The San Francisco call., 1907-02-13

NEW YORK, Feb. 12.-Although to-
day is Lincoln's birthday and conse-
Quently a legal holiday in this State,
the Thaw trial proceeded at the usual
hour this morning. Justice Fitzgerald
having stated that owing to the hard
ship on the jury, which is to remain
locked UP until the end of the trial
there would be no recess over the holi-
Say.
When Thaw walked to his place at
the counsel table as he was removing
his coat and for some minutes after
taking his seat. he kept his eyes on
District Attorney Jerome and ignore j
his own counsel for the time being.
Mr. jerome was busy with his papers
and did not notice ThawS somewhat
unusual action.
The first witness called by Mr.. Del
mas was DR.. Britton D. Evans. super
intendent Of the State Insane Hospital
al Norris Plains which. he said. con-
tains an average of 1900 patients. Dr..
Evans said he had written and spoken
a great deal on the subject Of insanity
and had appeared in a majority of the
important cases in New Jersey where
mental arrangement or incapacity had
10 do with the matter under investiga-
ton. In several cases, the witness de-
clared, he had represented both the
prosecution and the defense by con-
sent Of counsel and under appointment
by the court.
The witness first saw Harry Thaw
August 4, 1906, in the Tombs and in all
visited him eight times.
THAW-S EYES GLARE
Or. Evans said he vas alone on the
visits Of August 4 and October l. At
other times he was accompanied by
DIT. Wagner, who testified yesterday
What during these visits did you observe in
the mental condition OF Mr.. Thaw.- asked
''On the FIRST visit, on August 4. he exhibited
peculiar facial expression. gisring of the
ere suspicious Of his surroundings and Of me-
nervous agitation and restlessness such as comes
from severe brain storm. common in these
who have recently gone through explosive or
Iliminstng condition Of mental unsoundneSs-
he exhibited delusions of a personal character,
an exaggerated ego, and along with them delu-
sons OF persecutory character He thought
himself OF exaggerated importance and believed
himself prosecuted by a number Of persons
BY an exaggerated ego Dr. Evans said he
meant "disproportionate idea of Importance
~ self belief that one is clothed with pow
ers, capacity and ability far above normal,
above those actually possessed"
The symptoms. he said, were char
acteristic of severa- mental diseases.
Continuing, he said:
One Of the mental diseases Indicated by
Thaw's actions WAS sdolescent insanity. 1t is
from ten 10 forty years. Tie person thus af-
hicted Is known as having a psychopathic taint,
= predlsposition 10 mental unsoundness. the re
suit of heredty. Another form Of insanity indi-
Gated Is known parano fixed insanity
on some subject. The third is maniacal, where
the patient jumps from one idea TO another.
These forms and others are characterized by
the exaggerated ego. They well defined forms
about which there can be no difference of opin-
ion
rs there any specific name doctor2" asked
Delmss. given TO that form of insanity wherein
one imsgines himself omniprescient-the ruler
.-That is included in the form of insanity TO
which have referred Both adolescent insanity
and paranolad insanity are characterized by
delusions as 10 self-importance and exaggerated
ego. In adoiescent insanity the patient exhibits
no marked symptoms But when the stress
comes (Dr. Evans took a declsmatory tone
Of voice. the does not break down as the
ordinary normal man would. There is COM
plete loss OF mental balance an explosive con
dition Of the brain. the reason becomes de-
throned the wiz power is lost and the brain is
operating ship does in the wind without
q rudder-the balance wheel is gone.
GUIDED BY DISEASE
The acts Of such a man are not the acts
OF normal man, but show him 10 be guided
by disease and stress His mind has left its
moorings and yielded 10 diseased conditions.
'On my first visit ] also noticed that Mr.
Thaw suffered from a rapid how of words not
characteristic Of the normal mind he showed
a condition of abnormal excitement-a diseased
In the disease you describe how do the con
ditions differ from the condition in normal
man who speaks rapidlyZ
. An ordinary, normal man speaks more less
deliberately on all matters of grave importance.
He talks slowly and his ideas come logically and
connectedly. In a man Of unsound mind the
ideas come rapidly, tumbling over each other,
jumping from one subject 10 another, that at
once leads trained observer TO suspect IN
soundness Of mind. To me Il means that the
mind has either recently through Is
Just going into severe mental storm; in other
words. II is either the twilight dawn of
stae Of mental unsOundness OF explosion. By de-
lusions. ] mean false ideas out Of which man
cannot be argued bv logical and ordinary argu-
ments. Mr. Thaw exhibited what believe were
false ideas that my arguments could not shake.
When your next visit TO the Tombss
believe il was September q.
Mr. Jerome objected to the question
on the ground that the date was not
fixed.
I have fixed IT as nearly as 1 can,"
was the doctors reply
rDr. Wagner said the 18th day" be-
gan Mr.. Jerome.
4 have nothing to do with DR.. Wag-