Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-04-03
THE END
 IN SIGHT ThaW Lunacy Commission May Conclude the Taking of Evi- dence This Afternoon
DECISION IS DOUBTFUL
fhaW Will Be Examined Himself in Private By the Physician on the Commission 7. Connecticut
 Doctor on Stand To-Day.

Thaw lunacy commission went into session to-day District Attorney Je- rome immediately called to the wit ness stand Dr Allen Ross Diefendorf. superintendent of the state hospital for the insane at Middletown, Conn, and professor of the mental and ner- yous diseases at Yale university. He testified for the state at the Thaw trial, declaring the defendant knew the nature and quality of his act when he shot Stanford White and knew the act was wrong. To the commission today the alienist de- clared that from what he had seen of Thaw and the writings he had ex- amined he was of the opinion that Thaw is not now capable of rightly understanding his own position. of appreciating the nature of the charge against him or of rationally advising his counsel.
 Dr Diefendorf examined the 24 pages of suggestions made by Thaw to Dr Delmas for his summing up ad-
 
 from deceased brain. Dr Defen- dorf pointed out one passage which District Jerome started to read aloud.
 'I must protest against this" in- terrupted Mir Hartridge. of Thaw's counsel. Those papers were pro- duced for the benefit of the commits sion at secret session and the dis trict attorney is reading them to the reporters. It is another case like the Lyon letters from Pittsburg.'
 Chairman Mcclure put an end to the discussion by saying the Lyon letters were not before the commis- slon."
 Dr Diefendorf said the suggestions made by Thaw indicated delusional state of mind.
 Did you think he had delusions' when he committed the homicide!"
 Yes" replied the witness. who de .clared that Thaw was medically not legally insane when he shot White.
 Mrs Evelyn Nesbit Thaw who was present returned to-day to the blue school girl costume of the early days of the trial with the exception of the black straw sailor hat which she still wore.
 Thaw's sanity and his ability to consult with his counsel at the pres ent time will. it is expected. be fin ally decided to-day by the lunaV commission which has. for week or more, been investigating the question. Much will depend upon another pri- vate examination of Thaw which the commission has decided upon. Ap- parently. the conflicting testimony of the alienists called by both sides in the case has not tended to clear the question to the satisfaction. and their recalling of Thaw is taken to mean that their decision will largely depend upon the showing made by the de- fendant himself.
 Thaw's examination to-day will be the final and crucial test of his men tai capacity. It will follow brief public hearing. at which one alienist and possibly two, will be examined. Not even Thaw's counsel or the dis trict attorney will be admitted to the private examination. With their offi- cial stenographer the commissioners will retire to roop in the upper part of the criminal courts building and put the defendant through what tests they please. Dr Putzel will ex- anime him as he would private pa tient. and questions may be asked as to the continuance of the delusions from which Thaw Is said to have suf- fered last summer.
 It Is the plan to conclude the hear ing with Thaw.s examination and un- less something unexpected intervenes. the commission will then go into ex- ecutive session to consider their re- port. This report will probably he made early Thursday before the Thaw trial courts is reconvened in order that the trial may proceed should the decision be favorable to the defendant.
 The Thaw lunacy commission went into executive session at 12:1S for final mental and physical examina- ton of the defendant.