The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-03-22
CHARGES THAW
WITH INSANITY
SENSATIONAL MOVE MADE BY
THE PROSECUTOR
IN THIS CELEBRATED CASE
District Attorney Jerome DramatiesI-
ly Appeals to Court and After Ex-
citing Argument Trial Stops for
Consideration Of Question Of Lun-
acy Commission.

NEW YORK, March 20-The blow
which Harry Kendall Thaw has been
in terror Of ever since his trial for the
killing OF Stanford White began, fell
today. District Attorney Jerome did
not make formal application for the
appointment of a commission in lun-
acy, but, in an impassioned speech,
he appealed to the conscience OF the
court, asserting that Thsw, as he sits
daily in court is unable intelligently
to advise his counsel. and is believed
by every one who has watched and
come into contact with him to be in
sane.
Mr.. Jerome asserted that his own
alienists-the six men who testified
for the State-were convinced, when
they had considered all the facts In
connection with the case, that Thaw
was Of unsound mind. Mr.. Jerome
dramatically accused the counsel for
the defense OF concealing testimony
which, If presented to the court, would
make the continuance of the trial a
crime
So earnestly did he plead that Jus.
tice Fitzgerald dismissed the jury un'
til Friday morning and adjourned
court until 2 O'Clock tomorrow after
noon when, In the absence of the pan
ell. he will consider whatever evidence
either side has to offer and decide
whether the trial shall go on or wheth
er a commission in lunacy shall be ap
pointed to pass upon Thaw's mental
condition today.
The scenes attending the adjourn
ment of court shortly after / O'Clock
were dramatic and exciting. ThaW's
counsel seemed taken utterly by sur
prise. This was expected to be the
last day of the trial. except for the
summing up before the jury.
All in a Group.
Soon after the three-cornered dis
cussion among Justice Fitzgerald, Mr.
Jerome and Mr.. Delmas began, Thaw'S
five other attorneys gathered one by
one around the Judges desk and fol-
a time seemed intent upon denying
what the court had termed the charges
of unprofessional conduct brought
against them by prosecuting officer
Thaw, detected, sat deserted at his
counsel table He had seemed unusu
ally pale and somewhat haggard when
he came into court at the beginning
of the morning session, having com
planned of fatigue and restlessness
When the District Attorney and Mr.
Delmas began their usual morning
/ skirmishes soon after the trial start
ed. Thaw's spirits seemed to brighten
and he laughed in good humor at some
of the passages.
! AS the argument began to take on
! more serious phase, however, the
prisoner sat deeply concerned. He
! flushed crimson as one by one his at
torneys left him to rally to the sup
port of Mr.. Delmas, who, however, In
the midst of the proceedings was SUI
perseded by Attorney Gleason. Thaw
bit his nails, opened and closed his
hands nervously and finally sank down
in his chair in an attitude of utter de
lection. In an adjoining room, where
they could hear the excited and pulift-
ed voices of counsel wrangling, one
with the other, stood Mrs. William
ThaW, the mother, and Evelyn Nesbit
Thaw, the wife, who had barred the
secrets of her soul in the effort to save
her husband from the electric chair,
and from the fate which he declares
he breads more-the mad house.