Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1908-01-21
TAAW'S WIFE TELLS STORY
Court Rules That Public Cannot Be
Excluded From Room.
NEW INCIDENT BROUGHT OUT
Defendant Attempted to Commit sui
eide white in EuroPe--JerOme's
CrOss-ExaminatiOn f.
Offensive.

NEW YORK. Jan. 9O.-Mrs. Evelyn Mes
BIT Thaw told her story today for the
second time. The repetition lacked the vi
tality OF the first recital but the great
crowd in the court room, where her hus-
band. Harry Kendall Thaw. is on trial for
the killing of Stanford White. listened In
tently to every word. Justice Bowling had
ruled that he found no warrant in the law
for closing the doors against the public and
there was a great clamor for admittance
from a throng which hung about the
building all day long. District Attorney
Jerome. failing IN his move to exclude spec
tators, took occasion when 1t came his turn
to cross-examine the witness to bring oht
all of the details OF the first trial, which
Mr. Littieton, OF the defense, had omitted
on his direct inquiry OF the witness. Mr..
Jerome also tried to block Mrs. Thaw's
testimony in its entirety on the ground that
It was a conversation which occurred three
years before the tragedy and could not
have any bearing on Thaw's mental con-
dition on the night Of the homicide. Justice
Dowllng overriled the objection.
Mrs. Thaw was on the stand all day long
and Mr. Jerome announced when adjourn
ment for the day was taken that his cross
examination would occupy a greater part Of
tomorrow's sessions.
Many Objections by jerome.
Mrs Thaw's story was broken into bits
by constantly repeated objections from the
prosecution. who sought TO exclude all de-
tails on the ground of immateriality. The
frequent objections led Justice Dowlng to
request Mr.. Littleton to cut his examina-
tion as short possible Mr.. Littleton
took this course only TO find that on cross
examination Mir. Jerome insisted upon read
10
word the witness had then uttered. He
did this under the privilege Of framing new
questions.
Mr.. Idttleton objected to IL, declaring
that the district attorney by reading the
former testimony in disagreeable man
ner was trying to discredit her in the eyes
of the jury when he could not discredit
her in any way by a direct question. Mr.
Jerome made no attempt to disguise a
tone of complete contempt in reading the
testimony. Contempt also characterized
most of the questions he put to the wit
ness. whom he attacked In the loudest
voice he has yet used at the trial. Mr.
Jerome plunged at once into the more
intimate details of the testimony and made
no delicate choice of words in framing his
interrogations.
Mr.. Littleton's objections on the ground
of "offensiveness and improperly fire.
quently we're sustained by the court.
witness Fences SkiIlfuIIy.
Mrs. Thaw matched wits against both
District Attorney Jerome and his assist
ant Mr.. .Garvin. who was ever at his
chiefs elbow with new suggestions. She
fenced with them as skilfuIly as she did a
year ago and at times reflected the mood
of the district attorney by answering in a
voice pitched in as loud key as his own.
The prosecutors pitiless and aggressive
questions often struck fire and once when
Mr.. Jerome demanded to know II the
young woman had told Thaw certain
things, she replied hotly
"Yes. / told him, but I did not use the
language you are using"
Don't argue with me, madam" shouted
Jerome. who then had the reply stricken
from the record.
Thaw Attempts Suicide.
But one feature appeared in the testi-
mony of the witness. This was when she
told about Thaw swallowing the contents
OF a bottle OF laudanum at Monte Carlo
in 1904 in an attempt to end his life.
Previously to this, at the Grand hotel in
New York, Thaw had talked of suicide,
his wife declared and had suggested that
she also should take poison, ss both their
! lives had been ruined.
Mrs. Thaw said she humored Thaw at
the time and diverted his mind. She was
out Of the room when he finally took the
poison in Europe
"Why didn't you tell us about this at
the first trial?" demanded Mr.. Jerome.
Because Mr.. Delmas said It might make
VIarrxy out too craz fba vvftpaaa rafo,-t "a
before the district attorney could stop her.