Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-02-12
PUSHING
 THAW TRIAL No Recess on Account of LincOln'S Birihday-Dr Britt0n First
 Witness To-Day
THAW EYED JEROME
When the Prisoner Entered Court He Set His Eyes on the Prosecutor
 and Did Not Turn Away His
 Gaze For Several Minutes.

New York, Feb 1.-The fact that to-day was Lincoln's birthday and consequently legal holiday in this state had no effect on the Thaw trial, which went ahead at the usual hour this morning. Justice Fitzgerald or dered last week that owing to the hardship on the jury which is to re- main locked up until the end of the Thaw trial, there would be no re- cess over the holiday. When Thaw was walking to his place at counsel table he seemed to fix District Attor- ney Jerome with his gaze and kept his eyes upon the public prosecutor while removing his ulster coat and | for some moments after taking his seat. He ignored his counsel for the | time being. Mir Jerome was busy with his papers and did not notice Thaw's somewhat unusual action. The first witness called by MT Del | mas was Dr Britton D. Evans, super intendent of the state insane hospital at Morris Plains, N. J. Dr Evans is a short, thick set, smooth faced man with a florid complexion. He spoke clearly and slowly. He said he was born in 1858 and graduated from the Baltimore college of physicians and surgeons in 1885 and afterwards did postgraduate work at Johns Hop kins. In 1892 he became superin- tendent of the hospital at Morris Plains. N. J., where, he said, there was daily average of 1,800 patients. That does not represent the total of patients" he said, flor during the year some are discharged, some die and some go away by means of es- cape"
 Under questioning by MT Delmas. Dr Evans gave his experience as q practitioner and as an expert on in- sanity. He said he had appeared in a majority of the important cases in New Jersey where mental derange- ment or incapacity had to do with the matter under investigation. In a number of cases the witness declared he had represented both the prosecu- tion and the defense by consent of counsel and under appointment by the court.
 Do you know Harry K. Thaw?"
 Yes, sir"
 When did you first see him?"
 "On August 4, 1906, in the Tombs.''
 How many times did you visit him?"
 Eight times"
 Dr Evans said he was alone on the visits of August 4 and October 1. At other times he was accompanied by Dr Charles G. Wagner, who testified yesterday.
 What during those visits did you observe in the mental condition of Mir | Thaw"
 "On the first visit on August 4 he exhibited a peculiar facial expression, glaring of the eye, restlessness of the eye. suspicion of his surroundings and of me, nervous agitation and restless ness such as comes from severe brain storm common in those who have recently gone through an cxplo- slve of Illuminating condition of men, | tai unsoundness. He exhibited delu- sIons, of a personal character. an ex- aggerated ego and along with them delusions of persecutory character. He thought himself of exaggerated importance and believed himself per secuted by a number of persons" One of the mental diseases indi- cated by Thaw's actions, Dr Evans declared, Is known as adolescent in- sanity. It is characteristic of the de- velopment period of life. from 10 to 40 years. The victim is known as having q psychopathic taint, showing predisposition to mental unsound- ness which comes to one uninvited. the result of heredity.
 Another form of insanity i7di- cated," said the witness, ''is known as paranoiad or fixed insanity on some subject. The third is maniacal where the patient jumps from one idea 10 an other. These forms and others are characterized by the exaggerated ego. They are well defined forms about which there can be no difference of opinion"
 "Is there any specific name. doc tor?' asked MT Delmas. given to that form of insanity wherein one lma- zines himself omniprescient. the ruler of the worldr'
 That Is included in the forms of insanity to which I have referred Both adolescent insanity and para noiad insanity are characterized hy delusions as to self-imporfancc and exaggerated ego. Tn adoIescenr sn- sanity the patient exhibits DO marked systoms. But when the stress comes the man does not break down as the ordinary or normal man would
 There is a complete loss of mental balance. an explosive condition of the brain. the reason becomes defhronel. 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 man are not the acts of g normal man. hut show him to he guided by disease and stress His mind has left it's mcorinez. and yieIded to disrssed conditions.
 "On my first visit I al<o 1otic-i that Mir Thaw suffered from q rapid fow cf words ne< characteristic of the normal mind He <howed q COZ