Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-16
EVIDENCE FOR PRISONER
DR.. Evans of the New Jersey Hos
pital on the Stand.
SAW NO SIGNS OF PARANOIA
Regards Thaw Perfectly Sane, Free
From Decisions, With No Hallu-
cinations Of Diseased Mind.

ry X Thaw. the slayer OF STANFORD
White. may match his wits with District
Attorney Jerome today in his effort to
gain his freedom from the madhouse to
which he was committed after being &C
quilted by jury. Expert alienists called
by the district attorney in his opposition
to Thaw's movement to obtain his dis
charge from the asylum already have
testified that they believe the prisoner to
be suffering from an incurable form OF
insanity. and that, in their opinion. he
would be a menace to any community In
which he might choose to live
Thaw has been quoted as saying that
he Is not only ready. but anxious to meet
the district attorney. and that he is con-
fident he will be able to acquit himself
in such manner as to leave no room for
doubt that he is sane and fully entitled
to liberty.
Several aliensts and other witnesses
called by both the petitioner and the dis
trict attorney have not yet been exam
ined, and it is not likely that the hear
ing will be completed today.
When the hearing was resumed today
James G.. Graham. who has assumed
charge of the case for the petitioner. con-
tinued the presentation of evidence In
support of the contention that Thaw is
sane.
Regared Actions Rational.
Michael Cummings and Lawrence ].
Creery, from the Tombs prison, testified TO
with Thaw and said that his
actions always impressed them as being
rational
DR.. Britton d. Evans. superint endent Of
the New Jersey State Hospital for the In
sane at Morris Plains. n. j.. was then put
an, thn c-fo ND a~t No. 80, l>,
half.
DIR. Evans was prepared to testify that
ThaW is now sane. but it was not until
after lively tilt with Mr.. Jerome that
Mr.: Graham was able to get this opinion
of DR.. Evans in the minutes.
The doctor said he based his conclusion
wholly upon the actual conditions of the
man as he saw him during the last trial
and In several visits to him in Matteawan.
Mr.. Jerome brought out the fact that
DR.. Evans excluded from this considera-
lion the letters and codiciI of Thaw every
thing. In fact. pertaining to Thaw prior
to the first trial so far as he was able to
divorce the impression Of those facts from
his mind.
Doctors Onion Admitted.
Over objections by Mr.. Jerome. the court
the doctors opinion
II regard Mr.. Thaw as now perfectly
sane, free from decisions. and In possess
sion Of no Authorizations which would in
dictate diseased mental state" said Dr.
Evans.
While Dr. Evans was on the stand DR..
Charles W. Pilgrim entered court and
took seat with Thaw and his counsel
DR.. Pilgrim Is superintendent Of the
Hudson River State Hospital for the In
sane at POughkeepSie and former presi-
dent To-
has been retained as one of Thaws ex-
perts. and he visited him in the Tombs at
and in Poughkeepsie.
DR.. Evans recounted his conversations
with Thaw during four visits to Mattea-
wan. II advised him to go on the stand
in open court said the witness Il
told him that 1 believed he could go on
the stand and convince the court of his
sanity. told him If he did not feel that
he could do this he could hardly expect
his counsel to do much more for him.
He seemed interested in this suggestion.
and said he was perfectly willing to sub
NIT to any examination which the court
might DESIRE but he did not wish to be
subjected to the ordeal of severe cross
examination. l told him that Mr. Jerome
would deal kindly with him.
A smile went around the courtroom at
this.
Advised Thaw.
Dr. Evans said that he advised Thaw
to make application for removal to a
private institution. but Thaw did not
wish to do this for fear Of offending the
Hospital. Thaw told him that
the food at Matteawan was good and
nutritious, but the manner of it's service
did not appeal to him.
Dr. Evans said: Il found nothing in
Thaw's letters nor in the examinations l
made that ! could accept as evidence of
The letters in one or two
instances show a mental irregularity. but
they do not amount to symptoms of
paranoia.
Mr.. Jerome began his cross-examination
with a series of questions which brought
from DR. Evans the statement that he
had excluded from consideration his own
testimony about the brain Storm-rud-
derless ship as Mr. Jerome expressed it.
He also excluded the testimony of DIR.
Wells, concerning Thaw's sickness in
London he said. and Thaws family his
tory The doctor was emphatic in his
statement that he formed his opinion of
Thaw's sanity wholly upon his observa-
lions of the man.