Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1907-03-29
INQUIRY into THAW'S
MENTAL State BEGUN
LUNACY BOARD EXAMINES
SLAYER OF WHITE BEHIND
CLOSED DOORS.
COMMISSION FIRST
HOLDS OPEN SESSION
Scope of Investigation Will Be Linn
tied to Single Point of Whether
Defendant is Capable of Under.
standing Proceedings Against Him.

tied to Single Point of Whether
Defendant is Capable of Under.
standing Proceedings Against Him.
New York. March 29.-The commits
sion in lunacy appointed by Justice
Fitzgerald of the supreme court to in
quire into the present mental condi-
ton of Harry X. Thaw, held it's first
public session Thursday afternoon in
the courtroom where the Thaw trial
has been in progress since January %.
The commissioners took their places
on the judges bench shortly after two
p. m. David Mcclure. who was ap-
pointed chairman of the commission
on the withdrawal of eX-Justice Nor
gan J. O'l}rien. sat in the center with
Peter b. Olney on his right and DIR.
Leopold Putzel on his left.
Thaw was brought before the com
mission Immediately and took place
directly in front of and facing the
commissioners. He was accompanied
by all of his counsel District Attor-
ney Jerome and Assistant District At
toTney Garvan were present as pro-
vided by law
Evelyn Nesbit Thaw was present, as
were the defendants brothers, Josiah
and Edward Thaw.
The proceedings were formally
opened with the reading of the court
order appointing the commission.
Examination to Be Private.
Clifford w. Hartridge acted as senior
counsel before the commission. He
announced that Thaw was ready at
any time to submit to a personal ex-
animation by the commission but sug-
gested that it be private and be con-
fined solely to the present state of his
mind, to which Chairman Mcclure
agreed.
Chairman Mcclure added that he
did not think an elaborate physical ex-
animation would be deemed necessary.
The commission's observation of the
defendant at his mental examination,
he thought, would be sufficient.
District Attorney Jerome at this
point went at some length into the
history of recent commissions in
lunacy in this jurisdiction, giving the
commissioners all the information at
his command. He then asked to be in
structed as to how far the commission
desired to go in the matter of tesi-
mOny.
Present Mental State the Issue.
Chairman Mcclure said the inquiry
the commission had in mind was a
very simple one-to determine wheth
or at this time the defendant is
capable of understanding the pro-
ceedngs against him, and of ration
ally advising his counsel. The com
mission desire to limit the scope of
inquiry as far as possible. The court,
he said, wished the inquiry to be brief
in order that the pending trial might
be disposed of at the earliest possi-
BILE moment.
Mr. Hartridge interposed the sug
gestiOn that at least the defendants
attorneys and the doctors who have
seen Thaw constantly during the last
two months should be heard by the
commission. He declared the testi-
mony adduced at the trial had moth
ing whatever to do with the present
state Of the defendants mind.
Chairman Mcclure said the com
mission had decided not to take into
consideration the conflicting affida-
Wits submitted to Justice Fitzgerald
by Thaw's counsel and the opposing
aIienists, as they were considered as
having been prepared solely for the
information of the court.
When District Attorney Jerome was
asked if he was ready to proceed he
declared that he was not. His med
icaI advisors were not present, he ex-
planned, and in the absence of definite
knowledge what the days proceedings
of the commission might be he had
not summoned any witnesses.
Believes Thaw a Paranoiac.
Explaining the Importance of hav-
ing the states aIienists present, Mr..
Jerome said that the learned physi-
clans had unanimously informed him
that Thaw is suffering from typical
csse Of paranoia-a disease of the
mind in which the recoveries are linn
tied to two or three per cent
Commissioner Olney interrupted Mr..
Jerome to ask if he had any objection
to the commission proceeding forth
with to examine Thaw. Il have no
objection" he replied, provided my
cross-eXamination of the defendant
may be postponed until | can consult
with my medical advisors"
we will arrange as to that when
we come to it," said Chairman Nc
Clure.
The court room was cleared of all
persons except the commission, the
defendant and his counsel and the
district attorney and his assistant,
and the examination of Thaw was
taken up in executive session.