Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-01-15
IT'S THE MADHOUsE
OR ELECTRIC CHAIR
Awful Glesh Of Evidence 10 Prove
Insanity Being Weavsd Around
Harry TtaW.
lITTLETON MIKES ONE Defense
Leading Counsel for the Accused Man
Offers Testimony Which Goes to
Show That Thaw Has Been insane
From soyhood-Jeromc lnterposes
Many Objections During the Day.
(3y Associated Pros,

G}y Associated Press)
NEW YORK, Jan. 1.-the altor-
ncys for Harry *. Thaw. At his trial
today. began relcnt1cssly TO build up
the case of legal insanity which they
have interposcd in his behalf as n
defense for the killing of Stanford
White. The Two principal witnesses
OF the day were Professor Charles
II. kohler of Winoni, Mimi. who
acted as instructor to Thaw in the
Wooster. Ohio. University I'm 1896. ana
Mrs. Amy Crozctte OF San Mateo. Cal.
who attended Thaw rs trained nurse
at Montreal in 1897 They both told
OF The young mans ecccntricitics and
declared that his manner was ira
iional. II
DIR. John T. Decmar of KitN hg.
"a one of the Thaw family pHsAi-
clans. also was heard as we're the at
tending physicians of three instiui
lions for the insane. where members
OF Thaw's family, on both paternai
and maternal sides. were confined.
District Attorney Jerome. by unex-
pectedly invoking the sacred privi-
lego of physician and patient blocked
much of the testimony as to the
unsoundnoss of mind in the Thaw
family, hut the calling of the wit
neSses and the questions they were
allowed by the court to answer left
The desired impression on the jury.
Nh. Jerome explained that the law
compelled him to object to such tes-
timony without an express waiver
from the patient.
Even the nurse who attended Thaw
was not allowed to testify until Thaw
personally had made a waiver of the
confidential privilege.
There was half hour delay in
beginning the Trial today. Justice
Bowling having been caught in n
subawy blockade. The luncheon re-
cess was then ordered
DR.. Robert II. Chase. superintendent
OF the Friends Asylum for the In.
sane at Frankfort, near PHILADELPHIA.
where Harriet Alice Thaw. paternal
aunt of the accused is confined was
the first witness at the afternoon
session. He said he knew Miss Thaw
and had examined her from time TO
time as to her mental condition. In
voking again the confidential rela-
tons between physicians and patient
District Attorney Jerome prevented
the witness from saying what tho
mental condition was. The original
commitment papers also We're offered
but were rejected by the court.
ThaW Waived Right.
Mrs Amy Gozctte. the trained nurse
who attended Harry Thaw at Monte
Carlo in 1897. an English woman. now
residing in California. took the stand
District Attorney Jerome objected to
any testimony from Mrs. Cosette nm
less Thaw waived the point of priv
LEGGED communication as between ma
tiont and nurse.
Justice Bowling asked Thaw IL he
desired 10 enter waiver.
81 do replied the defendant.
Mrs. Gozette said that while un-
der her care and with temperature
Of 1Of degrees. Thaw dressed him
self one day and stole out. He was
gone two hours and came back in
highly nervous condition.
Mrs. GobetSe said that while Thaw
was under her care he impressed her
as being distinctly irrational.
Said Thaw Was irrational.
Martin Green newspaper man.
who witnessed the tragedy and tes-
tiiied last year that Thaw acSad in
thoroughly irrational manner. de-
scribed Thaw's appearance as bad
ly musscd up." and Irrational
Thomas u. Hanly. another ncwspa-
per man. who saw the killing. testi.
fed that Thaw impressed him as an
insane man.
Mr., Lltleton here asked for an early
aijiuf nment until tomorrow because
Of the non-arrival OF certain out of
town witnesses. and 1t was granted.
The First Witness.
DIR. John y. Deemar. physician for
years to the Thaw family in Pitts
burg. was called as the first witness
for the defense today. after saving
-