The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-01
HER TESTIMONY
ABSOLUTE TRUTH
ThaW Gives Out State
ment Regarding His
Wife'S Evidence.
REAL GOODNESS
BEYOND JEROME
District Attorney Spends Day
in a War Of Wits with DR..
Evans, the Insanity Expert,
Who Proves Too Skill
ful for His Qucs-
toner.

NEW YORK. February 2s.--Harry X.
Tliaw cnlivencd an extremely dun session
OF his trial in the Supreme Court to-day
by giving out to newspaper men a brief
statement, in which he accused District
Attorney Jerome Of having made unpro-
fcssional remarks In court, asserted that
his wifc's testimony was absolute truth
and in conclusion declared that Mrs
Thaw's natural real goodness was above
the comprehension OF the prosecuting off,
Ger.
1t was just before adjournment was taken
Tor the day, and after many hours OF
expert testimony as to what was the
meaning of extracts from eight letters
written by the defendant, with their reia-
ton to the sanity or Insanity OF the
writer, that Thaw gave out his statement
IN court The circumstances attending
the delivery OF the statement to the
newspaper men were about as interesu,u.
as the statement itself. which reads:
Thaw's Statement.
This Is Mr.. Thaw's second statement
since August 10th
with chances millions to one
against her after the catastrophe In
1901. IT Is wonderful that Mrs III. X.
Thaw prevailed In the cross-examina-
ton against the prosecution, backed
by blackless.
Her testimony was absolute truth.
"Our evidence was OF conversations
Tho cross-eXamination has proved the
exact facts under oath.
MIR. Jerome. finding his informants
In certain lines falsihers. concluded By
more usual methods. which is to his
credit
However. from some OF his ques-
lions and some OF his unprofcssio sional
remarks IN court, it appeared clearly
that tho natural and real goodness Of
the witness is above his comprehen-
n sion III d
Thaw began the preparation OF this
statement yesterday afternoon. One
of the newspaper tables adjoins the
table occupied by his counsel. and a
reporter sitting near the defendant
read over the latter's shoulder the Two
& opening paragraphs.
When the papers appeared yesterday
with the extracts from his statement
printed in display type, Thaw was
much chagrined. To-day In court he
took the reporter to task. He said he
had not intended making the state
mant public until the end OF the trial
He further asserted that many mis-
takes appeared in tho portion Of the
statement that was published. and
later
Gave Paper to Friend
Last night in his cell In the Tombs
Thaw completed his statement, and to-
day. after he had spoken to the re-
porter who had looked over his shoul-
der. he handed the original draft to
reporter whom no has known for
many years and In whom he had con-
fidence. He also handed the newspaper
man brown envelope
Seal the statement up in this en-
velope," said Thaw, .'and write your
name across the flap. I am going to
have some typcwritten copies maze.
and when they are completed want
YOU to compare them with the original.
and If they are al right they will be
given out"
Daniel O'Rcilly, one of Thaw's law
ycrs said later that he also had Il
copy of Thaw's statement. but would
not give 1t until the defendant directed
him to do SO. Late this afternoon the
typewriter copies suddenly appeared
in court. Attention was first attracted
to them by Thaw handing carbon
copy to his newspaper friend and ask
ing him to compare It with the orig
inal. -Four or five other copies lay on
the counsel table in front of the de-
fendant One Of the reporters reached
over, picked up the copies, and hastily
left the courtroom. He was quickly
followed by other reporters, and soon
the statement was being hashed into
newspaper offices throughout the coun-
try. The copies and the original were
exact, and Thaw then said he was
content to have the statement releases
as a correction to the gnrbled state
ment which appeared this morning.
Evans the Only Witness.
Clifford Hartridse. OF Thaw's counsel.
md Mr.. Delmas declared lateE they haa MAJ
no knowledge of the statement having
been prepared or given out
DR. Britton d, Evans, the alicnist was
In the witness-chair all Of to-day. under
going cross-eyamination at the hands OF
District Attorney Jerome. The prosecu-
tor said before adjournment that lie would
probably keep DR.. Evans on the stnna
throughout Tomorrow. This means that
the cross examination of DIR. Wagner, an
other alenist, will not be reached unit
next week, and makes indefinite the time
when the defense will rest
II DIR. Evans and Mr.. Jerome spent the
entire day in going over eight letters
written by Thaw and culling out of Their
excerpts on which DR., Evans based his
expressed belief that they were writer
by q person of unsound mind.
$40 you mean an insane person.
asked MI. Jerome
"Yes.'' replied the witness, "but not ii
the sense that the person might alway.
remain insane"
This was the essence of tho days work
Nh. Jerome seempl as interested as tn,
expert IN searching out the phrases Ii
the letters which might be construed a;
the writings OF an insane man, and fo
the first time the Jurors We're permitted
thoroughly TO examine Photographic
copies of the letter AS the witness ant
the prosecutor pored tediously over til,
documents, the Jurors We're enabled L
Follow them closely. The district attor
hey apparently wanted the letters to b,