The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1907-03-15
SAYS THAW WAS SAM
OPINION OF AN EXPERT
Or. Flint Declares on Witness Stand
That the Slayer of Architect White
Was Not out of His Mind at Time
of the Murder.

New York, March IA question
the reading of which consumed one
hour and eighteen minutes in the
Thaw trial was possibly one of the
most peculiar incidents in connection
with the taking of evidence during
all the tedious and interesting days
of the trial District Attorney Jerome
had prepared the long hypothetical
question days in advance and conse-
quently was able to distribute printed
copies of it to attorneys and members
of the jury, so that they could easily
follow it's reading by attorney Garvan.
The fact that DIR. Flint, who was un-
der examination, at the concluding of
reading expressed it as his opinion
that Thaw knew what he was doing
at the time of the killing and that he
also was able to determine right
from wrong did not come as surprise
and all are anxiously awaiting the
result of Delmas cross examination of
expert witnesses TO determine just
wnat effect answers may have on the
jury.
The hypothetical question was prac-
tically a book in itself, it covering in
all thirty-nine pages of typewriter
matter.
In the opening sentence of his ques-
ton, the prosecutor asked the jury to
assume that II. K fmeaning Thaw)
was-bofn on the 18th of February,
1871, that one of his maternal uncles
was of unsound mind and that Thaw
in early childhood was of a highly
nervous temperament, that he had st,
Vitus dance lasting several weeks.
that later he had strenbismus so that
he looked cross eyed Next Jerome
asked the jury to assume that Thaw
first met E. n. (Evelyn Nesbitl in
December, 1901 in New York. when
she was II years old and chorus
girl
Next the question told how in 1903
Thaw planned to send Evelyn and
her mother to Europe, 'sThaw being
mother, persons in Strengthened cir
cumstances."
AS the district attorneys question
advanced and recalled how the trip
had been made to Europe, the refusal
to marry Thaw, because of Evelyn's
previous relations to White and her
adventures in the Madison Square
Garden tower attorneys as well as the
jurors seemed to take renewed inter
est in the case, and as Jerome con-
tinued the recital of how Thaw had
received intelligence of just what Ev-
elyn has testified she told her hus-
band and as in extremely dramatic
manner the reader told of Thaw's
walking the floor and kept saying
"Oh God. Oh God and cried and bit
his finger nails and his body shook
with terrible sobs the jury was visably
affected
After telling the story of a weak
mother and foolish daughter Jerome's
question suddenly turned to the re.
turn to America, when Evelyn again
met White and how White had told
her that Thaw was morphine fiend
and crazy and how Evelyn had told
Thaw all this and more and then Je-
rome uncovered a point-he emphasis
ed the fact that Thaw at that time
displayed no agitation, anger of ex
element.
When the question was concluded |
there was a long pause while DR.. |
Flint seemed to hesitate answering |
the concluding paragraph, Now in |
view of all this and after having ex- /
amined the defendant do you believe |
he was insane or sane at the time he |
fired the shot which killed Stanford |
White"
The response of DR.. Flint was wait |
ed for anxiously as he replied:
In my opinion Thaw was able to /
determine right from wrong and he |
was not insane. There was a pro- /
found silence.
Almost Immediately afterward the |
session closed for the day