Smyrna times., 1907-03-06
JEROME POINTS
WAY TO ASYLUM
Signs Indicate Madhouse as Fate Of
Harry Thaw.
PRISONERS A~TIONS MAY AID

adolescence, paranoia and the charac-
teristics of brain storms" occupied
both sessions of the Thaw trial, and
when adjournment until Monday morn
ing was ordered DR.. Britton D. Evans,
one of the alienists for the defense,
was still under cross-examination. Dis
trict Attorney Jerome's course in ques-
tioning the witness was somewhat baf-
fling. During the greater part of the
time he seemed desirous to have DR..
Evans unqualiiedly admit that Thaw
suffered from paranoia, which is prac-
tically incurable Again he brought
from the witness the opinion that
when Thaw armed himself he we'll
knew that a revolver was an instru-
ment for self-protection, and when
fired into a human body would pro-
duce death. Finally the prosecutor
wanted to know if the actions of per-
son suffering from a brain storm, or
mental explosion, would be character
fzed by the calm, deliberate manner
which Thaw displayed the night he
shot Stanford White to death on the
Madison Square Roof Garden.
The net result of the day appeared
to be that Mr.. Jerome is still laying
the foundation upon which he may ask
for a commission in lunacy to judge
of the present mental condition of the
defendant. Even to the extent of
greatly fatiguing the judge and jury,
the district attorney dwelt upon the
subject of adolescent insanity and par
ancia, endeavoring to establish re-
1ationship between the two, and being
at last rewarded by DR.. Evans admit
ting that the defendants will and
codicil did suggest to his mind par
anoic form of adolescent insanity.
Adolescent insanity, it has been ex-
planned, is common in persons during
the development period of life-from
10 to 40 years-while paranoia is q
fixed insanity upon one subject-mono-
mania. Justice Fitzgerald indicated
his fatigue after three days cross-ex-
animation of the expert when Mr.. Je-
rome began to question DR.. Evans
about his knowledge of other instances
Of adolescent insanity which had re-
suited in acts of homicide.
DR.. Evans declared that Thaw
showed degree of adolescent insanity
when he wrote the letters in 1903 after
Evelyn Nesbit had told him of her
alleged wrong at the hands of STAN
ford White. The delusions apparent in
the letters were more concentrated in
the will and codicil executed April 4.
1905, and when taken by themselves
indicated a paranoic form of the in
sanity of adolescence. On June 25.
1906, when Thaw shot and killed Stan
ford White, DR.. Evans said the defend
ant was suffering from an explosive
outburst of adolescent insanity.
Now that Evelyn Nesbit Thaw is no
longer upon the stand and the center
of all interest, the prisoner is attract
ing more and more attention. He gave
out no statements, but just before the
close OF the morning session created
almost as great a sensation as when
he issued his attack upon the "unpro-
fessionaP methods of the district at
torney.
Through his counsel, Tkaw asked
permission to absent himself from the
room. DR.. Evans at the time was ex-
amining an exhibit, and the request
was granted.
When he got into the prisoners
pen Thaw threw off his hat. brought
his heels together and began violently
to go through five minutes drill at
setting up" exercises. The guard
looked on in amazement. When ne
had finished swinging his arms, Thaw
announced that he was ready to re-
turn to the court room, declaring that
he felt he had been compelled to take
the exercise. Mr.. Jerome during the
luncheon hour was minutely informed
of the defendants conduct and made
notes upon it.
1t was after many hours of expert
testimony as to the meaning of ex-
tracts from eight letters written by
the defendant, with their relation to
the sanity or insanity of the writer,
that Thaw gave out his statement in
court. The circumstances attending
the delivery of the statement to the
newspaper men were about as interest
ing as the statement itself, which
reads:
This is Mr.. Thaw's second state
ment since August 10th.
with chances millions to one
against her after the catastrophe ir
1901, it is wonderful that Mrs H. X
Thaw prevailed in the cross-examina
tion, against the prosecution backed
by blacklegs.
Her testimony was absolute truth
"Our evidence was of conversations
The cross-examination has proved tn.
exact facts under oath.
"Mr. Jerome, finding his Informant
In certain lines falsifiers, consoled b,
more usual methods, which is to hi
credit
However, from some of his ques
tions and some of his unprofessiona
remarks in court it appeared clearl.
that the natural and real goodness o
the witness is above his comprehen
sion"