Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-05-15

was not irritable and tried to irritate
him."
When DR.. Wilson said that the CONVEX
sation was rambling, Mr.. Graham asked
who conducted it. whereupon Mr. Jerome
objected to the REALTORS impeaching his
own witness. DR.. Wilson said he ques-
toned Thaw for symptoms of hereditary
insanity and found none. Mr.. Jerome
cross examined him sharply, and referr-
ing to testimony taken during the muir
der trial asked the doctor if he ques-
toned Thaw about the alleged insanity
of certain relatives of Thaw. The wit
ness replied no.
After Dr. Wilson's testimony Mr.. era
ham announced that the relator rested,
only enc expert having testified and
Thaw not having gone on the stand in
his own behalf. Thaw was nervous and
restless in his chair. District Attorney
Jerome wished to take an adjournment
but Justice Morschauser insisted on pro-
ceeding.
| Mr. Jerome assented and called DR..
Austin Flint of New York, the insanity
expert. who testified that he observed
| Thaw in New York for II weeks. While
Mr.. Jerome was sending to the hotel for
some exhibits that he had not expected
to use today, at the suggestion of the
court DR.. Charles F. Macdonald qualified
as an expert alienist for the respondent
| DR.. Amos T. Baker, acting superinten-
| dent of the Matteawan hospital, also
qualified.
| District Attorney Jerome proceeded on
| the promise that Thaw's counsel were
holding their experts for rebuttal. Let
| tiers written by Thaw and used in the
| homicide trial were produced by Mr. Je-
| rome and shown to DR.. Flint, who was
| still on the witness stand. Mr.. Jerome
objected to their admission because they
had not been properly proved. Mr.. Je-
| rome then made the admission regular
by his own testimony Mr.. jerome said
! that the letters had been in his possess
| sion since they were first offered in court
and have not been tempered with. Mr..
| Graham pointed out that the letters were
written four years ago. AS Mr. Graham
wished to look over the letters, a recess
was taken to give him the opportunity.
| DR.. Flint said that he found Thaw
domineering, self-sufficient and somewhat
| disposed to conduct his own trial He
had seen some 90 men under trial for
| murder and had never seen one act so
49,
| abnormally
| 'He strutted into court in q wav that
was not consistent. in my opinion, with a
perfectly sane mind" said DR.. Flint HE
seemed impressed with his own impor-
lance. He was kind and condescendng
toward his counsel. His bringing into
| court a portfolio of documents and strut
| ting about with them was not like any
! thing 7 q,
| cumstances.'
Mr. Graham got DR.. Flint to admit
| that Thaw's case was unique The wit
ness was required to read list of muir
der trials with which he has been con-
nected.
| DR.. Flint said that he based his opinion
of paranoia on Thaw's letters his codcil.
his conversations, demeanor in court, GER
tain business letters sent by him TO Fits
burg. his family history, his sickness as
child and a statement given by Thaw
to the press.
| After the recess Mr.. Graham was still
| unwilling to admit the letters. There was
some parleying and Mr. jerome called
A. Russell Peabody, Thaw's lawyer. to
the stand and showed him the letters
Mr.. Peabody was not permitted to iden-
| tify the letters because he said that mis-
knowledge of Thaw's handwriting was
obtained in his capacity as counsel He
| said, however, that they were the letters
| introduced at the trial. Mr. Jerome was
then obliged to testify that the codicil
to Thaw's will had not been altered since
| the homicide trial. Dr. Flint was shown
the documents in Thaws handwriting and
ne said that he made a careful examina-
ton of them. This examination, with his
study of Thaw, satisfied him. he said,
That Thaw is insane, afflicted with para
| noia, which is incuraDle. He described
the disease and said that it was regard
| ed by alenists as the most dangerous
form of insanity, because persons afflict-
| ed with it are dominated by decisions
and are likely to commit suicide. They
are, therefore, improper persons to be at
| large, DIR. Flint said.
| Cross examined by Mr.. Graham DR..
| Flint was required to give an outline of
| MS several conversations with Thaw
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