The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-02-05

Jerome Breaks I'm Again.
"One moment" broke in Mr.. Jerome.
counsel viii please state nothing that
viii not be introduced in evidence He is
dealing with collateral branch of the
case now. He is dealing with the chill
dren OF an aunt"
II II cannot rule upon the evidence now. 4"
said Justice Fitzgerald. Proceed, please.
There are limitations to which the coun-
sci will confine himself"
II viii not go into details" continued
Mr.. Gleason. Il will simply say TO you.
gentlemen, on both sides of this defend
ants family. both as to the father and
mother, we viii prove TO you BY direct
evidence that there was insanity, and We
will prove to you. gentlemen, that this
man was born with what the physicians
call Il psychOpathic temperament liable
to a mind disease-what We would call
in our way a highly nervous tempera-
ment- The slightest thing would awaken
him. He did not awaken naturally. like
other children. but arose with start
He had commissions in his early years
lie was victim OF unnatural awakening.
and without going further into that
branch Of the evidence, will say that
upon those facts and ones similar 10 them
we viii ask you 10 find, and you viii be
Obliged to find. beyond a reasonable doubt,
that this man had an insane heredity. and
that he had "a temperament liable TO break
forth into insanity if the seeds Of insanity
were applied.
Met Evelyn Nesbif in 1901.
"The young man met Evelyn Nesbit in
1901 He saw her from time 10 time and
fen IN love with her. Gentlemen. ne loved
that young woman with as honorable q
Hove as any one in this court has loved a
woman whom he would choose TO be his
wife. He went 10 the mother Of this girl
in March, 1893. and told her that he wished
TO marry her daughter if he could gain
Iher affections The daughter had severe
loperation and was confined 10 "A sanato-
rum in the spring Of 1888 and her coli
dition on recovering from the operation
was precarious Il was arranged between
Thaw and the mother that the mother
should take the daughter 20 Europe FOR
the purpose Of regaining her health, and
that Tbaw might accompany them, ana
nc did accompany them i'm the position OF
an open and avOwed sutton for the nand
OF her daughter. IN London he took MISS
Nesbit to visit his own sister. the
Countess Of Yarmouth, who was then re-
siding there. and who is now here IN this
court
IN June he asked her 10 marry him,
and she refused. Now, gentlemen, the
circumstances Of the refusal, reasons that
she gave for that refusal, she viii tell
you with her own lips.
New story May BE Told.
The manner in which Mr.. Gleason made
this statement indicated to everybody
that the story of Thaws wife viii be
something that has never before been
even limited al. Mr.. Gleason said he did
not intend 20 endeavor To state the de-
tails of the facts which viii be pat before
the Jury. But" he added. Il do under
stand that it is highly proper. and ! think
the court will agree with me, that I cali
90 your attention the principles of law
which viii finally govern your decision.
As To the details Of evidence, I do not
think that 1 should go into them. and.
therefore. I viii say TO YOU that the rea-
son for this girl refusing 70 consent to q
/ marriage she viii tell 90 you. Suffice 1t
10 say that those reasons were connected
with an occurrence in the life Of that girl
with reference 10 Stanford White
Mr.. Gleason paused 10 watch the effect
OF that statement. Then he went on
slowly:
Harry Thaw did not accept the refusal
of this girl as final. he persisted in his
insistence that she should marry him.
until finally, with the fun consent Of the
mother and the family. he was married
TO the girl on April 4. 1900.
Thaw Then Began TO Brood
Therefore. gentlemen, our position IS,
that from The time Of the telling of the
story by Evelyn Nesbit To Harry Thaw.
the character and condition Of Harry
Thaw was changed. and his mind COM
meHced 10 take on an idea with refer
ence 10 stanford White around which, in
the course % the following three years.
were involved many ideas OF a desultoTy
effect. and finally eliminated in the idea
of imperious force that it was right 20
kill Stanford White and not do wrong.
Evidence VIII BE Surprise.
You. therefore. gentlemen. viii listen
TO the evidence with reference to the con-
dition Of Harry Thaw's mind down 10
the time Of this homicide, and with refer
ence to the fact Of the homicide itself
we shall give You some evidence different
from that which was givn by the prose-
cution.'
Taking up the next phase of the case,
! Mr. Gleason showed plainly that Thaw
viii go on the stand Referring to the
subject Of insanity, he said:
I will call your attention to the fact
that the position OF the defense is that
the defendant Harry X. Thaw. for a
/ number of years. had been under the
idea. or delusion. that his life was in
danger in New York, and that under the
influence of that idea. while in the city.
he bad carried a revolver since January
1, 1904. He did not carry or wear an over
coat 10 conceal that revolver, or to hide
it in public places. but he wore the over
/ coat because Of the doctors previous re-
quest and suggestion that he should wear
| il when he went out 10 protect himself
from the weather.
And with reference to the killing of
Stanford White. The tables in the roof
garden that night were placed pretty
close together-that is 10 say, there were
a number Of tables. Looking around, he
saw that there was no open space be
| tween them.
Was Leaving Garden.
And we win show that the defendant,
walking out of the place. got beyond the
tables. and, looking around he saw White
glowering al him, and under the influence.
which v-e will describe TO you I'm the evil
dence, and which our physicians Will be
| examined about and viii explain to you,
he acted under the delusion that it was
an act of proyideuca tfu6er tha ofr1,,,,,
stances to which, in his mind he had
been brought to kill Stanford White.
And acting under the belief that it