The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-03-06
LETS WAGNER GO
Jerome Completes His Long
CrOss-ExaminatiOn of Expert.
The Witness Holds His Own to
the End.
MRS. WILLIAM THAW.
Mother of the Defendant Next
will Testify.
Thaw Makes VOluminous Notes
on the Evidence.



cleared this morning for taking the
testimony of Mrs. William Thaw at the
trial of aer son Harry K. Thaw, for
the murder of Stanford White Dis
trict Attorney Jerome concluded his
long cross examination of DR.. Charles
G. Wagner. one of the alienists for the
defense and the expert was finally
excused just before the luncheon re-
cess. Thaw's counsel then stated that
the defendants mother would testify
this afternoon.
Mr.. Jerome today took a new tack
In his cross examination of DR.. Wag-
ing the killing of Stanford White,
there was anything to enable the wit
ness to differentiate between insanity
and intoxication.
DR.. Wagner declared that there was
nothing whatever to indicate intoxi-
cation but much to indicate insanity.
Dr.. Wagner further testified today
that Thaw was of unsound mind when
he married, but had sufficient intel
ligence to know what he was doing.
DR.. Wagner Continues.
New York, March 6.-In anticipation
there were many empty seats in the
court room today when the Thaw trial
was resumed.
Thaw again came to court laden down
WIN letters Wn1cn continue to come to
him from all quarters of the globe. Most
of the letters are in praise of the de-
fendant and he manifestly takes great
satisfaction in reading them.
Dr. Charles G. Wagner of Bingham
ton, who has been under cross examina-
tion since Monday afternoon, was again
called to the stand, and District Attor-
ney Jerome began to ply him with ques-
tions regarding Thaw's will and codi-
Gil.
Dr. Wagner said he believed that
when Thaw wrote the section of his
will providing for a fund for the prose-
cution of any one who might take his
life, his mind was clouded and he did
not have as clear an idea of such mat
ters man who was wholly sane, but
enough to- be able to appreciate that
the taking of a human life "A crime
Doctor, when this defendant stood
up to be married on the same day that
will was signed. did he know what he
was doing?" asked Jerome.
Il don't think his mind was entirely
clear
was it clear enough for him to un-
derstand he was getting married?"
Yes, he understood it,
After questioning DR.. Wagner at some
length regarding the letter written by
Thaw in 1903 to Attorney Longfellow,
Mr.. Jerome suddenly asked:
WAS there any period, doctor, between
1903 and 1905 when this defendant was
DR. Wagner hesitated a moment and
then replied:
There are several months in that
period of which I have no record 1t is
possible that there may have been re-
covery during that time to a condftlon
of soundneSs-
Jerome took up a number of works
by various authors on psychiatry
and asked DR.. Wagner's opin-
ion of the works, and the
Io14
Of questioning was kept up, Dr. Wag-
ner acknowledging that most of the
authors noted were learned men. Fol-
lowing this Jerome returned to
Thaw's letter. In explaining that
man might be insane and still have
working knowledge of many matters,
DR.. Wagner said that in the institution
Of which he is superintendent he has
patient, who although the most insane
man he has ever seen, is a good shoe |
maker. One of this mans delusions, !
which affected him three or four times |
1 day, is that those thousands of
miles away, are eating something that |
causes him nausea
After finishing with his questions
based on Thaw's letters, Mr.. Jerome !
asked DR. Wagner:
''Do you know a disease known as
circular insanity?
YES" replied the witness.
us reasoning in circle sign of
circular insanity ?'
81 don't know what you mean by |
'eaSoning in a circle.
1.-The kind of reasoning you have
been doing"
Mr.. Delmas objected and asked that
he remarks be stricken out accusing
he district attorney of making an in
erence that the witness was victim
# circular insanity.
Mr. Jerome settled the matter by
Withdrawing the remark.
q
,vents on the Madison Square roof
GARDEN the night Thaw shot and killed
stanford White. He asked the witness
{ the separate acts OF the defendant
hat night indicated insanity.
Taken in accordance with all that
las been established. yes" said DR..
Wagner, they indicate to me that the
lad automatic knowledge as to firing
he pistol. and he may have had suf-
icfent intelligence to know he was
ausing annoyance by blocking the
way to the elevator after the ira agedy
,ut these facts do not show he was
ane."
Mr.. Jerome next asked DR.. Wagner:
Would your opinion as to the de-
endant's condition be Influenced if
-ou knew that he had taken a large
mount of liquor that afternoon
'I would want to know how much
lie had taken"
Men who have been insane are
till susceptible to liquor during lucid
are they not? There is
othing in the disease which would
make them immune to the effect of
quor. is there %
Nothing that I know Of
rs there anything in the hypo-
hetical question that ena bles YOU to
ell whether the defendant was insane
'r drunk -
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