Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1908-01-18
SEEK TO PROVE
THAW WAS INSANE
Defense Presents New Testimony
in Famous Trial.
PROSECUTION RESTS ITS CASE

New York Jan. 16.-The Thaw trial
moved with a rush. After the state had
presented its direct case ana Assist
ant District Attorney Garvan had
characterized the killing OF Stanford
White as "a premeditated. deliberate
and cowardly murder" Martin w. Lit
Teton. for the defense. made the open.
ing plea for the prisoner His promise
of new evidence was sensational and
held the supreme attention of all In
the courtroom District Attorney Je-
rome. seemingly taken by surprise.
seated himself In the witness chair
the better to hear the outline of the
new defense. Mr. Littleton promised
To forge a chain of circumstances and
to produce line OF testimony which
will prove Harry X Thaw undenably
insane at the time of the homicide.
Evidence Of hereditary insanity and
Of strange unusual acts of Thaw not
even limited at during the first trial
was told Of by Mr.. Llttleton. who said
that physicians and nurses who had
from Europe: that teachers OF the de.
PENDANT In childhood would be on hand
To give their impressions of THE wide.
eyed. distant boy" In conclusion. Mr.
Littleton challenged the district at.
torney to produce n single reputable
physician who would say that Thaw
was not insane at the time he killed
the noted architect
DR.. John T. Deemar. OF kittaning.
Pa. one OF the Thaw family physicians.
also was heard as were the attending
physicians of three institutions for the
insane whore members Of Thaw's fam
lily. on both paternal sides. were con-
fined District Attorney Jerome by un
expectedly invoking the sacred priv
ilege Of physician and patient blocked
much of the testimony as 10 unsound-
ness OF mind In the Thaw family but
the calling OF the witnesses and the
questions they were allowed By the
court to answer left the desired i'm
preston upon the Jury
Martin Green and Thomas b. Hanly
two newspaper writer's. who were on
the Madison Square Roof Garden at
the time of the tragedy. were text on
the witness sstand They both testfi-
ed that Thaw was irrational in ap-
pearancc after the shooting; that his
eyes buleed. and that he seemed 10 be
laborinG under a great nervous strain.
Alfred Lee Thaw. OF Richmond Va.
a third cousin OF the defendant. took
the stand and told of the faint Of In.
sanity which had caused his father
and brother TO die in state asylums.
Some Of Thaw's alleged eccentrici-
ties. revealed for the first time. were
related by Christopher Baegan. stew
ard Of the New York Whist club: by
Miss Matilda Stein telephone opera
tor and by August Weber a former
butler in the Thaw household Thaw
spent a portion Of the afternoon Of
June %. 1906. at the Whist club and
at that time-a fcw hours before the
tragedy-was pictured by the steward
as being highly nervous and as fire.
quently exclaimlng This Is awful. 8"
He asked the steward TO have n valu-
able package put into the safe After
the shooting the package was opened
and found 10 contain three cigarettes
wrapped.in tin foil District Attorney
Jerome in cross-examining the club
steward brought out the fact that
Thaw played bridge there with many
prominent men. The witness declared
he was not supposed to know what Mr.
Thaw. Mr. Gates. Mr. Schwab and
others played for. but he was sure
nothing but mineral water was ever
served at the tables.
The telephone operator told of Thaw
putting In seventy five calls one morn
ing at the Grand hotel and then forget
ting all about them.