The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-02-22
THAW'S OWN
STORY
DECLARES HIS DEED WAS AN ACT
or PROVIDENCE.
Repeated to Jury BY Eminent AIIenist,
Who Holds Prisoner lnsane-The
Will Admitted.

him into court-to bring him to jus
tice. But Providence took charge O
it; 1t was an act of Providence"
This is Harry X. Thaw's own stor,
of the killing of Stanford White. I
was told by him to DR.. Britton D
Evans, the alienist, last August in tn,
Tombs. Today DR.. Evans repeated
the prisoners words to the jury which
is trying Thaw for his life.
In further bulwarking their conten
ton that Thaw was insane when he
killed Stamford White, the defen
dant's counsel succeeded today in plac
ing before the jury the will executed
by Thaw the night of his marriage
in April, 1905, and a scodicil to the
will executed at the same time.
| Again Mr.. Jerome fought the evi.
dence, but he significantly withdrew
his objections after DR.. Evans had
given 1t as his expert opinion that
Thaw was insane at the time he exc
cuted the will. The fact that the Dis
trict Attorney seems disposed to let
in testimony of every character. pro-
vided there Is preliminary opinion
from the witness that the man was of
unsound mind at the time to which
the testimony refers was taken today
Jas further indicating that Mr.. Jerome
may at the psychological moment, if
he deems his hand strong enough, de.
mand the appointment of a commits
sion to pass upon Thaws state of
mind at the present moment.
In his will, Thaw provided that his
executors should set apart the sum of
$4,000 for the investigation of his
death in case of a violent or suspi-
cious end, and for the prosecution
of the persons suspected of having
had hand in his taking off. In the
codicil Thaw left to lawyer in Pitts
burg the sum of $4,000 to be used
in securing legal redress from Stan
ford White and one other person, |
whose name was not allowed to be
read, for the benefit of four young /
women who, Thaw declared, had suf |
fered at the hands of White. Thaw |
also bequeathed sums of $4,000 each
to Rev. DR.. Charles Parkhurst, An
Lhony Comstock and lawyer named
in the codicil, to be used in discover
ng further alleged misdeeds by Stan
ord White and securing redress for
he women.
DR.. Evans detailed at great length
lis conversations with Thaw in the
Fombs. He told how Thaw declared
hat his lawyers and physicians were
n conspiracy with the District At
orney to. railroad him off to an
sylum and to prevent his case from
oming to trial.
Thaw told the physician that in his ,
ttempts to bring Stanford White to
ustice he had complained to District 0
Attorney Jerome, and that the latter c
ad told him to let the matter drop.
nat there was nothing to it. He also :
omplained to Anthony Comstock and !"
, detective agency.
Dr. Evans was corroborated as to o
lost of Thaw's statements by DR..
has G. Wagner, of Binghamton, who c
rst figured as a witness early last u
eek.
Late in the afternoon Mr.. Jerome =
'oss-examined Dr. Evans briefly on Il
e point of his opinion that Thaw was g
unsound mind at the time of execut- Of
G his will The prosecutor and wit 9
'ss flashed fire at the first contact, :,
i'd there was every indication that n
hen Mr.. Jerome undertakes DR. .t
vans cross-examination In general On
e proceedings may be as lively and CT
interesting as any ever heard in a VI
cal courtroom. DIR. Evans met the
attacks and seemed as an
ady with his wit as the District At on
-ney. oh
The trial today entered it's fifth In
eek. The opening of court found tri
torney Delmas again in his accus- ~.
ned place at the head of Thaw's m,
insel table During the day there dill
S no surface indications OF the sol
rm which 1t is said ragged among
insel for the defense during the u'S
ter part of last week, after the ~
Il had been adjourned because OF 80
death of Juror Bottoms wife. Mt sol
ton was early at the Criminal DIR
irt Building today. and said that We
felt perfectly able to go on with the no
i. 1t was decided that the Jurors wa
uld not again be confined until they ~
lily retire TO make up their verdict. ha,
X. Modern Romance. ths
8