Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-05
Royal Blue Line

raised them to look at the lawyer who was
pleading his cause. Not once did he look
toward the jury box.
when that man shot Stanford White, -
declared Mr.. Gleason, pointing to the de-
PENDANT who quickly looked down, as all
eyes were directed to him, "he was insane.
The question that will arise here is: Are
you satisfied beyond reasonable doubt
that this man was sane? If not, you should
give him the benefit of that doubt, and l
may say to you that any doubt as to in
sanity is a rea soma BILE doubt"
Mr.. Gleason was about to ask the jurors
to consider passage in a story by Robert
Louis Stevenson when Mr.. Jerome inter
posed an objection. He asked that counsel
be guided by the facts and the evidence to
be introduced.
Justice Fitzgerald said he would not vol
unfairly have curtailed Mr.. Gleason's re
marks, but now that the matter had been
called to his attention he felt he must ask
counsel to confine himself to the evidence
to be adduced. leaving the argument and
differences TO be drawn from the testimony
to the summing up at the end of the trial
Mr.. Gleason then attempted to give some
thing of the defendants life history, say
ing he is thirty-siX years old and that Har-
riet K. Thaw. the daughter of an aunt, is
confined in an asylum for the insane. Mr..
Jerome again interrupted, Directing to
bringing in collateral evidence.
Insanity on Both Sides.
Mr.. Gleason explained that he would
show there was insanity on both sides Of
the defendants family, and on this asser-
ton he was allowed to proceed.
Harry Thaw," continued Mr.. Gleason
after the interruption, met Evelyn Nesbit
in 1901 and fell honorably in love with her.
He went to her mother in March, 1902, and
told her he wanted to marry her daughter.
The girl soon thereafter, it so happened,
was in the hospital to undergo a serious
operation 1t was arranged between Thaw
and her mother that when she had suffi-
GENTLY recovered from the operation Miss
Nesbit should be taken to Europe to re-
cuperate.
Mrs. Nesbit was to take her daughter
and Thaw was to go along as the open and
avowed sutton of the young woman.
I'VE will show that in 1903 Thaw asked
this young woman to marry him. She re-
fused. Why she refused you will hear from
her own lips She will tell you the story
Suffice it to say that the reason was one
connected with an experience In the life of
THAT Thaw suffered from a diseased
mind we will show you by the testimony of
his mother, his wife. his relatives, his doc
tors and by letters he wrote to the Society
for the Suppression of Vice in this city.
When you have heard all this testimony it
will be impossible for you to say that the
act of this man for which he is now under
going trial was that of sane person.
Working in his diseased brain. we will
show you, were many things connected
with his past life and that of his wife.
They eliminated in the explosion which
caused this defendant to kill Stanford
White.
Labored Under Delusion.
"Thaw had long labored under the delu-
sion that his life was in danger whenever
he was in New York city. and consequently
he had always, after January, 1904, car
ried a revolver when visiting here.
The pistol was in his overcoat pocket with
other belongings when Thaw went to the
Madison Square Roof Garden the night Of
June % last. His diseased brain still guild
ing him, he still saw what was a demon
gfowering at him. Acting on the impulse
of the delusion that his act would be an
act of Providence, he walked coolly and
deliberately. as you or would walk down
the street, to where Stanford White sat and
still believing it was an act Of Providence
guiding him, he shot and killed him. He
thought the act was right and not wrong.
Believing his act to be right. he had no
idea of evading any Of the consequences.
Still regarding himself as the agent Of Prov
idence, he stood ther... held his pistol aloft
as IL mutely to say: II is done; 1t is right;
1t is not wrong.
Mr. Gleason spoke for one hour and If
teen minutes. concluding at 800 p.m.
Mr. Delmas of Thaw's counsel then asked
that an adjournment be taken until this
morning. He said that the defense then
would be ready to proceed.
District Attorney Jerome said he would
consent to the adjournment provided the
defendants attorneys would inform him as
to who their first witnesses were to be.
Their eross-examination may be impor-
tant and lengthy" said the district attor-
ney, land we would like to. be prepared for
It SO that there will be no further delay in
the case.
Mr.. Delmas' Statement.
Mr. Delmas said he was not prepared to
say who the first witnesses for the defense
would Be. He was given IN opportunity 70