Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-10

hide itself under the hem of a woman.
skirt.
"Dementia Americana-is that the law
which puts a woman up to tell of hel
shame-or misfortune, as the case may
be-to all the world in the hope it will
shield a worthless life from peoples just
demand?
That is not the kind of law you swore to
accept, and If you do it, men, you violate
your oaths."
Mr.. Jerome took up the evidence of the
witnesses for the people on the direct case,
and with the aid of a large diagram show
ed the jury how Thaw moved about the roof
garden before and after the shooting. He
referred to the testimony of James Clinch
Smith
DO you remember Truxton Beale and
the case of two men and woman?' Thaw
asked Smith. Perhaps, gentlemen, my
learned friend from the Pacific slope re-
members it; perhaps he remembers that
case of dementia Americana.
''Thaw walked deliberately across the
room, and in such a manner that his enemy
should have no chance to defend himself
then turned suddenly and, holding the ps-
tol so close to Stanford Whites head that
after he was dead Mr.. Smith, his brother
in-law, did not know him because of the
powder marks, fired once, twice, three
times"
Mr.. Jerome picked up the pistol from the
table in front of him, and as he spoke the
words punctuated them by pulling the trig-
ger three times.
Deliberately he shot the man who had
barred him from clubs who had once taken
from him the woman he loved and threat
ened to take her away again, and then,
my learned opponent tells you, he stood
with his arms extended, like a priest dis
missing congregation. l did not see any
thing in the evidence about that
Rational and Cool.
He held the pistol up that the people
present might know that there would be
no more shooting, in order to prevent a
panic. When the men who arrested him
asked why he did it Thaw answered: He
ruined my wife,.
He did not say: I am the apostle of
God, appointed to kill this ravisher of
American virgins. No, my friends, this
apostle of God business came after this
defendant had the advice Of my friend DR..
Evans
Mr.. Jerome went into the details of the
evidence regarding Thaw's actions and
words after the killing, and said that there
was not one thing that did not show abso-
Lutte calmness, GOODNESS and nationality.
Nd&uTd1ly ne was rae.
HE was rational, he was calm and COOL
went on the district attorney. He walks
up to his enemy, after carefully locating
him. and carefully takes aim. He does not
take any chances of hitting any one else
You are told his face was white. Here
was man who had nursed an enmity for
three years; who for three years had glared
at his enemy until. after a good dinner
woman in which Truxton Beale had figured
deliberately shoots down his enemy. Is it
any wonder he was white? Is the killing
Of human being thing common that
man can do it without even turning
pale?
You locate your enemy, you locate the
you say ravished your wife, who spread
stories of perversion about you, you shoot
him down and then come here with your
'dementia Americana. 1t is absurd Why,
the crime bristles with generalization.
Murder in First Degree
'Unexplained it is murder in the first de-
gree. man shoots down his enemy, who,
no matter how bad he may be, is entitled
to the protection of the law. Let him be
blacker than the cloak of midnight, which
counsel yesterday threw about his memory,
and 1 say he still had right to be where
he was the night of the 18th of last June
He had right to believe that the laws of
this community would protect him.
"Who made this man the executioner of
Stanford White? Had he no right to put
his faith in the laws of this state? Must
man go armed here as in mining camp ?
There is nothing in this direct case, gen.
tlemen, that does not show cold-blooded.
premeditated murder. And to this what
answer is made? I was insane when I
went thirty feet across that room and fired
three shots into a mans head. I did not
know it was pistol held in my hand.
did not know it was Stanford White, nv
enemy, I was shooting. did not know the
t<0ntfnued IN Savapth paOoN