The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-02-13
DR EVANS DECLARES WITHOUT CAYL THAT HARRY
 TnAW WAS INSANE WHEN HE FIRST VISITED HIM


 New York, Feb. 12.--The fact that today was Lincoln's birthday and con- neauently a legal holiday in this State. had no effect on the Thaw trial, which went ahead at the usual hour this morning. Justice Fitzgerald ordered last week that owing to the hardship on the jury which is to remain locked up until the end of the trial. there
 It is also Harry Thaw's birthday He is ss years old, having been born in 1871.
 when Thaw was walking to his place at the counsel table as he was remov- ing his ulster coat and for some mo- ment's after taking his seat, he kept his eyes on District Attorney Jerome and ignored his own counsel for the time being. Mir. Jerome was busy with his papers and did not notice Thaws somewhat unusual action. Q
 The first witness called by MT. Del mas was Dr. Britton D. Evans. super tntendent of the State Insane Hospital at Morris Plains, N. J. Dr. Evans Is Q short. thick set smooth-faced man. with forid complexion. He spoke slowly and distinctly.
 He said he was born in 1858 and graduated from the Baltimore College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1885. and Afterwards did postgraduate work 0A 9Q1Ao ElORhih AAG "oe hNA A@sNSS years assistant superintendent of the Maryland Hospital for the Insane, and was afterwards superintendent of the State Hospital for the Feeble Minded. Tn 1S92 he became superintendent of the hosuital at Morris Plains. where, he said, there was an average of l,60o patients. spoken a great deal on the subject of insanity and that he had appeared in a majority of the important cases in New Jersey, where mental derangement or fncapacity had to do with the matter under investigation. In several cases. the witness declared, he had repre- scented both the prosecution and the defense by consent of counsel and un- der appointment by the court.
 The witness knew Harry K. Thaw; nrst saw him August 4, 1906, in the Tombs and in all visited him eight times. Dr. Evans was alone on tho visits of August and October 1. At other times he was accompanied by pr. Charles c. Wagner. who testified yesterday.
 Describes Thaw's Condition.
 What, during those visits, did you observe in the mental condition of Mir. Thaw7' he was asked.
 'On the first visit on August {, he exhibited a peculiar facial expression, glaring of the eye. restlessness of the eye, suspicious of his surroundings and of me, nervous agitation and restless ness such as comes from a severe brain storm common In those who have re- gently gone through an explosive or Illuminating condition of mental un- soundness. He exhibited delusions of a personal character, an exaggerated ego and along with them delusious of a persecutory character He thought l kn1 f,x,ws -Ne sr,1 believed himself persecuted by num- Der of persons"
 By an "exaggerated ego," Dr. Evans said he meant "a disproportionate Idea of importance of self. a belief that one Is clothed with powers, capacity and ability far above normal or above those actually possessed.
 These symptoms, he said, were charac- terfstic of several mental diseases.
 One of the mental weaknesses indi- cated by Thaw's actions. Dr. Evans de- cIared, is known as adolescent insan- ity. It is characteristic of the devel- opment period of life from 10 to 40 years of age. The person thus af- ficted is known of having psycho- patEic taint. predisposition to mental unsoundness, the result of heredity.
 Another form of insanity, indicated. said the witness, is known as Paraniad, or fixed insanity in some subject The third is maniacal, where the patient jumps from one idea to another. These forms and others are characterized by the exaggerated ego. They are we'll defined forms about which there can be no difference of opinion.
 "Ts there any specific name, doctor" asked MT. Delmas, given to that form of Insanity where one imagtnes him. self omnipotent-the ruler of the world?"
 Tells of Explosive Insanity.
 That is included in the forms of insanity to which have referred. Both adolescent insanity and paranoiad in- sanity are characterized by deiusions as to self importance and exaggerated ego. In adolescent insanity the pa tient exhibits no marked symptoms, but when the stress comes" Dr. Evans took on declamatory tone of voice-"the man does not break down as the ordinary or normal would, There is a complete loss of mental balance, an explosive condition of the brain, the reason becomes dethroned, the will power is lost and the brain Is operating as a ship does in the wind without a rudder-the balance wheel is gone.
 'The acts of such a man are not acts of normal man, but show him to be guided by disease and stress. His mind has left it's moorings and yielded to diseased conditions.
 ''On my first visit I also noticed that Mir. Thaw suffered from a rapid flow of words not characteristic of the nor maj mind. He showed a condition of abnormal excitement-a diseased con- dition of the brain"
 'Tn the disease you describe, how the conditions differ from the coudi- tions in a normal man who speaks rapidly"