Los Angeles herald., 1907-09-13
ATTORNEY HUMMEL
IS A PHYSICAL WRECK
TOO ILL TO APPEAR AT THAW's
SECOND TRIAL
Has Lost Thirty Pounds Since Being
Sent to BIackweIls lsIand-Lies
Emaciated on Peniten-
tiary Cot

| NEW YORK, Sept. 1l-"Abe" Hum
mePs physical and mental condition is
such that the date for the second trial
of Harry X. Thaw for the murder of
Stanford White cannot be set.
| He is not now able to testify; 1t is
doubtful whether he will rally sufficient
| lv while in the penitentiary to make a
| competent witness, and the state may
never again be able to rest its case
against the Pittsburg murderer on the
testimony of the little lawyer.
Hummel, once one of the keenest law
yers at the New York bar, has sunk into
state of lethargy in the prison hospitai
of the Blackwell's island penitentiary,
according to DIR. Sigmund Tynberg pres
ident of the board of medical control Of
the penitentiary.
"While Hummel can be reused into
perfectly rational conversation by an eff
fort, and while he tells me infinitely and
correctly the symptoms of the trouble
which keeps him in the hospital" said
Dr. Tynberg. "he is not fit to testify In
a court of justice or take part in any
serious matter that might concern others.
Incapable of Testifying
For instance, if the trial of Harry
K. Thaw were to take place this month,
or even next month, Hummel would not
be capable of taking the stand as
witness. His physical condition would
not permit him to travel as far as the
court room, and his lethargy and drowsi-
ness would mark him on the stand as
not mentally competent to testify.
''Hummel is suffering from an organic
disease He does not know what 1t is
himself At Least 1 have never told him.
He may outlive me or he may drop of
at any time. / have thought at times
since his Imprisonment that he would
not outlive his sentence. and hardly
believe that he will. l understand that
his father died suddenly, passing away
while up and aboat, engaged In some
matter of daily routine.
conditions at the prison are such that
Hummel can hardly be reused out of the
stupor into which he is sinking. He is
Indifferent to things about him and to
individuals, and seems to retire within
himself, content with his own thoughts.
Needs Outdoor Exercise
'If he was an ordinary private patient
there would, of course, be opportunity to
rouse him mentally. He could be sent
away-to some place where daily gallop.
tennis, lively companionship and change
Of scene would have tonic effect. But, of
course, that is impossible so long as he is
prisoner.
HE is on milk diet. Wnen was nrst
called in and learned who the patient was
1 decided that he had probably lived a
pretty indulgent sort of life, and decided
that the sudden stoppage of luxuries TO
which he had been used would be unJusti-
fable from a medical point of view.
feared that cutting him off suddenly from
cigars and possibly champagne, for In
stance would compicate matters. asked
Hummel if he wanted to smoke, and was
surprised to learn that he never smoked
and seldom INDUCED in alcoholic drinks,
and cared nothing for either tobacco IT
wine So his abstemious prison life has,
as far as deprivation Of wine and ci-
gars is concerned. been no hardship to
him."
DR.. Tynberg said that Hummel kept to
his cot almost constantly. He became i'll
during his first night in prison. May 90
It was one of the cold stormy nights of
the backward spring. Hummel was ad-
mitted to the hospital the next day.
Had to Quit Work
After weeks treatment he was put at
light work in the prison store room and
afterward at garden work outside. But
he could not stand the exertion.
1T would be better for Hummel If he
would make the effort and leave the hos
pital, If only to break stone outside but
he cannot be reused to make the effort,
added DIR. Tynbers. Since he has been In
the hospital he has lost about thirty
pounds, / should say"
When he does leave his cot Hummel
wears the prison stripes. a suit cut down
for him and made from the prison store