New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-07

MRS. W. THAW TESTIFIES
DEFENCE NE1R IN END.
Prisoners Mother Weeps ON Stand
Judge ACOids Com mission.

Counsel for Harry X. Thaw practically COM
pleted their case for his defence yesterday.
There remains only the asking Of a hypothetical
question covering all the facts leading up to the
shooting Of stanford White OF the various allen
lists This will be done tomorrow. 10 which day
the trial was adjourned and then District At
torHey Jerome will begin the calling of witnesses
in rebuttal
Mrs. William Thaw. the prisoners mother.
was under examination and CrOss-examinatiOn
yesterday afternoon. and her testimony was
completed. Beyond the effect the spectacle Of
a mother pleading for her sons life may have
on the jury, little good was effected by calling
her TO the stand, II had been generally expected
that Mrs Thaw would tell of the circumstances
surrounding the birth OF Harry Thaw. which
were supposed 70 have left in him a taint Of in
sanity Indeed when she found she was not 70
he asked questions along this line, Mrs. Thaw
begged for an opportunity TO correct wrong
idea" about her son having inherited insanity,
but her counsel willed otherwise and nothing
further was said about it.
Mrs. Thaw's examination was brief and her
cross-examination brefer- The period covered
was from the time Thaw returned from Europe
in the late fall of 1903 TO short time after his
marriage 10 Evelyn Nesbit on April t. l'o'-
The mother told how Thaw would remain Up all
when she asked him why he was thus affected
he told her it was because beautiful girl ne
znew had been ruined by a scoundreL Some
rir,es she said he would leave the dining table
and she would find him sitting in another room
crying, BY degrees Thaw told her Evelyn Nes-
bits story.
In March of 1905. while she was staying IN
the South. her son sent for her 10 come to New
York 10 meet Evelyn Nesbit. and then asked
her permission to marry Il consented max
inc only one stipulation the witness said. and
that was that the girls past in New York should
be a closed book"
I,bough both Mr. Deimas and Mr.. Jerome
created Mrs Thaw with the greatest consideFa-
+ioo and gentleness, she broke down once OF
twice and wept silently. She Is eVldehtE .
woman of much irmness of character as sho"h
-. The strong lines of her features, and she
quickly regained her comPosure. her 50"
watched her closely most of the time but when
- so,,, her weeping he, too. buried his face in
his hands and wept-
7. v-as during Mrs Thaw's examination that
The nossibiIity of the appointment Of a commits
sion in lunacy came up. Mr. Delmas had asked
Mrs Thaw when she first learned Evelyn Nes-
hits identity. An objection by the District At
tornev started discussion, during which ne
soid that the expert for the defence had testi-
Ned that Thaw was insane in 1903. in 1900 and
in 1906 and the presumption carried thar ne
,.os insane all that time. IL that is so. why
does it not carry right down TO the present mo-
nent. so that under the statute it becomes your
bonor's duty to suspend this triai?' Mr.. Jerome
asked.
That matter is not before me now" Justice
FitzGerald replied.
The morning session was taken up with the
cross-examination OF DR.. Wagner. 1t brought
No admission from the alIenist that harmed the
defence's contention that Thaw was insane up
10 August last. but IS sane now. Dr. Wagner
had been under the District Attorneys fire for
about two and half days.