Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-02-12
A Clash on Thaw VIII.


Attorney Dclmas stated that his
reason io':lterrupting Mrs. Thaw's +es-
thlony was tor the purpose Of better
satisfying the district attorney Of
Thaw's unsoundness of mind at the
zine Of the shooting He therefore
wished to proceed with the identifica.
tion of the will in order that 1t might
be introduced as evidence toward sub
stantiating the defendants contention
that Thaw Is insane
j. Dennison Lyon, Pittsburg BAN
ker, was the firts witness callcl Dis.
trlct Attorney Jerome objected to the
substitution of new witness for Mrs.
Ihaw. Until nar testimony Is flushed.
An argument ensued.
Will Executed In April.
AT Lie conclusion Of the argument
Jerome withdrew hir objections anJ
Lyon was permitted to testify.
Lyon said he had known Thaw since
boyhood He identified large brown
envelope which contained Thaw's will
and said it was handed to him sealed
and addressed in the defendants hand
writing by Thaw about April 1, 1905.
placed 1t in safety vault, where It
remained uptil the latter part Of Nov.
ember when he took 1t out and gave
it to his stenographer, Charles John
son.
! Delmas showed Lyon another enyee
lope, part with writing on which Lyon
identified as Johnson's.
John B. Gleason of Thaw's counsel.
testified that the envelope containing
the will, had been in his possession
| since Dec. IL, when he received 1t by
mail from Pittsburg. Absolutely no
change has been made in the docu.
ment, he said.
Note Read In Court.
Mrs. ThaW was recalled. Attorney
Delmas again requested Jerome to
produce the note which Mrs. Thaw
wrote In the Cafe Martin the night
of the tragedy Jerome Immediately
sent for the note and gave 1t to Del
mas who read 1t as follows: "The
b was here minute ago but went
out again"
Designs on Thsw's Lie.
Delmas asked the witness II she
had ever heard Thaw refer to threats
made against his life by White, also
If Thaw had declared that he had been
followed ty malefactors set upon him
| by White with a design upon his life,
Both questions were objected to by
Jerome and we're sustained. Excep.
tions were noted.
Mrs. Thaw stated that the first tima
she saw pistol in Thaw's possession
was sometime after Christmas eve Of
1905 He never carried a pistol, shs
said, except in New York. Several
questions regarding a conversation be-
| MnL
in which White figured and which the
witness had told to her husband were
objected to by Jerome and objections
were sustained.
Court took a recess at 1920 until 4
p. m. 1t has been agreed that Mrs.
Thaw shall temporarily step aside ia
permit of the introduction of further
testimony tending to show the un.
sound condition Of the defendant'a
mind.
More Professional Testimony.
DR.. Charles e. Wagner, superinten.
dent Of the hospital for the insane at
Binghampton, was the first witness
called after the recess. DR.. Wagner
said when he first examined Thaw In
the Tombs the latter was suspicious
and feared he would be declared In
sane.
Witness Cautioned.
On the second visit Dr. Wagner was
accompanied by DR.. Evans, another
alienist. Thaw when made aware OF
their errand, the witness said, turned
on his heel and left the room abrupt.
ly. The witness was here cautioned
by Jerome and Justice Fitzgerald tn
not use any conversation that took
place but to tell what he observed.
/ Wagner said 1t would be impossible
to explain what he observed without
stating conversations. Delmas and
Jerome then had a long argument on
the law covering the matter.