The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-01-14

New York, Jan. 13.-The Thaw trial
4 moved with rush today. After the
state had presented its direct case and
Assistant District Attorney Garvin had
characterized the killing Of Stanford
White as "a premeditated, deliberate
and cowardly murder Martin W.
Lfttleton for the defense made the
opening plea for the prisoner.
Tis promise Of new evidence was
sensational and held the supreme at
tention Of the courtroom. District AT.
torney Jerome. seemingly taken by
surprise, seated himself In the witness
chair the better to hear the outline Of
the new defense Mr.. Littleton prom
fsed to forge chain Of circumstances
and to produce a line Of testimony
which will prove Harry K. Thaw In
sane at the time Of the homicide.
Evidence Of hereditary insanity and
Of strange and unusual acts Of Thaw,
not even hinted at during the first
trial, was told of by Mr.. Littleton, who
eaid that physicians and nurses who
had attended Thaw were hurrying
here from Europe; that teachers Of
the defendant in childhood would be
on hand to give their Impressions of
The "wild-eyed, distant boy"
In conclusion, Mr.. Littleton chal-
enged the district attorney to prod lcs,
4 single reputable person who would
say that Thaw was not insane at cne
time lie killed the noted architect.
Filled With Surprises.
MIR. Litt'@.n's speech fairly bristlsi
with surprises. Mr.. Jerome had his
surprise to offer, too, and when Mr..
Littleton started to launch into the re-
lations Of Stanford White with the
girl whom Thaw married the district
attorney was on his feet with an OBJ
lection. Justice Bowling sustained
him and the name Of the architect
was not linked again with that Of the
defendants wife. Mr.. Littleton touch.
ed lightly upon the girls story as she
told It to Thaw, but, careful as he
was on this point, he again drew an
objection from the prosecuting ohlcer.
who said:
"Mr. Littletnu ts now straying into
. field Of stuff which. In my opinion.
win be excluded" "A,
Again Justice Bowling sustained the
objection. It was reported at the be-
ginning Of the trial that Mr.. Jerome
would light this In order 10 e3eludo
The testimony Of young Mrs. Thaw.
During Mr.. Littleton's speech Nhaw
sat wideeyed and pallid, looking
Axcd!y at his counsel Toward the
close he seemed rather disp1eased
With something that was said, an 1.
leaning forward. scribbled OF . note
Llttleton Describes Killing.
Describing the killing Of Mr.. White.
Mr.. Littleton said:
''Thaw's madness, born and bred in
him. had been set on fire by the
stories he had heard. He had gone
to the district attorney with them.
and to Mr. Comstock. They ran in
his head until, staggering among the
chairs Of Madison Square garden, his
eyes burning like great Goals Of hre.
unable to answer intelngently Ques-
tlons put to him, maniacal In the last
degree lost, lost as he was in Rome.
Ia Monte Carlo and ii London the
blind confusion overcame him. The
result was not q murder, but the act
of madman, who. afterward, Wild
eyed and irrational, cried out In his
cell that he heard the voices Of little
children calling and proclaimed that
he had but acted as an agent Of Provi-
dence."
After his speech Mr.. Littleton was
asked in what manner rs would at
tempt to prove Thaw sane at the pres
ent If he offered such evidence az 70
progressive insanity up to the time Of
the killing.
''I can only say that I win cross my
bridges as come to them. A man
can't ride two horses going IN oppo.
site directions at the same time" he
replied. sss 38
The flrst evidence for the defense
viii be given tomorrow morning.
ADMIT TRUST COMPANIES.