Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1907-02-07

New York, Feb, 6.-The task of
proving to the jury that Harry X.
Thaw was insane-through heredity
and mental stress-when he shot and
killed Stanford White, was taken up
yesterday by the defense, but when
adjournment was announced later 1t
was the general opinion in the court
room that but little progress had been
made.
Thaws attorneys endeavored in
vain to place before the jury evidence
tending, it was said, to prove strain
of insanity in collateral branches OF
the defendants family, but they were
blocked at every point by District At
torney Jerome, whose objections were
upheld by Justice Fitzgerald.
The defense did, however, get be-
fore the jury the testimony of an ex-
pert, that in his opinion Thaw was
suffering from insanity on the
night of the tragedy Mr.. Jerome UNI
dertook to break down the evidenc of
the alienist-Dr. c. c. Wiley Of Pitts
burg-and for three hours put him
through a cross-eXamination as Sc
we're as was ever heard in a New York
court The prosecutor was relentless
il. his attack and before he had fin
ished Wiley protestingly declared;
Witness Breaks Down.
Il didn't come here as an expert. |
came as a witness to fact, and /
have been converted into an expert
without being prepared for it"
The district attorney astonished
everyone by his intimate knowledge
of medicine and its technical phrase
ology, demonstrating the care with
which he had prepared himself to
meet the very defense which Thaw's
counsel have entered in his behalf.
Defendant Annoyed.
Thaw's counsel sat silent and with
out protest as Jerome grilled the first
witness for the defense Thaw him
self seemed to take but little interest
in the discrimination at the out
set, but later began to take notes and
of his counsel who sat nearest him.
At times Thaw could not altogether
suppress the suggestion of chagrin at
the keenness of some Of Jerome's
questions and the subtle humor they
so thinly concealed. But before the
close of the day Thaw seemed to wor-
ry He bit his finger nails and seemed
anxious for the doctors ordeal to
end. His attorneys appeared a bit
puzzled at first, but evidently deter
mined to give the district attorney
the widest liberty.
"lnsane" Testimony Ruled Out
II was at the close of Mr.. Jerome's
cross-examination of DR.. Wiley that
an attempt was made to introduce
testimony tending to show that
strain of insanity existed in certain
branches of the Thaw family. Among
the witnesses called TO the stand was
Albert Lee Thaw of Richmond, Va.
who said that his father and Harry
Thaw's father were first cousins. The
defense stated its purpose TO draw
from the witness the fact that his
father died in an asylum for the in.
sane, when Mr.. Jerome objected. He
declared the relationship of both the
witness and his father was too far re
moved from the defendant to be com
petent
And the law" he added, lis not
satisfied that a man is insane merely
because he dies in an asylum or re-
treat for persons suffering from men
tai disorders. The fact that a man
dies in an institution such as that
conducted by DR.. Wiley, the eminent
specialist we had upon the stand to-
day. for instance, is no proof that he
was insane There must be compe-
tent testimony to the fact"
Justice Fitzgerald upheld this view
saying, however, that ais ruling was
subject to revision if the attorneys
for the defense could cite authorities
on the subject Mr.. Gleason, who
alone conducted the case for Thaw
Yesterday, did cite some cases, but
promised to have more authorities in
court today
Had ST. vitus Dance.
DR. c. H Bingaman of Pittsburg
who has been a family physician of
the Thaw family for SO years, testi-
fed to having treated Thaw for St
vitus dance when a lad.
Defense Lawyers not Pleased.
Scarcely had court adjourned when
there was a conference Of the de
PENDANTS counsel and 1t became known
that certain of the attorneys were not
well pleased with the days develop
ments. Delphine NJ Delmas, upon
leaving the courtroom, declared fatty
that he was dissatisfied with the days
proceedings and intimated that he
was not surprised that the conduct
OF the defense for the, day had been
r+r-rztad 20 T0h- y Cy1nz son rather