Evening star., 1908-01-16
HOLD HUGHES BOOM ECCENTRIC OR INSANE
Parsons in New York to Delay More Evidence OF haws Al
the Game. leged lrratlonal AClS.
WI DIFFER IND0RSEMEN HIS OLD TEACHER TALKS
Tells of His Exceedingly Nervous
Block Governors Advance Manners.
PAY $40 CASH OR NO VOTE MOTHERS FEARS ARE SHOWN
New
Hmsel Tomorro to in a Ii School
Hand. Ago.
HIS OLD TEACHER TALKS
Tells Of His Exceedingly Nervous
Manners.
MOTHERS FEARS ARE SHOWN
Feared Sons Mind Was Unbalanced
in Letter Written to School
master Years Ago.

More evidence as to alleged ir-
rational conduct on the part of the
defendant was offered at the trial
of Harry h. Thaw today, tie
most impressive witness being
Abraham r. Beck. who taught a
select school OF fifteen boys IL
Pennsylvania i'll 1881 and 1882,
and young Thaw was one of his
pupils. Mr.. Beck described Thaw
as boy OF ungovernable temper.
Mrs. William Thaw, mother of
the defendant. is now in New
York, and will be called as a wit
ness this afternoon or tomorrow.
NEW YORK, January 1o.-With some
of the same testimony that was intro
duced at the first trial, and with numerous
witnesses who are appearing for the first
time, the defense in the trial of Harry
X. Thaw for the killing of Stanford
White continues to pile up evidence in
tended to show that the defendant was
not mentally sound when he fired the
shots which caused the death OF the ar
chitect
This morning August Webber. who was
butler in the house occupied by the
Thaws In 1903 in New York, will resume
the stand to finish the story which he be-
gan yesterday. Little incidents in Thaw's
life at that time as recalled by the but
ler incidents of his nervousness. his for
getfulness and his seeming responsibility,
are counted en- by the defense to show
that for a long time preceding the night
of the act of the actual shooting Of
White Harry Thaw was mentally ire
sponsible.
It is evidently the object of the de-
fense. as planned by Mr.. Littleton. to
bring before the jury every person who
knew Thaw throughout the years before
the tragedy on the Madison Square Gar
den roof who is prepared to detail any
incident which, even in the remotest de-
gree, might tend to convince the jury
that the defendant was Irrational.
Many Witnesses Called.
House servants and club servants, teach
ers and medical attendants, in fact. all
classes of people who knew or saw Harry
Thaw have been subpoenaed by the de-
fense to add their testimony to that OF
the men and women who were actual wit
nesses of the shooting, to show that his
irrationality on that occasion was only
continuation of irrational acts which
marked his life for many years, and
which were the result of inherited insan-
ity. Some of the more important wit
nesses are expected soon from Europe.
August Weber, the former Thaw butler,
who yesterday testified to various Incl
dents in the life of Harry Thaw during
the early months of 1903, was recalled to
the witness stand when the trial was
opened today. He was asked by Mr.. Lit
tleton. of the defense, If Thaw's actions
as he observed them while employed in
the Washington and Pittsburg homes. inn
pressed him as rational CT irrational 'Ir-
rational" replied the witness, promptly.
District Attorney Jerome then began his
cross-examination.
He had the witness repeat several of
the incidents he related yesterday after
noon. and was asked If he consid cred a
So tip from Thaw an irrational act.
1T seemed queer for what / did" said
Weber.
Thaw Nervous and Excitable.
The witness declared that Thaw was
not d!ssipating and seemed healthy when
he knew him, but always was nervous
and excitabI
Christopher Baggan, steward of the
New York Whist Club. was recalled TO
give the dates of Thaw's visits 10 the
club in 1304-05 and 1906. Mr.. Jerome
brought out from the witness the fact
that he was able on each Of these occa-
sions to play bridge whist with the best
players in the club.
Raymond A. Brown. a music publisher
and eyewitness of the killing of Stan
ford White, here was called and testified
to Thaw's irrational appearance on the
roof garden.
Brown said he knew Thaw personally
and spoke to him during an intermission
in the performance but could not get q
coherent reply.
did you ever try to get a coherent
reply from any other man twenty minutes
before he took the life of fellow human
being?" asked District Attorney Jerome.
NO" replied the witness.
That's all
Thaw's School Teacher.
Abraham R. Beck of Lancaster county.
Pa, uncle of former Assistant Attorney
General James NJ. Beck. was called as
the next witness. He said that Harry
Thaw was one of fifteen boys in his school
in 1881 and 1882. The memory of the boy
had always lived with him, said the wit
ness. .
..The bow was excessively nervous"
said Mr. Beck .and was very unsocfa1
and sullen and distracted His eyes were
most striking. One of the principal things
/ remember ABOUT young HdW "dS tiio
spasmodic and startling outbursts of ami
maI-likes howls. These howls would stop
as suddenly as the turning off of foun-
tain.
Mr.. Beck identified letter he had re-
ceived from Mrs. William Thaw. the
mother of Harry. about the boys conduct
at school, and it was read 10 the jury,
The letter was dated October 25. 1881. ana
was in reply to communication from
Mr.. Beck complaining of Harry's conduo&
and speaks of the distress the letter
caused the parent.
Mother Pleaded Indulgence for Son.
Can you not bea- with him while
longer?" the letter from Mrs. Thaw read.
ITO yield to his wishes now and send him
home I am afraid might ruin him. l be-
gin to fear that his conduct and his out
bursts are not all the results of temper
and rebellion, but that his mind is more
or less unbalanced. Do you think there
is any danger of that? His uncle, who
became weak minded. was subject, as
boy. to just such outbursts of tenn
per. and / have a horrible feeling or
dread. Won't you deal gently with him
for nv sake? How would it do to avoid
noticing him for one day? l really do not
know what to suggest. Harry is SO diff
ferenf from the other four children, He