mr.. Gleason continued:
From that time the character of
Harry Thaw underwent a change.
to Stanford White. 1t was involved
with other ideas, culplinating in the
idea that it was not wrong to kill
Stanford White.
I'VE will show you by documents
and letters that this defendants mind
was affected and that he did not know
his act was wrong. FEpm January,
1904, in consequence of the idea that
filed his mind, Thaw began to carry a
revolver, but he had no idea of killing
White when he went to the roof gar
den on June %, last.
when he saw White he was acting
under the delusion that it was an act
Of providence, under tie circumstances,
for him to kill Stanford White
His diseased brain still guiding
him, he still saw what was a demon
at him. Acting upon the
Impulse of the delus,on that his act
would be an act of providence, he
walked coolly and deliberately, as you
Dr. I would walk down the street, to
where Stanford White sat, and still
believing it was an act of providence
guiding him, he shot and killed him. |
He thought the act was right, and not |
wrong.
Believing his act TO be right, he
had no idea of evad;ng any of the /
Still regarding himself
as the agent of providence, he stood |
there, held his pistol aloft as if mute |
" to say it is done; it is right; it is |
not wrong"
Final adjournment shortly before
o'clock, Mr.. Gleason having conclud-
I'd his opening statement and Mr.. Del
mas, another of Thaw's lawyers hav-
ng asked that the examination of wit
lesses for the defense be postponed
Until tomorrow morning. District At
orney Jerome stated that he would