The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1907-02-08
INSANITY THE PLEA
OF HARRY K. THAW
HIS DERANGED MIND HEREDl-
TARY, SAYS COUNSEL FOR
DEFENSE.
States Case Presented, Chief Wit
nesses Being Five Who Saw the
Killing of Stanford White on Madi-
son Square Garden Roof.

New York, Feb. 5.-The state laid
it's case against Harry K. Thaw Mon
day-a plain, Unconditional story of the
shooting on the Madison Square gar
den roof, leaving the malice and the
motive to be inferred from the act
and the defense replied with plea of
hereditary insanity.
1t was asserted that Thaw, in STAY
ing Stanford White, believed he was
acting as an agent of Providence, that
real or fancied wrongs committed
against him by the architect and for
mer friend of his wife had boiled and
dubbed in his brain until at last there
came the explosive impulse to kill.
When the deed was done, Thaw made
no move to escape it's consequences,
but holding the fatal revolver aloft, he
stood as if mutely proclaiming to the
world: "The deed is done; it was
right; it was not wrong
Thus Thaw's counsel outlined his
case to the jury Monday afternoon
after the prosecution had occupied
less than two hours of the morning
sitting of the court in relating through
eye witnesses the narrative of the
tragedy. When the defense had inter-
posed it's plea and outlined its case,
an adjournment was taken until Tues
day morning, when the first witnesses
in Thaw's behalf will be heard.
Family to Tell on Insanity.
I'll 80 St hi
mans insanity" Attorney John B.
Gleason for the defense promised the
jury, from his mother, from his wife,
from his relatives and from his ply
sicians You will Judge him by his
acts, by the hereditary stress which
entered into his madness, and when
you come to Judge him you will say
to yourself that his act may have
been one of insanity, but it was not
one of crime"
his most important witnesses has long
been known; that his mother, Mrs.
William Thaw, of Pittsburg, was to
take the stand only became known
positively Monday when the court an
nounced the rule excluding from the
court room all witnesses save experts.
Thaw's mother, at the command, left
the room after a moments hesitation.
His wife, too, reluctantly left the
room, bestowing last radiant smile
of courage and hope upon her prisoner
husband May Mackenzie was the
third of the women daily included in
the Thaw party to leave the court
room. Thaw seemed detected.
Never Looks at Jury.
During the opening address by Mr..
Gleason, in which he entered the de-
Tense of insanity, Thaw sat with
flushed cheeks which at times were
buried in his hands, and with eyes
cast down upon the table before him.
He seldom looked up, just feeting
glance now and then at the man who
was making the initial plea for his
life and freedom Never once did his
eyes go to the jury box. There was
another period-during the morning
session-when Thaw again looked
only at his hands, clasped before him
on the table. This was when Law
renee White, the 19-year-old son of
Stanford White, occupied the stand as
the first witness for the prosecution.
Young White, who is Harvard stu
dent, was not material witness. He
was with his father at dinner the
evening of the tragedy but left him
before he went to Madison Square
garden White was alone. it was testi-
fed, when Thaw approached slowly
from behind, wheeled, faced him and
sent three bullets into his body and
brain.
Story of Thaw and Evelyn.
Thaw's counsel told the story of the