The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-02-08


New York. February 5.-The task
of proving TO a jury that Harry Thaw
was insane-thrOugh hereditary anu
mental stress-when he shot and kill q
stamford White was taken up today by
the defense in this famous case, buJ
when adjournment was announced =:
the afternoon il was the general opin-
ion in the court room that but little
progress had been made.
Thaw's attorney endeayOred in vain
to place before the jury evidence tend
ing, it was said, to prove a strain Of
insanity in the collateral branches Of
the defendants family, but they were
blocked at every point by District AL
torney Jerome, whose objections were
upheld by the rulings Of Justice Fitz-
gerald.
The defense did, however, get before
the II men in the box, the testimony
Iof an expert, hat in his opinion Harry
IThaw was suffering from insanity
the night of the tragedy. Nj. Jerome
undertook TO break down the evidence
OF the alienist-Dr. G.. c. Wiley, OF
!Pittsburg-and for three hours put him
Through q cross examination as severe
Jas was ever heard in O. New York
court. The prosecutor Was relentless
in mis- attack and before he had finish
ed, Dr.. Wiley protestingiy declared:
Il didn't come here as an expert.
Il came as d witness to a fact, and |
have been converted into an expert
without being prepared for it."
The district attorney astOnishod
every one by his intimate knowledge
IOf medicine and it's technical phras2-
i0logy, demonstrating the care with
which ne had prepared himself to lei
the very defense which Thaw's ms
have entered in his behalf.
Mr.. Jerome searchingly inquired into
DR.. Wiley's record as a physician and
las an expert on insanity. He hurled
of technical questions at the
witness, who at times sat mute n at
other times declared he could not an
Iswer, or gave eyasive replies. Often
he brought upon himself sharp warn
ing from the district attorney to make
a reply and not an argument.
DR.. Wiley testified that he prGdi-
Gated his opinion as TO Thaw's saniIy
upon his actions on the night Of the
as described to him In a hypo-
question ~propounded by the
defense and upon an incident which
he witnessed on a PittSburg street
car during the summer Of 1905. Thaw
said the doctor, acted irrationaly Oh
the car, coming in suddenly and jerk
ing up one of the window blinds,
it down and then lifting II
again, the while engaging in a worry
war with the conductor.
Have you ever examined this de-
fendant with any Of the recognized
tests Of Insanity" asked Mr.. Jerome.
No" replied the witness.
Have you ever converBed with
him."
No"
The district attorney then drew from
the alienist the opinion that ThawS
acts on the Madison Square ROOF gar
den. when he killed Stanford White,
were not acts OF insanity WIN taken
singly, but constituted evidence Of N
sanity when considered collectively.
At times Dr.. Wiley seemed entirely
baffled by the questions. He nesltaled
at each, and before he could answer.
Mr.. Jerome had framed another queT!,
r2Dlete with impressive sounding teen
meal terms and apparently of ring Z
problem no less difficult than its pre-
d~ecessOr. The witness admitted tina
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
was asked TO quote from any accepted
work on insanity, declared he could
not give the exact language from any
book.
Mr.. Jerome's we'll of knowledge.
however, seemed never to run dry. He
his eros examination through
the entire morning session
for an hour after luncheon, on
tinued TO ply the witness with all a
ner of questions. 1t was necessary
for the bailif's sometimes to rap down
the outbreaks OF laughter.
Thaw's counsel sat quiet without
While Mr.. Jerome ground the
witness for the defense. Thaw
himself seemed to take but little in.
In the cross examination at the