Los Angeles herald., 1907-03-31
THAW PROMPT
IN ANSWERING
ALL QUESTIONS
Jerome Is Unable to
Rattle Him
Lunaey Commission Fails to Complete
Examination and More Evil
denee viii Be Heard
Tuesday
Rv Associated Press.

BY Associated Press.
NEW YORK, March 30.-The plans of
the Thaw lunacy commission to COM
plete its work today and to submit a
report to Justice Fitzgerald Monday
morning as to the present mental con-
dition of the slayer of Stanford White
were upset late this afternoon by an
appeal from District Attorney Jerome
to be allowed to produce more witnesses
before the commission reached a de-
cision.
After an all-day session the commits
sion adjourned until next Tuesday
morning. at which time it will hear ex-
perts offered by the district attorney.
Chairman Mcclure served notice,
however, that the witnesses will be
compelled to confine themselves to facts
and opinions which deal with the pres
ent condition of Thaw and will not be
allowed to go into the details of the
past or future.
Thaw was under direct examination
by the commissioners for more than
three hours today and then for forty
five minutes he was under the fire Of
District Attorney Jerome on cross-eX-
animation.
This cross-examination was allowed
by the commission only after vehement
pTOle5I IIOlu lIlG prosecuting plllCGL liltbl
he had not been allowed sufficient lati
tude in the inquiry. Enjoying his first
opportunity of questioning the defend
ant, MIR. Jerome attempted to go into
Thaws past life, but objections to this
line of examir -tion by Thaw's counsel
were sustained by the commission and
held the district attorney to the direct
issue before the lunacy board-whether
Uhaw is capable of understanding the
j TO- tWNaN
him and of nationally advising his coun-
sci.
Behind Closed Doors
Thaw's direct and cross-examinations
today were held behind closed doors,
and the commission took extraordinary
precautions to have the hearing kept a
secret.
Attorseys connected with the prosecu-
tion were cautioned not to discuss the
case in any way. When Thaw's ordeal
was ended the doors were thrown open
and it was announced that the eXecu-
tive sessions were at an end.
As soon as the session became public
MIR. Jerome called DR.. Allan McLane
Hamilton to the stand. The commits
sion had summoned DR.. hamilton. AS
teh alienist took the stand, however,
Thaw's counsel pleaded the professional
privilege to bar any testimony to be Of
fered by him. DR.. Hamilton himself
asked 10 be instructed on this point.
Mr.. Jerome claimed that the defense by
introducing DR.. Hamilton as a witness
in the Thaw trial had waived the right
of privilege.
The commission held that as the priv
iIege had not been waived before it DR..
Hamilton could not testify as to his
personal examination of Thaw. District
Attorney Jerome took but a desultory
interest in the proceedings after this
until it seemed that the commission
was about to close the inquiry.
Then he jumped to his feet protested
that he had been hampered in the lun-
acy proceedings by the commission bar
ring out pertinent testimony, declared
the commission had refused to "illumi-
nate its intelligence from documentary
evidence which he had presented and
had neglected to hear expert testi-
mony."
Mr.. Jerome asserted with some feel
ing that If he were allowed the proper
latitude he could prove beyond rea-
sonable doubt that Thaw is insane to-
day and incapable Of advising counsel
3n a good manner.
Chairman Mcclure tCld Mr.. Jerome
that IL he could produce any experts