The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-02-05
Believed He Was ACTING
as Agent Of Providence
In Staying White.
MOTHER AND WIFE
TO GO ON STAND
Counsel Assert That Story Of
Mans Hereditary Insanity Will
Be Told by His Nearsst
Of Kin-Prosccution
Presents Its Case
in Two Hours.

\ IN Two Hours.
NEW YORK, February 4.--The state
laid its case against Harry X. Thaw to-
day--a. plain, emotional story Of the
shooting on the Madison Square Roof
\ Gordan. leaving the malice and tho motive
to be inferred from the act-and the de- u
tense replied with a plea Of hereditary
| insanity.
It was asserted that rhaw, in Staying
| stanford White. believed he was acting
as an agent OF Providence; that real or
iancied wrongs committed against him
\ py tho architect and former friend Of HIS
VIE mad boiled and bubbled in his brain,
i until at last there came the explosive Inn n
pulse to XII. When the deed was done
/ Ihaw made no move to escape its conse -
quences, but holding the fatal revolver /
aloft. no stood as II mutely proclaiminp
to the world: '"Ihe deed Is done; 1t wns y
right; It was not wrong
nus 5ThaW S counsel outlined his case
70 the Jury this afternoon, after the
prosecution had occupied less than twn#i
hours OF tho morning sitting of thn co,'rt
IN relating through eyewitnesses tho nar-$
rat.vc Of the tragedy. When the defense
mad interposed its plea and outlined its%
case an adjournment was taken until
tomorrow morning. when the first Wit
nesses IN ,Ihaw's behalf will be heard!
70 Tell of His Insanity.
on VIII hear the story of this man's
insanity" Attorney John B. Gleason. for
me defense, promised the jury, from
ms mother. from his wife, from his rel
atiVes and from his physicians. Ybu
VIII judge him by. his acts, by the hered u
! lty and stress which entered into Ills mad II
A ness, and when you come to Judge him
yollsyslll say to yourself that, his act nav
NY w .Aneen oneasof Insanity but 4 1t was
Ihat Thaw's wife was to bc sona B rs
ms most important witnesses has lonp
neeT Known; that his mother Mrs VIII
lam Thaw, Of Pittsburg. was to take the
stand only became known positively to-
Gay When the court enforced the rule
excluding from the courtroom all Wit
nesses save experts. Thaw's mother, at
the command, left the room after sa
moments hesitation. She seemed un-g
willing to be parted from her son IN
the hour of his need Ills wife, too, res
luctantly left the room bestowinr aalast3S
radiant smile of courage and hope upon
her prisoner husband. May NTacKenzies
was the third OF the women who have
Y been daily included in the Thaw party \
to leave the courtroom.
Il Thnw seemed detected. Many times last
week during the dull days of Jury se-
4
fort, and found her ever ready with
a quick responsive smile. Now that
the serious work OF the trial was to v
begin he was to be denied her press
ence.
Thaw Cast Down.
During tho opening address by Mr..
Gleason in which he entered the defense
of insanity, Thaw sat with his flushed
checks, which at times were buried in
II 10 u.jfh at
upon tho table before him. He seldom
4 Hooked up, Just heeting glance now
s and then at the man who was making the !
Y initial plea for his life and freedom.
Never once did his eyes go to the jury
box.
n There was another period-durlng the
Y morning session-,when Thaw again look
cd only Mt his hands, clasped before
him on the table. This was when Iaw-6
renee White, the son of Stanford White,
occupied tho stand as the first Wit
I ness for the prosecution. Young White.
n who is Harvard student, was not .
material witness. He was with his father
at dinner the evening of the tragedy, but
. left him before he went to Madison
4 Square Garden. White was alone, 1t Was
testified. when Thaw approached slowly
!. from behind, wheeled faced him. and
> sent three bullets Into his body and
brain.
Thaw's counsel told the story of the
Il prisoners love, for the girl he WAS to
! make his wife. He met Evelyn Nesbit,
in 1901, and there then was awakened
In him an honorable lovo and regard
for tho girl. He told her mother of his
n love. Tho girl was In u precaNtus ccn-
II dtion following % serious operation In n
/. snnitarillm, and Thaw suggested to the
/ mother that she take Evelyn abroad to
G recuperate 1T was arranged that ThaW
should accompany the two as tho open
: and avowed suitor of she danghter In
1903 he asked her to marry him and she
refused.
Brain Disease.
.'trhc reason for this refusal You VIII
hear from her lips, afnounced Mr..
Gleason, suffice 1t to say the reason
had To do with an incident In her life
with reference to Stanford White.n
Thus laying the ground work for the
plea OF insanity, the defendants law
yer declared that brain disease laid hold
.of Thuw soma three or four years ago.
1T was recalled that theye have been
many cnses where Il person had been
pronounced insane upon one subject and
that alone. Mr. Gleason cited instances
| of temporary insanity, based upon q
single act,
Two will not base our plea, however.
upon a single act" he added IT will
} be shown That there was insanity ON
both sides OF this defendants family
} Hcredity has made us what wo arc.
, heredity hns made the living world.
! Our case As far removed from the inuch-
| discussed defense of emotional insanr
y ity You must disabuse your MINDS
{ OF all you have read I'M the nawRpap pers.
} and especially ofsthe idea that has gone
t abroad that We are 70 rely upon soma
1 higher or r,nwritten law. Ws rely MON
al thn Constitution and the laws of tha8
!. imperial State or New York and upon