The semi-weekly messenger., 1908-01-24
M0HtROF THAW ON STAND
Gives Further Testimony of Taint
of Insanity in Family
Attorney Jerome-Affidavit Made
at Former Trial Read-JerOme
and Littleton Engage in Contro-
versy Which is stopped BY Judge.

New York, Jan. 22.-The end Of the
second Thaw trial IS fast approaching
This was indicated late today when
| DR.. Charles G. Wagner, the first of the
alienists to be called bv the defense,
took the stand for, mis- preliminary ex-
animation.
Anthony Comstock vice president OF
the society for the Suppression OF
| Vice, had been heard as a witness
early in the day and Mrs. William
Thaw, mother of the defendant had
completed her testimony. The kinder
garten teacher who had charge of Har-
ry Thaw as a lad of six also testi-
| fed
Mr.. Comstoch's testimony has been
Idiscounted by the Know facts OF
Thaw's appeal to him to assist in
closing up the house whore Stanford
White was alleged to have maintain
| ed deliberately furnished apartments
and where young girls were said 10
| have been mistreated. A dozen letters
Thaw wrote to Ccmstock regarding
the matter, giving Il detailed descrip-
ton of the Twenty-fourth street house
were admitted in evidence and read to
! the jury
District Attorney Jerome seemed as
we'll pleased as did the defense with
the letters and later in the day read
in the record himself mos, of Mr.. Com
stocks replies to Thaw. The witness
Indicated in his evidence that nothing
ever came of the complaints, legal
evidence being lacking
Mrs. William Thaw, still unable to
walk unassisted, because of her re-
cent illness, told of Thaw's early life,
| of influences before his birth and the
| mental unsoundness Of two Of her
brothers. She was not cross examined.
Mr.. Jerome contented himself with
reading to the jurors the affidavit by
the elder Mrs. Thaw last year, when
the question of her sons sanity was
before a lunacy commission. In tha
affidavit she declared that in the direct
sanity in Harry Thaw's family for
Sour generations. AS to the collateral
cases Mrs. Thaw said there were but
two and they were easily accountef
for. In her statement to the commits
sion Mrs. Thaw also resented the in
sinuation which she had been COM
relied to suffer because uf the newspa-
pers reports of insanity in the family
and she asserted that there were no
family secrets to hide and there was
TO skeleton tC be bared.
Mr.. Littleton may continue with ex-
pert testimony tomorrow or he may
offer as witnesses The doctors from
Rome, Paris and London, who are to
testify briefly of attending Thaw in
those cities.
Another doctor is expected to testify
about an outbreak Oh a train and that
will end all save the expert testimony.
Today the codicil TO Thaw's will
was placed in evidence, but the will
itself was temporarily ruled out be-
cause of the insuficuency OF evidence
showing its custody since 1905. Mr..
Littleton said be would supply this to-
morrow or Friday.
The codicil provided number OF
requests to lawyers and others to aid
alleged victims of Stanford White 20
prosecute claims for damages against
him and for the prosecution of all
persons engaged t'in such unlawful
practices as said Stanford White"
Thaw named a number of young
women now on the stage as possible
claimants against White.
Following the reading of the codicil
Mr.. Littleton called Anthony Comstock
to the stand
Mr.. Comstock said that Thaw called
at his Office in February 1904 and COM
planned OF a party who was wrcnging
young girls Thaw went into details
which the witness repeated as far as he
could remember.
Mr.. Comstock also said he had re-
ceived several letters from Thaw.
On cross examination District AT.
torney jerome asked MIR. Comstocs