Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1907-02-28
MRS. HARRY THAW
FACES JEROME IN
FAMOUS TRIAL
New York District Attorney
Opens a Way to 0ivuige Her
Past Lite in Court.
DELMAs ENTERS PROTEST
Judge Fitzgerald. However. Rules
Against Him and Her Record Will
Be Exposed by Her Bitter
est Foe.

est Foe.
New York. Feb. 2l.-Mrs. Evelyn Mes
bit Thaw Tuesday entered or The or
deal of her cross-examination and be-
fore District Attorney jerome had had
the witness In charge for half an houf
he had secured from the court a ruling
which apparently opens the way for
bringing int the trial Of Harry II.
Thaw all manner Of evidence which
may tend to discredit the defendants
wife. Heretofore il has been held that
the rules of evidence protected young
Mrs. Thaw and that regardless Of
whether her story was true or false the
fact tina she had tod Ito her husband
was the one essentiai point.
Mrs. Thaw had been allowed to re-
peat the story SO that the jury might
Judge as to it's effect in unbalancing
the mind Of the man on trial for the
murder Of Stanford White. Mr.. Jerome
by q simple question opened the way
for the Introduction OF testimony tend
ing to show the truth or falsity of Mrs.
Thaw's story. He asked the witness:
Was the story you Told Mr.. Thaw
true?"
III was she replied firmly.
Delmas in Losing Fight.
MIR. Dclmas. Thaw's leading counsel.
objected strongly TO the question. but
Justice Fitzgerald held it to be COM
petent as tending TO show the CREDIBLE
lty OF the witness. Whether Mr.. Je-
rome intends to take advantage OF the
ruling in an attempt to throw doubt on
the truth of the story or whether JUS
tice Fitzgerald intended his ruling to
cover the whole subject of Mrs. Thaw's
evidence the future conduct of the case
alone can determine. MIR. Delmas will
continue to fight with constant objec-
ton the introduction OF the events in
The young oman life. but the subject
of the credibility of the witness is u
deep one and Justice Fitzgerald early
in the day indicated that he would be
liberal i'm the Interpretation OF the
rules.
Wanted to Defer Cross Examination
The district attorney seemed reluc-
tant to begin the cross examination
OF Mrs. Thaw, desiring to have the
matter postponed until Thursday
morning in order that he might de-
terlnine whether or not il further eX-
animation of the witness was irres-
ular.
After l have looked further into
the matter / may determine to cross
examine Mrs. Thaw.' Mr.. jerome stat
ed the court. or | may waive my
ri. If, when all the testimony as to
tn. insanity of this defendant is in 1
shall be honestly of the opinion that
he was insane at the time this act
was committed l do not propose 10
take up the time of this court and
this jury in contending-
Mr.. Delmas here interrupted. He
A. l~-, . H. -. -&.-.
ney meant that If he was honestly on
WINGED that Thaw was insane when
he shot Stanford White he would
abandon the prosecution.
Il promise nothirs." retorted the
prosecutor.
A wordy conflict cnsued during
which Mr.. Jerome limited at broken
condolences and evasion OF stipulation.
He declared he did not wish to hu-
initiate the witness with "A cross eX-
animation which he might deem I'M
necessary.
l will" said MIR. jerome 18th some
thing of Il menace in his lone.
"Yon may proceed r.piicd Mr..
Deimas
Witness Nervous as jerome Begins
Mrs. TNhaw moved a bit nervously
and awaited Mr.. Jeromc'so opening Ques-
tons. They had TO do with her sigma
lures to certain papers,. some of which
the prosecutor declared We're receipts
for money Mrs. Thaw had drawn
from the Mercantile Trust company in
1902. SIS a week.
Mr.. Delmas protested against the
statements and noted an exception.
Mrs. Thaw said she was not sure that
all Of the signatures We're her own
they looked very much like her writing,
she added. Who provided the money at
the Mercantile Trust company was
not developed.
Mrs. Thaw's confidence grew as tho
cross examination went on. and she
was always ready with her answers
Mr.. Jerome. under plea of testing her
%crcdibility. was allowed to ask many
pertinent questions.
Direct Examination Closes.
You AVE already testified. Mrs
Thaw. that you are familiar with thu
handwriting of Stanford White" salt
Mr.. Delmas. II now hand you n pape
and ask II from the beginning to tn.
end II is in the handwriting of White?'
Mrs. Thaw gazed at the paper. evil
IDENTIFY a letter. and said:
1T is his handwriting
Delmas handed the witness forty-tw,
other letters and they were also iden.
tined as coming from White. Mrs
Thaw was nearly half an hour at thu
task of Identifying h letters.
There were " vacancies at thu
table occupied by the attorneys for de.
tense this morning. the seats usual,
occupied BY Gleason and Peabody. leav'
ing only four lawyers. Delmas. Hart
e Il aid Gleason was suffering from
A~oSaochn and that poa hOdy WAS eY