The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-02-20
Way is Opened to Bring in Evidence to Discredt
 Her
JEROME ASKS F STORY
 SHE TOLD THAW IS TRUE
Reluctant to Humiliate Her, But Del- mas Forces the Point-Mrs. Caine Goes On-The Pie Girl Story.
 Mrs. Thaw Again Today.

New York, February 19.--Mrs. Evelyn Nesbit Thaw today entered upon the or deal of her cross-examination and be- fore District Attorney Jerome had the witness in charge half an hour he had secured from the court a ruling which ap- parently opens the way for bringing into the trial of Harry K. Thaw all manner of evidence which may tend to discredit the defendants wife. Heretofore it has been held that the rules of evidence pro- tected young Mrs. Thaw, and that re- gardless of whether her story was true or false, the fact that she had told it to her husband was the one essential point.
 Mrs. Thaw had been allowed to repeat the story so that the jury might judge as to it's effect on unbalancing the mind of the man on trial for the murder of Stan ford White.
 Tests Truth of Story.
 Mr. Jerome, by simple question, open ed the way for the introduction of testi- mony tending to show the truth or fal- sity of Mrs. Thaw's story. He asked the witness:
 Was the story you told Mr. Thaw true?"
 Ut was" she replied firmly.
 MT. Delmas objected strongly to the question, but Justice Fitzgerald held it to be competent as tending to show the credibility of the witness. Whether MT. Jerome intends to take advantage of the ruling in an attempt to throw doubt upon the truth of the story or whether Jus tce Fitzgerald intended by ruling to cover Ille whole subject of Mrs. Thaws evil dence the future conduct of the case alone can determine.
 Justice Fitzgerald allowed Mir. Jerome to bring from Mrs. J. J. Caine of Bos- ton, friend of Mrs. Thaw, who took the witness stand during the morning ses- sion, many material points as to the movements of Harry Thaw and Evelyn Nesbit following their return from Eu- rope in 1904, including the published in- cident of their being elected from the Hotel Cumberland in this city-the pro- prietor insisting that they should regis ter as man and wife, or leave their suites, which adjoned.
 In bringing out these facts Mir. Jerome denied that he was attacking Mrs. Thaw, and said he was simply testing the cred abilty of Mrs. Cranne.
 Reluctant to Begin.
 The district attorney seemed reluctant to begin the cross examination of Mrs. Thaw today, desiring to have the matter postponed until Thursday morning, in order that he might determine whether or not a further examination of the wit ness was necessary on the issues involved in the case.
 After I have looked further into the n Q V a min Q Mrs. Thaw," Mr. Jerome stated to the court "or 1 may waive my right. If, when all the testimony to the insanity of this defendant is in. shall be honest ly of the opinion that he was insane at the time this act was committed, I do not propose to take up the time of this court and the jury contending-'
 MT. Delmas here interrupted MT. Je- rome. He wanted to know if the district attorney meant that If he was honestly convinced that Thaw was insane when he shot White, he would abandon the prosecution
 promise nothing" retorted the pros- ecutor.
 wordy conflict ensued during which Mir. Jerome hinted at broken condolences and evasion of stipulations. He declared he did not wish to humliate the wit ness with a ss-eXamination which he might deem unnecessary.
 However. if I am forced ts do it, will" said MT. Jerome with something of menace in his tone.
 "You may proceed replied MT. Del mas.
 Mrs. Thaw Nervous.
 Mrs. Thaw moved bit nervously in the witness chair and waited MT. Je- rome's opening questions. They had to do with her signatures to certain papers, some of which the prosecutor declared were receipts for money Mrs. Thaw had drawn from the Mercantile Trust com pany in 19O2-$25 a week.
 Mrs Thaw's confidence grew as the cross-examination went on and she was always ready with answers. MT. Jerome jumped from point to point in her story, an under the plea of testing her credi- bilisy was allowed to ask many pointed questions He wanted to know when she first heard that she had been named as a correspondent in the George w. Led erer divorce case. Mir. Delmas jumped to his feet with protest. Mrs. ThaW called him over to where she sat and whispered something in his ear and the attorney withdrew his objection.
 q read of it in the newspapers" said the witness cheerily, when MT. Jerome repeated the question.
 MT. Jerome brought out that Mrs. Thaw had written to Stanford White from Bou- logne after Thaw had proposed to her in Paris.
 1Did YOU also cable Mir. Winter" he asked.
 TAe witness could not remember. The cross-examination had barely got into full swing when adjournment for the day was ordered.
 Mrs. Thaw will resume the stand to- morrow morning, and the indications are that she may be kept there in the chair throughout the day.
 Commission of Lunacy.
 The reluctance of the district attorney to subject Mrs. Thaw to a cross-examin- ation again lent color to the rumors that MT. Jerome still contemplates moving for the appointment of commission in lun- acy to test Thaw's state of mind at the
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