Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-02-14
DR.. B. D. Evans Proves Bet
ter Witness Than Wiley,
The First Medical Ex>
pert on Stand
CHARACTERIZED DIT AS
HEREDITARY AiL|MEN1
Physician, However, Said That
Thaw's Mind Was Improved
When He Made His
Latter Visits

New York, Feb. 12.-Dr. B. d. Evans.
an alienist was the first witness called
in the Thaw trial today.
Evans said he visited Thaw eight
times in the Tonlbs. twice alone and
the other times In company with Or.
Wagner, who testified yesterday.
Evans declared that he noticed on
his visits that Thaw suffered from
forms of insanity characterized by
exaggerated ego" including Adde'S
cent insanity. The latter, he said, is
due to heredity
He said Thaw also exhibited synlp.
toms of having recently undergone an
explosive or Illuminating condition Of
mental unsoundness.
Explains Thaw's Insanity.
By Exaggerated Ego" Evans said
he meant "a dispreportionate idea OF
the Importance Of self, the belief that
one is clothed with powers, capacity
and ability far above the normal OF
above those actually possessed. .s
Evans declared that in adolescent'
insanity the patient exhibits no mark
ed symptoms but when stress comes
man does not break down as ordt-
nary or normal man would There IL
complete loss Of mental balance, and
an explosive condition Of the brain.
the reason becomes dethroned, the
will power lost and the balance wheel
of the brain is gone.
"On my first visit" said Evans
''Thaw showed a condition Of abnor-
NAL excitement and a diseased condi-
ton of the brain. s
/ Evans described the second and
third visits to Thaw and said the pris-
oner exhibited decisions, suspicion,
and other symptoms characteristic OF
persons of unsound mind. Then fol-
lowed long argument between Del
mas and Jerome on the admissibility
of conversations between the prisoner
and the .alienists. Finally Delmas
asked:
Were the oral statements made by
Thaw material in the formation OF
your opinion as to his mental condi-
/ tion.'
/. Yes
The witness said as the result Of his
eight examinations he formed an opin-
ion as to Thaw's mental condition.
! He said in his later visits the prisoner
every respect.
| ESluS ISSulllcu IlS ioLcilu cILLC1 VAC
lecess. He said as result Of his
first three visits he had reached the
opinion that Thaw was Of unsound
mind.
AS result Of the last five visits
Evans said he reached the opinion
that Thaw's mental condition while
still impaired, was improved over his
first visit.
''Was that improvement stationary
or gradual?"
'In my opinion it was gradual"
What, in your opinion was the
condition of the mind the result or Sc
!, quel OFF"
''In my opinion he was suffering
from positive disorder or arrangement
of mind as the result of hereditary
! predisposition; that there were add.
, tional exciting causes in order OF
, stress. Strain ordeals Of mind which
, formed brain storm or mental explo-
sion which left its traces behind"
!, Evans was here handed letters writ
! ten by Thaw heretofore introduced in
evidence. He began their perusal
! which were later to form one Of the
, bases of the hypothetical question.
Recess Of forty minutes was or
dered at $40 to give Evans an op
! portunity to finish reading the letters