New-York tribune., 1907-03-02
MADHOUSE LOOMS UP
SIGNS OF PAR4NOIA.
Prosecution Gets admissions from
Defence's AIenist.

elsUlv but surely District Attorney Jerome
RelIeves he IS laying the foundation for an ap-
1,icatjon for a commission in lunacy TO deter
mine the mental condition OF Harry K Thaw'
when the session ended yesterday he was well
.s,issea with the result of his cross-examination
Dr T3ritton y. Evans, alienist for the defence.
EDrorn him he obtained the first admission that
the defendant might. when he shot Stanford
white have had paranoia, fixed form OF insah-
ity. generally considered incurable.
Pressed TO tell where, If at all, the witness
oould point TO any action or writing OF the de-
fendant that indicated a paranoical form OF IN
r.nit,. DR.. Evans said that the clause in ThaWs
will making provision for several girls lhdl-
Gated that Thaw was suffering from that form
az insanity. Again, the witness referred 10 ms
eret examination of Thaw after the murder ana
rasd that the defendant at that time was suiIer-
,np from a similar form Of insanity.
Or Evans took great care, however, 10 quail
81, his answers lie said thai at time had he
youns that Thaw was suffering from positive
oor5,,ioo of insanity that he would call IN
o,r.t1a and from which he might not have re-
,,,,srea al The present time. Mr.. Jerome was
satisfied. =.
IN ,te late afternoon the defence raised an oo-
section 10 the introduction Of extracts from
textbools by other alienists which might refute
evidence given by DR. Evans. Justice FltzGer-
ald sustained the objection. The prosecution
was directed to hand in his authorities and
ruling viii be made on Monday.
For hours yesterday the District Attorney
batfIed with the alienist TO get some classihca-
,ioo ~ The insanity under which Thaw labored
before he shot Stanford White and at the
time he killed him. AS on former days the
alisnist proved elusive and was hard TO pin
down 10 an unqualified statement. large
part Of the examination hinged on Exhibits
A 10 l." the letters written by Thaw from PARIS
in 1863 Dr. Evans said he found similar
form Of insanity in the defendant when he eX-
ar7ined him in the Tombs after the murder. The
expert qualified his statements however, as he
carefully hedged them about with a fortress of
!nlprohahility that the paranoical form was
positive or lasting.
The continued cross-examination began yes
teraav with Mr. Jerome having DR. Evans take
rlp again Exhibits A TO l." the letters written
by Thaw from Paris in 1903. and then asked:
can YOU. as scientific man, give an opinion
II the defendant was sane or insane at the time
he wrote Exhibits A 20 I, and at the time OF the
shooting?" asked Mr.. Jerome.
y am Of the opinion that the night he shot
Stanford White Thaw was suffering from an
explosive outbreak OF adolescent insanity" re-
Piled Dr. Evans after much deliberation.
"Do people suffering from paranoia have long
periods Of ,ucidty, they can go about their
business with a sane mind?" pressed the Dis
trict Attorney.
Il believe So Dr.. Evans replied.
Was the defendant suffering from acute or
chronic adoIescent insanity at the time he killed
Stanford white?"
AN acute outburst"
Speaking about the viii and cod,cil that Thaw
wrote on his wedding day. DR. Evans said:
The VIII and codicT suggest a form OF pa
ranoical insanity, but other things show a diff
ferent form, so il cannot be pinned down to
that alone"
The words brain storm" which Or. Evans
has used repeatedly TO describe Thaw's condi-
tiou were brought up, and Mr. Jerome asked
him If he ever knew Of similar cases. The wit
ness said be knew Of several cases in the insti-
tuition OF which he is superintendent, and told
Of one specific case. The prosecution forced him
70 admit that after years treatment the pa
uent showed only a little Improvement
During the cross-eXamination DR. Evans cited
several well known cases where some form Of
insanity was used as a defence 10 substantiate
some Of his points. Among them he spoke OF
the Sickles-Key murder trial. when General
Daniel F. Sicllles tried and acquitted for
the murder Of Francis Barton Key. Several
other cases were cited
One Of the most important points that the
prosecution forced from the witness yesterday
was when Mr. Jerome asked:
Did you ever know of a person recovering
who killed a person while in a brain storm?"
TO my personal knowledge 1 do not" DR..
Evans replied
That the strain Of the trial is beginning n
tel on Thaw was evident yesterday During the
morning session the prisoner interrupted the
proceedings for five minutes while he left the
room. He went out into an anteroom and be-
gan series of calisthenics that the physical
exercise might relieve the mental strain.
Or. Evans at the close of the session said
that two men, unknown TO him. sought to gain
entrance 10 his room in the Hotel Belmont on
Thursday night. While he was at dinner. he
said. the maid on the floor on which his room is
was approached by the two men One Of them
said he was associated with DR. Evans and
wanted 10 get into his room The maid knew
neither and refused TO open the door. The
men then departed. and DR.. Evans informed the
hotel detective. An investigation was fruitless.
There were in DR. Evans's room a number NJ
valuable papers relating TO the Thaw trial. but
ne professed not 20 know the reason for the
alleged effort 10 enter his room in his absence
The trial viii be continued on Monday. with
DR.. Evans again on the witness stand.