The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-03-03


appointment Of d lunacy commission TO
decide whether or not Harry X Thaw is
now sane, pervaded the entire defense
to-day. including Thaw himself.
Everything within the last few DAYS
has pointed to just one thing: District
Attorney Jerome is going TO use every
effect 10 have Thaw examined by
commission. It is not settled yet just
how Jerome will proceed to have the COM
mission appointed. but 1t may come to
the point where he viii lay before the
court evidence in his possession on which
10 base the belief that Thaw is not sane
now
Those who have talked with Jerome
have got a firm impression that he be-
leves on what he knows now, without
having had the chance of having his eX-
peits examine him. that Thaw is insane.
Jerome fixes this belief on several things,
some of which have not become public
durins, the trial The most interesting
collection Of papers which Jerome has re-
ceived are twenty-one letters written by
Thaw to J. Deniston Lyon, the Pittsburg
banker, since the killing Of Stanford
White Several Of the letters were writ
ten during the trial. From what has
been learned in this city and from Pitts
burg about the letters it would seem
that they were not written by man in
the possession of ali his mental facul-
ties
Thav Accuses Reporters,
IN some of the letters Thaw refers to
q conspiracy on the part of some report
ers attending the trial to hurt his case.
He has also prepared a list of the news
papers which he describes as friendly,
and the ones that are Unfriendly Thaw
also speaks in sort of rambling way
about the conduct of his case, and asks
tie opinion of Mr.. Lyon on some of the
jurors When the letters about the
jurors had been written Banker Lyon
had not been 20 this city, and knew moth
ing about them except what he had seen
in the newspapers.
1t is within the discretion of the court
10 appoint a Iunacy commission. When
q man goes 10 trial it is presumed than
lie is sane and able to advise with his
counsel. On that ground the lawyers
for the defense We make their stand
against the appointment of any commits
sion. They will contend that Thaw is
SINE nov and that he Is thoroughly able
interests.
Lawyers Hold Conference.
Thaw's lawyers. Hartridge, Delmas,
Peabody. and O'Reilly. had ID conference
to-day at which plans were formed 10
fight the appointment of a commission.
After it was over Mr.. Hartridge said.
We are not afraid OF any application
for commission. We are ready to fight
it and we feel certain that commission
will never be appointed. We are perfect
" satisfied with the defense that has
been made. and We are confident Of the
aequittal of Thaw.'
District Attorney jerome believes that
the symptoms OF adolcscent insanity de
scTibed by DR. Britton j. Evans on the
stand are typical Of pIranod. O. the form
which authorities say is iucuTlbIe and
soon results in the patient becoming de-
mented.
Just how much farther Jerome will go
with the examination OF Dr. Evans he
does not know. It all depends on what
ruling Justice Fitzgerald Will make on
Monday in regard 90 whether Or. Evans
can testify as to the writings and op.n-
ions of experts on the subject of insanity.
Jerome contends that this has been done
by experts in every murder tria! Of recent
years and such evidence has always been
held to be admissible on the question Of
testing the knowledge and general quail
fications of the expert Jerome and Car
van worked part of to-day In preparing
cases which were submitted TO Justice
Fitzgerald for his consideration.
Tbaw Seems Depressed.
when Thaw read the newspapers in the
Tombs to-day he was not very much
pleased. All accounts of the trial told
him that the apparent aim OF Jerome was
TO have lunacy commission appointed.
Thaw seemed to be very much depressed.
guess it's a combination of the
weather and expert testimony" he said
TO one of the keepers.
Mrs, Evelyn ThaW arrived AZ the Toubc
early N the morning. She told the driver
OF her automobile to return 10 the Lor-
ldlne ana get Mrs. William Thaw. Then
she had talk with her husband She
was in very good humor. She said She
was going to talk with her husband as
long as she could, and she did. She did
not leave the Tombs until / 80 o'clock.
the time for the departure OF all visitors
In the meantime, Mrs. William Toow
accompanied by her daughter. the Count
ess or Yarmouth, called They remained
win the prisoner a very short time. After
tha1 they went 70 the office Of Lawyer
DeiInas where they got some letters for
Mrs William Thaw
More Experts 20 Testify.
1t was learned to-day that a number Of
physicians have examined Tbaw in the
Tombs- These doctors We're to be called
as witnesses, but it is said that a number
of them declined to testify that Thaw IS
now sane For that reason they were
shunted aside by the defense. It is under
stood that Jerome has the names of these
doctors One Of them is DIR. Allan Nc
Lane Hamilton, who viii be called as a
witness by Jerome.
It was reported to-day that the repre-
sentative Of the American Embassy at
London who has been mentioned in the
testimony by young Mrs. Thaw had writ
ten a letter to District Attorney Jerome.
When asked about il, Jerome refused to
make any comment one way or the other
1t is known, however, that this man. who
is one Of the secretaries of the American
Embassy at London. and still there. has
written an explanation of his connection
with the case TO friends here.
In her testimony young Airs. Thaw de
serbed him as having .sneaked'' up 10
her mothers room when they were in
London In 1862 annoyed her mother and
that she learned then that he was dis
reputable" and never had anything to do
with him after that.
American Representative Writes.
According TO this man. who is well
known in this city, he met Mrs. Nesbit
and her daughter when they arrived at
the Claridge Hotel. in London, after they