Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-03-21
District Attorney Jerome Makes
9 Sudden and Sensational
Change in Case.
DELnAs TAKEN OFF HIS FEET
He Made the Opening That the Dis
trct Attorney Has Been Seek ns
for Days and in the Argument
That Followed Was 1ested on ~iI
Sides.
(By Associated Press.l

(By Associated Press.)
NEW YORK, March 20.-The blow
whidl ttlarr yK. Thaw has been
in terror of ever since his trial
for the murder of Stanford White
began, fell today. District Attor-
ncy Jerome did rot make formal
application for the appointment O.:
Il commission in lun;,cy but in an
impassioned speech he appealed to
the conscience OF the court, assert
Ing that Thaw as he sits daily in
court is unable intelligently to adj
y.se his counsel and is believed Dy
everyone who has watched and
come in contact with him to he
insane Mr.. jerome asserted that
his own alienists-the six men who
testified for the State-were CON
WINGED when they considered all lie
facts IN connection with the case
that Thaw was of unsound mind
MIR. Jerome dramatically accused
the counsel for the defense Of con
cealing testimony, which, If told to
the court, would make Ile contin-
uaAce of trial a crime. So earnestly
did he plead that Justice Fitzgerald
dismissed the jury until Friday
morning and adjourned court until
he VIII consider whatever evidence
either side has to offer and decide
whether the. strial shall go on or
whether a commission in. 5lunacy
q shall be appointed 4 to- gIasg upon
Thaw's mental condition today.
The scenes attending the adjourn
men of court shortly after l o'clock
were dramatic and exciting Thaw s
counsel seemed taken utterly Dy
surprise. This was expected to
be the last day of the trial before the
summing UP before the jury.
Soon after the three cornered dis
cussion among Justice F.tzgera.u,
District Attorney Jerome and MIR.
Delmas, began, Thaw's five other
attorneys gathered one by one
around the judges desk and TOR a
TIME seemed intent upon denying
what the court Ihad termed tie
charges of unprofessional conduct
brought against them by the prose
cutting officer.
his counsel table. He had seemed
unusually pale and somewhat nag.
gard when he came into court at
Tie beginning CT the morning ses.
sion, having complained of fatigue
and restlessness. When the District
Attorney and Mr.. Delmas began
their usual early morning skirmish
soon after the trial started 1haw's
spirits seemed to brighten and he
laughed in good humor at some
passages at arms.
Thaw Much Concerned.
As the argument began to take
on more serious phase, however,
the prisoner sat deeply concerned
He flushed crimson as one by one
This attorneys left him to rally to
the support OF iMr. Delmas, who in
the midst of the proceedings was
supported by Attorney Gleason.
Thaw bit his nails and opened and
closed his hands nervously and
finally sank down in his chair in
an attitude of utter detection. In
an adjoining room where they could
hear the excited and uplifted voices
of counsel, wrangEng one with the
other, stool Mrs. William Thaw, The
mother. and Evelyn Nesbit ,ihav
the wife. who had barred the secrets
of her soul in the effort to save
her husband from the electric CHAIR
and from the fate which the de.
clares he breads more-the mau-
house
Preoipitated BY Defense.
The climax CT the nine weeks
trial was preciptated by the acton
of the defense in calling to the
stand Or. A. M. Hamilton, the
allenist, vito was first called into
the case by Thaw's original law
yers, Messrs BLACK, Olcott, Gruber
and Bonige, but who was dismissed
together with them When he report
ed Thaw was suffering from a
form of paranoic insanity which
might never be cured It was the
intention of Mr.. Delmas TO interro-
gate DR.. Hamilton only with re.
ference to four visits he made to
Thaw in June and July last,
Mr., Jerome promptly objected to
this course. He said Il DR.. Hlamfl-
ton was to testify at all The must
tell everything he knew In connec-
ton with case, including the de-
PENDANTS family history.
Tho argument which ensued be.
came SO pertinent to the question
Of the present sanity of the deren-
dant that .Jusice Fitzgerald ordered
the jury to retire from uhe room.