Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-02-15
Believe Jerome Trying to Shape
Matters so as to Secure a
Commission in Lunacy.
THEY WILL FIGHT THIS HARD.
1--WE Don't Want the Boy Declared In
sane. We Want Him Acquitted"
Says Ono of Them.

New York. Feb. 15.~-Close observers
of the Thaw trial. which has been post
poned for several days because of the
death Of a jurors wife. believe the pres
ent trend of the trial as shown in the
last two days, IL toward a commission
in lunaoy to determine officially Harry
Thaw's condition of mind. This be-
lief is suggested by Dist Atty. Jeromc's
apparent willingness to admit part OF
the will, by his readiness to withhold
technical objections to the testimony OF
Thaw's family physicians. tending to
throw light upon the defendants mem
tai status and by his policy In admit
ting without opposition the conversa-
ton between Thaw and DR.. Evans
when the latter was examining the
prisoner at the Tonbs.
Counsel for Thaw have reached the
opinion that the trial may be terInin~
ated abruptly any day next week from
this cause. So fully convinced are they
that Jerome will make this move that
they are planning TO fight him on this
line. Thaw himself is credited with
having declared that he would not face
the asylum in preference to Sing Sing
and the death chair, 30 1t can be seen
with what feeling this expected move
OF MI. Jerome is CIedIlItS III lllG Cdiup
of the defense.
one of Thaw's lawyers, in speaking
OF the probable plan for a lunacy COM
mission, said yesterday:
LAS the case has progressed fro y
day to day, we have become more ana
more convinced by the conduct of the
district attorney and his experts, who
are observing the defendant for hiIn
that IL has been. and is his purpose to
lead the case to the point where he
can apply properly for a commission i'll
lnnacy.
1--WE don't want the boy declared in
sane. We want him acquitted" he
added.
The resumption of the trial on Mon
day will depend on how Juror Bolton.
whose wife died yesterday, stands the
ordeal put on him by this aftiiction. 1t
was the general opinion in court yester-
day that Bolton. who appears to be a
man of determination. will stand the
strain and that the trial will be con-
tinued. DR.. Evansw i'll then go on the
stand again and 1t is expected that he
will try to substantiate his opinion that
Thaw was insane in August by Civ
ing Thaw's own words to him during
three examinations. Following this
testimony from the defendants eS-
pert II is expected that Dist. Atty. Je-
rome VIII be prepared TO make his APP
plication TO the court for commission
In lunacy. If 1t should be following the
admfttance OF testimony from Dr.
Evans. Mrs. Thaw will not have TO
complete her story, nor will she have to
lace cross examination, which many
have predicted would be a terrible or
deal for her. Mr. Jerome when oues-
TONED last night on the subject of the
possible close of the trial by an appli-
cation for commission, declined to
discuss the matter in any way.
DR.. Josiah Strong, president of the
American Institute for Social Service.
said today that Harry X Thaw con-
suited him more than two years ago
about breaking up den of vice in this
city which was protected by a wealthy
man. Thaw did not say where II was
located. but DR.. Strong said the young
man told him such a story thai II
made his blood boil.''
Death has again invaded Harry
Thaw's environments. Close upon the
death of the wife OF Juror Bolton came
the announcement today of the death
last night of Michael Downey, who for
months has been Thaw's night keeper
upon the second tier OF cells, which is
known as 'murderers' row."
Downey had been keeper I'm the
Iombs for more than % years When
Harry Thaw first came to the Tombs
DoWney did not look with favor upon
the new prisoner. But during the long
watches of the night when Thaw paced
ny and down the narrow confines of his
cell. warm friendship sprang up be-
tween The two When Downey Il
buried tomorrow. a wreath bearing
Thaw's card will rest upon the casket.
Ihaw sent the order for the flowers TO
warden Flynn soon after he heard OF
the keeDer'g death