Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-04-03
lssueWith
Course Pursued by
Commission.
CHALLENGES QUESTION
But Gets Sharp Answer for His
PainS-.-ThaW'S Ordeal
is Ended.

New York, April 3.-When the Thaw
lunacy commission went into session
today Jerome called to the stand DR..
Allen Ross Diefenderf. superintendent
of the state hospital for the insane at
Middletown. Conn. and professor If
mental and nervous disease at Yale
university DiefendeTf testified that
from what he had seen OF Thaw ana
the writings he had examined he was
of the opinion Thaw is not now cap1-
bic of rightly understanding his own
position OF approaching the nature nf
the charge against him, or nationally
advising his counsel.
Diefendorf examined al some length
| - pages of suggestions made by Thaw
to Delmas for his summing up address. .
and declared they emanated from a
diseased brain. The suggestions made
lby Thaw. he said. indicated a delusion-
al state of mind
Did YOU think he had delusions
when he committed homicide?" asked
Chairman Mcclure Yes" replied the
witness. who went into an elaborate eX-
PLANTATION of the difference between
medical and legal insanity. declaring
Thaw medically but not legally insane
when he shot and killed White He ad-
United he never personally examined
Thaw. but thought him to be suffering
from paranoia.
secretly Examined.
Chairman Mcclure examined the wit
mess for % minutes or more~iu semi
isecret fashion, the attorneys being
igathered about the commissioner desk
land questions and answers being put
in tones inaudible beyond the circle.
Jerome Warm Under Collar.
Suddenly jerome broke the quiet by
saying in a loud voice: Il must OBJ
liect to the questions being put 10 this
witness by the commission. They are
mot a proper cross examination. If
Il you will pardon my frankness in say
ing so. YOU are trying 10 put this gen
jleman in the dishOnorable position of
lswearinS to one thing at one time and
another thing AT another time. You
must remember ne swUre upon one set
OF facts at the trial and upon differ
ent sci Ol ldctS To-Day
3 Gets sharp Rctort.
: IF this witness is in dishonOrable
, position interrupted HartridGe, he
put himself in IT, that's ali there is to
it," The cross examination of Diefen-
dorf was shortly concluded.
J At 3:37 il was announced the exam
ination OF Thaw had been completed.
Work Nearly Dou-.
New York, April 3.-The lunacy COM
mission which is inquiring into the
present sanity or insanity of Harry j..
Thaw practically concluded its work
4 yesterday 1t was stated last night
that after brief public session today
!. and final private physical and men
\. tai examination of the prisoner the
+ commission will prepare its report
. which will be presented tG Justice
Y Fitzgerald before the hour set for the
a Thaw jury to report in court tomorrow
3, morning
Due to Conflicting Testimony.
The announcement that the commi +;
. sion desired to renew its private exam
ination of Thaw came at the end of :
udN Vi many W WITNESSES. dllh NdS III nv
nature OF complete surprise. The de
cision was probably due to the conflict
ing character of the testimony. 1t wa
another battle of alienists. with thos
engaged by the district attorney de
h claring Thaw TO be absolutely incapa
le BILE of understanding his own condition
of realizing the nature of the charE
against him. or of nationally conferrin
y, with counsel. while those engaged b
. the defense declared Thaw throughou
is 'he trial had acted id ra!iohal ma
70 ner. had nationally advised his cOunse
- in their hearing. and fully understoo
"a and appreciated everything connecte
;, with his case and trial