Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-02-23
TRIES TO DISCREDIT
EVELYN'S EVIDENCE
District Attorney Starts to Cross
Examine Mrs Thaw.
WILL BE HARD LEGAL BATTLE


at Hands Of Stanford White and
How He 6ossted He Would Get Her
esek-Jerone Reluctant to Begin
cross-Exsmination.
New York, Feb. 20-Mrs. Evelyn
Eesbit Thaw entered upon the ordeal
Of her denomination. and before
District Attorney Jerome had the wit
ness in charge for half an hour he had
secured from the court a ruling which
apparently opens the way for bringing
into the trial OF Harry X Taaw all
manner Of evidence which may tend
20 discredit the defendants wife.
Heretofore il has been held that the
rules OF evidence protected young Mrs.
Thaw and that regardless Of whether
her story was true or false. the fact
that she had told Il 70 her husband
was the one essential point Mrs.
Thaw had been allowed 10 repeat the
story so that the jury might judge as
10 its effect in unbalancing the mind
OF the man on trial for the murder Of
Stanford White
Mr.. Jerome. by a simple question.
opened the way for the Introduction OF
testimony tending 10 show the truth or
falsity Of Mrs. Thaw's story. He asked
the witness:
WAS the story you told Mr. Thaw
true7"
1T was" she replied firmly.
Mr.. Delmas. Thaw's leading coun-
sci. objected strongly 10 the question.
but Justice Fitzgerald held 10 20 be
competent as tending 90 show the
credibility 81 the witness.
Justice Fitzgerald allowed Mt. Je-
rome 20 bring from Mrs. J. J. Game
OF Boston. a friend Of Mrs. Thaw. who
took the witness stand. many material
points as TO the movements OF Harry
Thaw and Evelyn Nesbit, following
their return from Europe In 1904. in
ciuding the published incident OF their
being elected from the Hotel Cumber-
land in this city-the proprietor In
sisting that they should register as
man and wife or leave their suites.
which adjoined In bringing out these
facts Mr.. Jerome denied that he was
attacking Mrs. Thaw. and said he was
simply testing the credibility OF Mrs.
Game
The district attorney seemed reluct-
ant 10 begin the cross-examination Of
Mrs. Thow. desiring 20 have the matter
postponed until Thursday morning In
order that he might determine whether
or not a further examination OF the
witness was necessary on the issues
involved In the case.
after have looked further into the
matter I may decide to cross-examIne
Mrs. Thaw." Mr.. Jerome stated 70 the
court. cor ] may waive my right II
when all the testimony as 70 the In
sanity Of this defendant Is In I shall
be honestly Of the opinion that he was
insane az the time this act was com
mitted. do not propose 10 take up the
time Of this court and this jury in
contending-"
Mr.. Delmas here interrupted Mr. Je-
rome. He wanted 10 know if the dis
trict attorney meant that n he was
honestly convinced that Thaw was in
sane when he shot Stanford White he
would abandon the prosecution.
81 promise nothing" retorted the
prosecutor
Mrs. Thaw Was Nervous.
Mrs. Thaw moved a bit nervousIy
in the witness chair. and awaited Mr.
Jerome's opening questions. They had
to do with her signatures TO certain
papers. some OF which the prosecutor
declared were receipts for money Mrs
Thaw had drawn from the Mercantile
Trust company in 19O2-s25 a week
Mr.. Delmas protested against the dis
frfr
ments and noted an exception. Mrs
Thaw said she was not sure that all
OF the signatures were her own-they
looked very much like her writing, she
added. Who provided the money for
the girl at the Mercantile Trust com
pany was not developed.
Mrs. Thaw's confidence grew as the
cross-examination went on and she was
always ready with answers Mr.. Je-
rome Jumped from point to point in
her story. and under the plea of testing
her credibility was allowed 10 ask
many pertinent questions. He wanted
20 know when she first heard that she
had been named as a correspondent in
the George w. Lederer divorce case.
Mr.. Delmas jumped 70 his feet with
a PlOACoN AAc. nav tdllIu MIN over
&c where she sat. whispered something
in his ear. and the attorney withdrew
his objection.
81 read of IL in the newspapers" said
the witness cheerily when Mr.. Jerome
repeated the question.
The prosecutor sought to show that
Mrs. Thaw had gone to Abraham Hum
mel for advice with regard TO the di-
yorce proceedings. but was halted by
an objection from Mr.. Delmas. which
the court sustained. Justice FItzger-
aid said the question had nothing 10
do with Mrs. Thaw's story 10 her hus-
band. and did not affect her credi-
bility.
Mr.. Jerome brought out that Mrs.
Thaw had written TO Stanford White
from Boulogne after Thaw had pro-
luoaed 10 h>r in Paris Did You also