Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-02
THAW MAY TESTIFY
Decided That Defense Will Be
Emotional Insanity.
EXPERTS ARE NOW ENGAGED
Defendants Lawyers Will Follow His
Mothers Advice.
NO OPPOSITION TO HER WISHES
Effort Will Be Made to Show Insanity
for Moment, but Not Before
or After.
EXPERTS ARE NOW ENGAGED
NO OPPOSITION TO HER WISHES

Special Dispatch to The Star.
| NEW YORK, January ut was declared
| today that emotional insanity would be
| Harry X. Thaw's defense for the murder
Of Stanford White. That this line Of action
| has been decided on Is shown by recent
| moves of counsel for Thaw. The services
of medical experts have been secured who
| will tell the trial jury that the young man
| was insane at the time he killed the archi-
| tect, and not before and after. It can be
said on excellent authority that an effort
was made by the defense to convince the
jury that events preceding the tragedy
| were of such a character as to lead Thaw
| to suppose he was justified to conceiving
| a great hatred for the man he killed.
In order to carry out the line of defense
| which counsel thinks today will be fol-
lowed, It now seems necessary that the de-
PENDANT will have to be witness in his
own defense. Lawyers who have followed
| the case closely are asking If the defense
| can afford to put him on the stand in any
event
Thaw. 1t is understood, has an idea that
he would make star witness for the de-
fense and has, as usual, his mother on his
side. What She says has great weight
with her sons lawyers. 1t is said that up
| to the present time counsel has offered no
opposition to any of her wishes.
Jerome to Prosecute.
In this connection great consideration is
given by those who have been following the
case to the fact that District Attorney
Jerome will personally conduct the prose-
cution. Mr.. Jerome is a skillful cross-exam-
liner. and the great question about Thaw's
taking the stand in his own behalf is
whether he can withstand such an assault
as he Is sure to be subjected to when the
district attorney takes him in hand
While 1t 1s true that counsel for Thaw
have been careful not to reveal their plans,
certain actions taken by them and over
lures made by them to professional gentle
| men indicate what facts they mean to
present in court to secure a verdict favor
able to their client
IT Is the general understanding in the
district attorneys Office that emotional in
sanity will be the basis of the defense In
fact, in preparing for the cross-examina-
uon. which Will be the most important fea-
ture OF the trial, the prosecution has gather
ed together facts calculated to 60 far to
prove that If Thaw was emotionally insane
| the cause for his insanity was not due to
any injury he had sustained because of
White. Some of the alienists approached
by the defense have declined to appear as
witnesses in the case because they believe
Thaw was and Is insane and have been
given TO understand that the defense will
| be emotional insanity.
Imaginary Grievances.
So far as that goes, the district attorney
| Is IN position to call witness who will
testify that every allegation Thaw may
make against White is but Pigment of his
imagination and not based on fact. There
are within easy reach witnesses who will
| swear that If Thaw thought he had any
personal grievance against White it was
imaginary and possibly inspired by motives
mat wall prove an interesting revelation at
the trial. ~
There are witnesses available for the
district attorney who are ready and will
ing 10 swear that If Thaw conceived any
peculiar notions regarding Stanford White
AFTER his marriage to Evelyn Nesbit thew
We're insane decisions and entirely without
foundation 1t has been whispered among
the medical experts whose services have
been enlisted in one way and another that
IhaW imagined all sorts of things of White
and that he, Thaw, had been delegated
avengng angel. "a