Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-01
EXPERT DECLARES
THAW WAS INSANE
Not Responsible When He Fired
at Stanford White.
HAS PERIODICAL ATTACKS
Malady Found to Be Present in al,
Adolescent Form.
JEROME FENCES WITH EVANS
Characterization Of the AlienisJ
continues-His Answers -,
F.. n
JEROME FENCES WITH EVANS

District Attorney Jerome's inten-
ton OF applying for commission in
lunacy to examine Harry X. Thaw
seemed to be definitely established
today during the continuance of his
cross-examination of DR.. B. D.
Evans, the principal medical expert
for the defense. DIR. Evans stated
that he believed Thaw to have been
suffering from adolescent insanity in
1903 and at the time of his marriage,
April 4, 1905, and that when he killed
Stanford White June IS, 1906, he
was the victim of an acute and re-
current attack of the same mental
malady. DR.. Evans was more def
mite in his answers today and was
induced to make these statements
with positiveness.
| NEW YORK, March 1.-When the ThaW
trial opened this morning District Attornex
Jerome announced that there had been =
second packet of letters from j. d. Lyon,
the Pittsburg banker, who until November
last had custody of Thaws will. The let.
| tiers received today were written to Mr.,
Lyon by Thaw while in the Tombs and ali
bear dates subsequent to June % last. Mr..
Lyon first sent on only letters written prior
to the roof garden tragedy.
Mr.. Jerome was very anxious to have the
later letters, and they were sent on by cons
| sent Of Thaw's attorneys. The letters are
held subject to the courts orders
| DR.. Britton D. Evans was recalled a.
soon as the letters from Pittsburg had been
examined by counsel and Mr.. Jerome con.
| tinued his cross-examinaton of the aIienist.
| Taking all the letters you have read in
| the light of all you know about this case.
what is your opinion as to the mental con-
dition Of this defendant at the time he
| wrote these letters?" was Mr. Jerome $ first
question.
Mr.. Delmas promptly objected on the
| ground that he assumed that the witness
| had knowledge that was not in evidence.
| Mr.. Jerome withdrew the question and
asked the witness If he had any knowledge
| of facts that have not been testified 10.
Anxious for the Facts.
An argument was the result, Mr.. Jerome
| claiming that the only point in the case
| was whether not the defendant waA
| insane when the homicide was committed
He was anxious. he said, to bring out all
the facts.
Dr. Evans was not allowed to answer
and said that so far as he could recall, he
| had told all of Importance that he could
remember of what he had heard and seen
on the first three visits to Thaw In the
Tombs.
Taking everything that you have testf-
fed to into considerat ton, what, in your
opinion, was the mental condition of the
defendant when he wrote these etters?.
asked Mr. Jerome.
"He was in state of mental instabiity.n
do you mean he was insane?'
mot necessarily. He was In a state Of
mental unsteadiness.''
Mr.. Jerome handed the witness COPY
Of the letter Thaw wrote to Anthony Com,
stock, complaining that "dens of vices
were maintained by Stanford White and
"other rich scoundrels' for the ruin Of
young girls.
After DR.. Evans had examined the paper
some twenty minutes Mr.. Jerome asked
him II anything in the letter suggested
the mental state Of the writer.
1T shows said the expert, that his