Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1907-02-15
HOLD THAW insane
PRIOR TO killing
DEFENSE WILL TRY TO SHOW
CHANGE IN SLAYER OF
WHITE AFTER CRIME.
EXPERT ALIENlST
ON WITNESS STAND
Or. Evans Testifies Prisoner suf-
fered from an Exaggerated Ego
and Self-lmportance"-S He
Visited Defendant Eight Times.

and self-lmportance"-says He
Visited Defendant Eight Times.
New York, Feb. 13.-The defense in
the Thaw case Tuesday continued with
the introduction of expert testimony
as to the condition of the defendants
mind during the several months fol-
lowing the tragedy of the Madison
Square roof garden.
I'VE do this" explained Mr.. Del
mas, Thaw's leading counsel, lin order
that the jury by means of the wreck
age on the beach may infer that there
has been storm upon the waters
Insanity Expert on Stand.
The witness who occupied the en-
tire morning session and whose testi-
mony had not been concluded when
recess was ordered, was DR.. Britton D.
Evans, superintendent of the state hos
pital for the insane at Morris Plains,
N. j. DR.. Evans declared that when
he first visited Thaw in the Tombs on
August there were many indications
of the brain storm or explosive or full
minating condition of mental unsound-
ness through which he had recently
passed"
DR.. Evans is short, thick-set,
6mooth-faced man with ford COM
plexion. He spoke slowly and dis
tinctly. He said he was born in 1853
and graduated from the Baltimore Col
lege of Physicians and Surgeons in
1885 and afterward did postgraduate
work at Johns Hopkins. He was for
many years assistant superintendent
of the Maryland hospital for the in
sane and was afterward superintend-
ent of the state hospital for the feeble
minded. In 1892 he became superin-
tendent of the hospital at Morris
Plains, N. j., where, he said. there was
an average of 1900 patients.
DR.. Evans said he had written and
spoken a great deal on the subject OF
insanity and that he had appeared in
a majority of the important cases in
New Jersey where mental derange
ment or incapacity had to do with the
matter under investigation In sew.
eral cases, the witness declared, he
had represented both the prosecution
and the defense by consent of counsel
and under appointment by the court.
The witness knew Harry K Thaw;
first saw him Aug. 4, 1906, in the
Tombs, and in all visited him eight
times. Dr. Evans said he was alone
on the visits of Aug. and Oct. 1. At
other times he was accompanied by
DIR. Charles G. Wagner, who testified
Monday
Allege Insanity Before Killing.
1t now became evident for the first
time in court that the defense in en-
deavoring to show to the jury that
while Thaw was insane prior to the
killing of Stanford White and at the
time and Immediately subsequent to
the homicide, the alienists who visited
him in the Tombs found that as their
visits progressed his manner changed
from storm and stress" to calm and
quiet" DR.. Evans testimony bore out
this contention.
The expert at great length described
the various forms of insanity whose
symptoms he discovered at the time of
his first visit to Thaw, but District
Attorney jerome could not induce Mr..
Delmas to put direct question to DR..
Evans as to his opinion as to the san
ity or insanity of the defendant on the
witness later visits and examinations.
Case of Exaggerated Ego"
DR.. Evans described Thaw's man.
ner in the Tombs in August last as one
lof exaltation-"Of exaggerated ego
and selfimportance." He declared the
defendant at no time betrayed the
slightest apprehension as to any great
Impending personal danger
The alienist said he had formed an
opinion as the result of his eight visits
to Thaw, but he had not been asked to
state it up to the time the recess was
taken, when Mr.. Delmas indicated that
his direct examination was not nearly
concluded.
DR.. Evans resumed the stand imme.
,diately after the recess.
The fact that Tuesday was Lincoln's
birthday and consequently legal hol-
iday in this state had no effect on the
trial. Justice Fitzgerald ordered last
week that owing to the hardship on
the jury, which is to remain locked
up until the end of the trial, there
would be no recess over the holiday.
Tuesday was also Harry Thaws birth.
day. He was SO years old.
When Thaw was walking to his
place at counsel table, as he was re-
moving his ulster coat, and for some
moments after taking his seat he kept
his eyes on District Attorney Jerome
and ignored his own counsel for the
time being. Mr.. Jerome was busy
with his papers and did not notice
sThaws somewhat unusual action.
The rule against admitting women
to the courtroom was again strictly
adhered to.
Fire in Chicaeo's Coliseum.