Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-02-06
Witnesses Tor the Defense Were
Handled Badly and Counsel
are Now QuaPre|iRg.
JEROME GREAT CROSS EXAMINER
He Moved Down Experts Testimony
and Was Relentless in His Efforts
to Do so-Accused Man Was Anus.
ed at First. But Afterwards Became
Anxious-Judee Sustains Jerome.
rny Associated Press,

fBy Associated Press.i
NEW YORK, Feb. 5.-The task OF
proving to a jury that Harry Thaw
was insane-through heredity and
mental stress-when he shot and
killed Stanford White, was taken up
today by the defense in this famous
case, but when adjournment was an,
nounced in the afternoon, 1t was the
general opinion in the court room
that but little progress had been
MADE. Thaw's attorneys endeavorcd
III vain TO place before the jury evil
dence tending. 1t was said. to prove Il
strain Of insanity in the collateral
branches of the defendants family,
but they were blocked at every point
ny District ATTORNEY Jerome, whose
objections were upheld by the rul-
ings of Justice Fitzgerald. The de-
Tense did, however, get before the
twelve men in the box, the testimony
OF an expert, that in his opinion Har-
ry Thaw was Suffering from insani-
ty," the night of the tragedy MIR.
Jerome undertook to break down the
evidence of the alienis, DR.. C. G
Wiley, of Pittsburg, and TOR three
hours put him through cross exam
ination as severe as was ever heard
The prosecutor was relentless ih
his attack ara before ne had finish
ed, DR.. Wiley protestingly declared:
Il did not come here as an expert.
came as a witness TO Il fact and
have been converted into an expert
without being prepared for it," The
district attorney astonished everyone
by his intimate knowledge of medi-
cine and its technical phraseology,
demonstrating the care with which
he had prepared himself to meet the
very defense which Thaw's counsel
have entered in his behalf, Mr..
Jerome searchingly inquired into DR..
Wtley's record as a physician and as
an expert on insanity.
Jerome In Splendid Form.
He hurled volleys of technical
questions at the witness, who at
times sat mute and at other times
declared he could not answer, or
gave evasive replies Often he
brought on himself sharp warning
from the district attorney to make
reply and not an argument. Dr..
Wiley testified that lie predicated his
opinion as to Thaw's sanity upon his
actions on the night of the tragedy
az described to him in hypothetical
questions propnunded. by the defense
and upon an incident which he wit
messed on a Pitsburg street car dur
Ing the summer of 1905 Thaw, said
the doctor, acted irrationally on the
car coming in suddenly and, jerking
up one Of the window blinds slam
ming 1t down and then lifting it again
the while engaging in wordy war
with the conductor. "Have you ever
owe mi, &c, or
tho recognized tests of insanity"
asked Mr.. Jerome.
NO" replied the witness.
Have you ever conversed with
HING
NO"
DR.. Wiley Was Baffied.
The district attorney then drew
from the alienist the opinion that
Thaw's acts on the Madison Square
Roof Garden when he killed Stanford
White, were not acts of insanity
when taken singly, but constituted ev-
idence of insanity when considered
collectively. At times DR.. Wiley
seemed entirely baffled by the ques
tions. He hesitated at each. and be-
fore he could answer, Mr.. Jerome had
framed another query replete with
impressive sounding technical terms
and apparently of problem no less
difficult than its predecessor. The
witness admitted that many of the
tests to which the district attorney
referred such as the "Romburg test"
and the Argyll Robertson pupil test
were unknown to him, and when he
asked to quote from any accepted
work on insanity. declared he could
not give the exact language from any
hook.
Mr.. Jerome's we'll of knowledge,
however. seemed never to run dry.
He carried his cross examination
through practically the entire morn
ing session, and for an hour after
luncheon, continued to ply the wit
ness with all manner of questions.
1t was necessary for the bailiffs
sometimes 70 to rap down the out
breaks of laughter
Even ThaW Smiled.
Thaw's counsel sat quiet without
protest, while Mr.. Jerome grilled the