Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-28
| AM SANE, SAYS THAW
Prisoner Comments on Prof.
l0mbrOSO'S Statement.
DENIES HE is A DOPE FIEND
Opinions of His Keepers and Fellow
Prisoners.
HAS IMPROVED PHYSICALLY
Alienists Are Chary of Discussing
His Case in View of His APP
preaching New Trial.

NEW YORK. October ST have not
read all that Prof, Lombroso has 10 say
about my case Therefore l cannot say
anything about his writings. He is in
error however, when he says that I used
morphine; l never used morphine In my
life. That is all | have TO say about this
subject"
So said Harry X. Thaw yesterday when
asked to comment on Prof CrSarc LON.
broso's analysis of him.
Prof. Lombrosos report was made after
a study of the expert testimony given at
the trial of Thaw- The experts Conclu-
sions were summed up in these words:
And this is exactly .he case OF Thaw.
who was wrought up TO madness OF an
obsessive kind which drove him to crime.
this series of obscssions being founded on
a congcnital moral deficiency and aug
mented at the moment the crime was
committed by so many other causes (alco-
holiSm, Authorizations and perhaps also
suggestions made by Evelyn, and In con-
sequence he should be held irresponsible
for his act and be detained in an asylum,
being treated as a dangerous lunattc,
who. If not kept under supervision, may
commit other crimes.
ThaW has maintained right along that
he is sane now. and that he was perfectly
justified in killing Stanford White. He
feels today that his next trial will surely
given his liberty after the verdict Is rem
dered. He does not believe he should be
locked up In an asylum and expects to be
permitted to go with his wife to some
quiet place in Europe where they can live
away from all excitement and notoriety.
Thaw in Training.
Many Of those who have come in daily
contact with him say Thaw is much
better mentally now than he has ever
been since he was first brought to tho
Tombs. His outdoor exercises have
made him a strong man physically. For
his present excellent condition Thaw
says he has to thank Raffaele Cascone.
an Italian, who Is now on trial for the
second time for murder. The first trial
resulted in conviction and death sem
tence. Cascone passed thirty-two months
in the death house in Sing Sing, during
which time he saw seventeen men taken
from their cells to the chair. Cascone
was granted new trial and came to the
Tombs again about the time Thaw
reached there. Since then n close friend
ship has sprung up between the two men
and Cascone, a natural-born athlete. has
been Thaw's physical trainer and In
structor during their practice hours In
the prison yard Those who insist that
Thaw is sane today do not hesitate, most
Of them, to say that he Is just "a little
bit off" Prof. LombrosO's report was
read by all with the greatest interest.
The officials and others who are CON-
nected directly with the Thaw case did
not feel at liberty yesterday to go into
a detailed discussion of the report OF
Prof. Lombroso, because Of the fact that
the second trial of Thaw is about to
commence, and because of the tear mat
publication of opinions might in some
way interfere with the outcome Of the
coming trial
Specialists Are Wary.
Scientists like DIR. Mabon, the head
of the Manhattan State Hospital, and
Dr. Austin Flint, who appeared as ex-
perts for the prosecution at the trial OF
Thaw declined to go into discussion for
publication of Prof. Lombroso's analysis.
1T would not be fair to discuss the
report" they declared.
At the first trial Of Thaw the experts
for the prosecution agreed that Thaw
was a paranoic. They declared that he
was legally sane at the time he killed
White And the experts agreed that
man like Thaw ought not to be turned
loose upon the community, lest he COM
NIT similar crimes again. The experts
for the defense held that Thaw was In
sane when he committed the murder, but
that he had since recovered and was sane
at the time of the trial.
AS far as known insanity will again
be the chief feature of Thaw's defense at
the coming trial, which is put down for
December 2. Martin w. Littleton, who
has been chosen as senior counsel for
Thaw's defense, was not In town Sunday.
Neither was District Attorney Jerome.
Both are expected in the city today. Mr..
Caravan said it would not be proper FOR
him to discuss Prof. Lombroso's report
1t is known that many about the crlm1-
nal court building agree with Prof. Lom-
broso when he says that Tnaw was In.
sane at the time he killed Stanford
White, and that his insanity has not
been cured absolutely and that outbursts
of a kind similar to those which became
manifest when the murder was COM
mitted might reoccur any moment.