The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-02-24
THAW FEARS JEROME
Whites Slayer Worries Over
Possible Next Move.
DREAD LUNACY COMMISSION
Defense May Decide TO Put Accused
on stand to Let Jury Judge for IT.
self as to Prisoners Present Men
tai COnditiOn-Mrs. William Thaw
Issues Another Statement.

New York. Feb 23.-The announcement
that District Attorney Jerome expected
TO make a move in the Thaw case that
would be a bad blow to the defense.
caused no end of uneasiness to-day, not
only to Thaw and his wife but TO Thaw's
several lawyers. Il was accepted by
Thaw and his wife and the lawyers that
the only move jerome could make was
an application for a lunacy commission
TO determine whether or not Thaw is now
sane.
While lao official statement has been
made by Jerome as TO what he intends to
DO, the Thaw lawyers took occasion to-
day to say that they would fight to the
end the appointment Of "a commission.
jerome was tackled on ali sides for an
explanation of what he intends TO do, but
he would give no hint 1t is said that
Jerome has not in mind the appointment;
OF any commission, at least at the pres
ent time, no matter what his views may
be on Thaw's sanity at present Just
when Jerome intends to spring this sur
prise he would not say. but it will proba-
bly, be before Mrs Evelyn Thaw leaves
the stand.
Mrs. William Thaw Annoyed.
Mrs. William Thaw was stiH annoyed
to-day at the statement that $500. coo would
be settled on young Mrs. Thaw by the
Thaw family for testifying for her hus-
band. Mrs. Thaw authorized the follow
i1g through Lawyer Clifford W. Hart
ridge:
Mrs. Thaw desires it understood that
the statement that she or any member
Of her family gave any money or any
other Inducements to Mrs. Evelyn Nesbit
Ihaw for the position she has taken, is
untrue, unwarranted, and unjust"
Mrs. Thaw called on her husband i'm
tne Iombs this morning and talked with
nm for over two hours His mother also
called, but she did not STAY as long.
After she left the TOmbs she went TO
Lawyer Hartridge's Office. There she had
long and spirited talk with Hartridge.
Ans. Thaw WAS put out very much about
a positive statement in one newspaper
that Jerome would ask for a lunacv
commission. After Mrs Thaw had left.
h3rtrdge gave out a statement which
H. was anxious should be printed lust as
he made it. II was as follows:
The statement in one or more Of the
morning papers. written as if leaking
from the district attorneys Office, con-
corning the district attorneys attitude.
and purporting TO give out his intentions
70 apply for a commission in iunacy for
Harry Kendall Thaw, is the most out
rageous and unwarranted thing which
has yet occurred in a trial remarkable
for the number of false statements made
about the defendant and his wife
1t is only necessary 10 a fair-minded
public to call their attention 60 the fact
that Drs. Deemar and Bingaman testified.
before Mrs. Evelyn Thaw was put on the
stand, in order 10 have the public appre-
ciate that the district attorney was not
impressed so much with the value Of their
testimony in regard 20 insanity at the
time, but only after Mrs. Evelyn Nesbit
Thaw had revealed to the world the hor-
rible OverDOwering cause which culmi-
mated in mind temporarily overturned al
the time of the fatal get. that the testi-
mony Of those two doctors became re-
markably important for the district attor-
ney's side.
1t is palpably unfair that the press Of
New York. which directly or indirectly
might reach some of the jury. should print
statements purporting TO give the district
attorneys attitude, but which in reality
tends to influence a result other than that
of acquittal"
Thaw May Go on stand.
HartTidge would add nothing TO this
statement Il was said that the defense
tant testimony in Thaw's favor So
greatly upset were the lawyers over what
they considered JerOme's idea of a lunacy
commission that It was semi-of1icially an
nounced that If it was necessary to show
that Thaw is now sane and able to advise
with his counsel. he win be put on the
stand and the Jurors would have a chance