Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-05-15
AGAINST THAW
Dr Baker Says It Would Be Dangerous 10 Allow Him
 His Liberty
OTHER EXPERTS TALK

The testimony of expert alienists by which District Attorney Jerome en- l deavors to prevent the release of Har- ry K. Thaw from the State Hospital for the Criminal Insane at Mattea- wan in expected to occupy the atten- | tion of the court which is hearing the Thaw habeas corpus proceedings to-day Dr Austin Fleet, one of MT Jerome's alienists, was on the wit ness stand when the court adjourned last night and Dr Carlos F. McDon- aid and Dr Amos T. Baker acting su- perintendent of the asylum, have qualified as experts and are likely to be called to-day.
 It is expected that Dr Baker will be questioned as to the truth of the sto- ries which are in circulation herS that in February last wE.:e Thaw was iE the asylum he insisted upon sending to New York for 400 choco- late eclairs and distributing them among the occupants of the asylum and that the asylum authorities per mitted him to do so. Another point on which he may be questioned is that Thaw wanted to take charge of the asylum piano and insisted upon having it tuned by man of his own selection after that work had been done by man called by the asylum authorities. Dr Baker may be asked also whether Thaw wanted to deco rate his ward in the asylum with Easter lilies.
 Dr Amos T. Baker was the first District Attorney Jerome not as an expert but to describe Thaw's con- duct during the three months he was in the Matteawan institution begin ming February 1, 1908.
 Dr Baker related conversations with Thaw in which the relator told of epilepsy and nervous ailments suf- fered by a sister and uncle. Thaw, the witness said, also told of the de- sultory way in which his education was acquired but that at seven years of age he said he had St Vitus' dance. He described an attack of pneumonia at Monte Carlo concern ing which he did not agree with the diagnosis of his physician.
 Thaw told Dr Baker, the latter said. that he used tobacco at IS, used alcohol in moderation and de- nied ever using drugs. He gave his age as 37 though he was 34 when he entered the hospital Asked what he thought of the verdict of the jury in his last trial Thaw told the witnesses that some of the doctors had greatly exaggerated their estimates of his condition, that they had in mind nephew of his whom they had ex- amined who travelled under the same name and was often taken for him. He said that his lawyers and doctors did very clever work in conducting his defense. Dr Baker said that Thaw said to him:
 If was ever insane in my life the attack began one minute before I shot White and ended half a minute afterward."
 He volunteered, however; this much: He compared his situation at that moment to that of a man standing on the brink of a precipice seized with an irresistible impulse to jump.
 While Thaw had said he didn't want to be shown any favoritism yet he was peevish when not given a stimulant and the chance to smoke. On another examination Thaw said Roosevelt took office as president Oc- tober IS, 1905.
 The doctor repeated a description which Thaw gave him of the house alleged to have been maintained by Stanford White and others. He said that these men plotted to put him in an asylum to prevent him from ex- posing their alleged misdeeds to the public.
 He told me that he appealed to Miss Helen Gould and was referred by her to Anthony Comstock," said Dr Baker.
 He said the detective employed by him to watch White and the latter's house informed him that he was in danger.
 when asked to give the substance .of the detectives reports he refused to answer by advice of counsel. He said that his physicians and lawyers had advised him not to discuss what had occurred on the Madison Square roof the night he shot White.
 pr Baker said that in his opinion it would be dangerous to public safe v 10 have Thaw go at large. Dr c. IT. Mcdonald. the alienis.. the next witness. testified that in his opinion Thaw Is an incurable paranoiae. whose confinement is demanded by cnfslderafinn nf nnhlic safofr