The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-03-21
MADHOUSE LOOMS UP
 BEFORE THAW'S VISION
BLOW WHICH SLATER OF WHITE MOST DREADED FTNALLY
 FALLS.

Jerome Surprises Defense by sensa-
 tiOnal Move Which May Result in
 the Appointment of Commission i'm
 Lunacy-DecIares Thaw is Unable
 InteIligentIy to Advise His Counsel
 Has Watched Him as He Daily Sits
 in Court, to be Insane-Defense Pre-
 cipitates Climax by Calling Dr. Ham-
 iltOn to the Stand-Testi1cs That
 Thaw is Insane NOw-COunseI for
 Thaw Claim Pleasure at Turn of
 AfFairs-Say Jerome Admits Defeat.
 New York, March 20.-The blow which Harry Kendall Thaw has been in terror of ever since his trial for the murder of Stanford White began fell to- day. District Attorney Jerome did not make formal application for the appointment of a commission ill lun- acy but in an impassioned speech he appealed to the conscience of the court, asserting that Thaw as he sits daily in court is unable intelligently to advise his counsel and Is believed by everyone who has watched him and come into contact with him to be in sane. MT. Jerome asserted that his o1f Io r;4r fac fled for the state-were convinced when they considered all the facts in con nection with the case that ThaW was of unsound mind. MT. Jerome drama tically accused the counsel for the de- fense of concealing testimony, which, if presented to the court, would make the continuance of the trial crime. So earnestly did he plead that Justice Fitzgerald dismissed the jury until Fri day morning, and adjourned court un- til 2o'clock tomorrow afternoon, when he will consider whatever evidence either side has to offer, and decide whether the trial shall go on, or wheth- CT q commission in lunacy shall be ap- pointed to pass upon the defendants mental condition to-day.
 The scenes attending the adjourn ment of court shortly after 1 o'clock were dramatic and exciting. Thaw's counsel seemed taken utterly by sur prise. This was expected to be the last day of the trial except for the summing up before the jury. Soon after the three-cornered discussion among Justice Fitzgerald, District At torney Jerome and Mir. Delmas began, Thaw's five other attorneys gathered one by one around the judges desk, and for a time seemed intent upon de- nying what the court had termed the charges of unprofessional conduct brought against them by the prcsecut- ing attorney.
 Thaw, dejected, sat deserted at his counsel table. He had seemed unusual ly pale and somewhat haggard, when he came into court at the beginning of the morning session, having com plained of fatigue and restlessness. When the district attorney and Mr. Delmas began their usual early morn ing skirmish soon after the trial start ed, Thaw's spirits seemed to brighten, and he laughed in good humor at some of the agesat-arms between the "learned district attorney and the 'learned counsel from the Pacific slope" As the argument began to take on a more serious phase, however, the prisoner sat deeply concerned. He flushed crimson as one by one his att torneys left him to rally to the support of MT. Delmas, who, however, in the midst of the proceedings was supersed- ed by Attorney John B. Gleason. Thaw bit his nails, opened and closed his hands neryously, and finally sank down in his chair in an attitude of ut- ter dejection. In an adjoining room, where they could hear the excited and uplifted voices of counsel, wrangling one with the other, stood Mrs. William Thaw, the mother, and Evelyn Nesbit Thaw, 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 he declares he dreadS more-aa mad house.
 The climax of the nine weeks trial was precipitated by the action of the defense in calling to the stand Dr. AL Ian McLane Hamilton, the distinguish ed alienist who was first called into the case by Thaw's original lawyers, Messrs. Black, Olcott, Gruber and Bon ynge, but who was dismissed together with them, when he reported that Thaw was suffering from a form of paranoia, which might never be cured It was the intention of MT. Delmas to interrogate Dr. Hamilton only with ref erence to four visits he made to Thaw in June and July last MT, Jerome promptly objected to this course. He said if Dr. Hamilton was to testify at all he was to tell everything he knew in connection with the case, including the defendants family history