The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-01-14
Neither White Slayernor
His Familytob be Spared
in Proving This.
MIND NOT RIGHT
WHILE ABROAD
Doctors and Nurses to Be Brought
to Show That He Was Insane
in Rome, Monte Carlo and
h Konda-Prelncditated
Murder, Declares
Garvan.
Caravan.

NEW YORK. January 1.-THE Thaw
trial moved with rush to-day. After
the State had presented its direct case
and Assistant District Attorney Gar
van had characterized the killing OF
Stanford White as ''premeditatsd. de.
liberate and cowardly murder. Mar
tin w. Littleton, for the defense. made
the opening plea for tho prisoner. His
promise OF new evidence was sensa-
tional, Mr.. Littleton promised to forge
Z chain Of circumstances and 70 pro.
duce q line OF testimony which will
prove Harry K. Thaw undeniably in
sane at the time OF the homicide. Evil
hnnce OF hereditary insanity and OF
strange, unusual acts OF Thaw was
told OF by Mr.. Littleton. who said that
physicians and nurses who had at,
tended Thaw were hurrying here from
Europe: that teachers OF the defendant
in childhood would be on hand to
give their Impressions Of "tlle wide
eyed. distant boy"
In conclusion Mr.. LittIcton chal.
lenged the District Attorney to produce
single reputable physician who would
say that Thaw was not insane at the
time he killed the noted architect. Mr.
Littleton startled the courtroom by
declaring that after Evelyn Nesbit had
told him her story in Paris in 1908,
Thaw .drenched himself with poison
and would have died but for the heroic
work OF three physicians. who labored
over him all of one night" When Mr..
Littleton started to launch into the re-
iatlons OF Stanford White with the
girl whom Thaw married Mr.. Jerome
was on his feet with an objection.
Justice Bowling sustained him. and
the name of the architect was not
linked again with that OF the de-
fendant's wife. Mr.. Littleton touched
but lightly upon the girls story. as
she told II to Thaw. but again drew
an objection from the prosecuting OF
ficer. who said: INF. Little,on Is now
straying into stuff which. in my opin-
ion Will be excluded" Again Justice
Bowling sustained the objection.
He Nor Family Spared.
SIR. Littleton spared neither Thaw
nor his family In his recital Of the de-
fendant's life history.
During the speech Thaw sat wide
eyed and pallid. looking axedly at his
counsel. Toward the close he seemed
rather displeased with something that
was said. Mr.. Littleton's speech was
somewhat dramatic and inlpassioned at
times, and was keenly followed by the
jury. Thaw's ancestry. marked by de-
cidcd taints OF insanity on both the
fathers and mothers side, according
to his chief counsel, was drawn with
great care. and then the defendant
ratio and insane as a boy, who. oscil-
lating between "starship and madness.
between brllliance and darkness
fought unavailingly against the fever
of insanity which coursed in his blood
at birth. II make no claims for this
defendant above those of the average
man as to morals. vices or virtues
declared Mr.. Littleton, but ] say his
life history Is enough to free him from
the charge that he was responsible
for his act. Add to his history the
heartbreaking episode of his love for
the young woman who became his wife,
and OF her recital to him OF q story
which. flashed to the four quarters of
the globe, made all the world that reads
stand still and wonder, and Shall have
no hesitancy In asking you II you have
not a reasonable doubt as to whether
ihe was sane the night Of this deplor-
able trag edy., And upon that doubt ]
shall ask you for a verdict Of not
guilty"
Insane While Abroad.
Mr.. Littleton told of trip abroad
taken by Thaw in 1899. when he was
i'll and insane at Rome. Monte Carlo
and kondo, being under the care OF
physicians and nurses at each place.
and declared he would produce these
physicians and nurses. as far as possi-
Die, to tell their story. Teachers who
Kept diaries about the strange child
who sat in their classes also will come
he. said, to tell the Jury about the
early life and tendencies OF the de-
fendant. Describing the killing Of Mr.
WHITE Mr. IiftIatnn sa III h. -5lss iiy5 ssilt
THAT madness born and bred III
him, had been set on fire by the stories
he had heard. He had gone to the dis
trict attorney with them and to NIr
Colmstock. They ran in his head. until
staggering among the chairs Of Nladi
son Square Garden-yet not drunk
{ his eyes burning like two great conl>
Of fire, unable intelligently to answe,
Two questions put to hinlgmaniacal .ir
the last degree. ost-lo ost as he was II
Rome in Monte Carlo and in London
the blind confusion OF insanity over.
came him and he fired. The result was
ma a murder, but the act OF mo
man, who afterwards. wild-eyed ant
Irrational. crled out in his cell tina,
he heard the voices OF little children
calling, and proclaimed that he had bu,
acted as an agent Of, Provldence,
After his speech Mr.. Littleton wa
i asked lin What manner he would at.
tempt to prove Tnaw# sane at the pres,
ent time II he offered such an accumu'
ilationYo OF evidence as to progressive In:
sanity up to the time of the killing. Il
can only say that will cross my
bridges as I come to them. a man can
ride two horses going In opposite dl'
rectlons at the same time" he re-
piled. ai{ 3.
The outline Of the defense was gen
orally considered as reflecttng de
Termination on the part OF Thaw''
attorneys to prove him insane in ] 906
regardless OF all n consequences Th,
hrst evidence for the defense, prob
ably of a medical character. will b
taken to-morrow morning. Prior t
the opening ofBcourt to-day, a Russel
1Spt appication 9 3or I.aie
To- SO to Pittsburg and ia kel the ttesti
IRONY of Mrs. liam = how woul
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