Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-01-18
HALTS EVELYN THAW
District Attorney Jerome Bars Ir-
 relevant Testimony.
CUTS FORMER TALE SHORT.
Trial Adjourned Until Monday to Let , Court Decide Question of Private
 Hearine-Proseeutor Scowls at Slay- CTS Wife, but Respects His Mother.

Hearina-Prosecutor ScowIs at Slay-
 CTS Wife, but Respects His Mother. | New York. Jan. 1S.-A series of sur prises brought the Thaw trial near 8 crisis, as both Evelyn Thaw, the wife and Mrs. William Thaw, the mother of the defendant, were on the witness stand, and just as the former was about to relate anew the story of her life as she told it to Thaw in Paris in 1903 District Attorney Jerome arose and suggested that in the interest of public morals all persons save those immediately interested in the. case should be excluded from the courtroom during the recital of what he termed "a horrible tale" The motion included the representatives of newspapers as we'll as the public generally.
 Attorney Martin W. Littleton of the defense joined in it to shield the young woman from hundreds of curious eyes and said that so far as the constitl- tional right to an open hearing was concerned he was ready to waive that point in any ironclad manner the court 1 might suggest Proceedings were sus- pended until Monday morning, when Justice Bowling, who is presiding, will announce his decision. Point For the Defense. | The district attorneys suggestion was distinct surprise and called forth | the remark from Justice Bowling that l 1t would have come with greater force at the first hearing of the case. When Mir. Jerome arose, it was generally be- | lieved that he was about to contend against the admissibility of young Mrs. Thaw's testimony on the ground that it could not have had very serious effect upon the mind of the man who subsequently became her husband, in asmuch as the homicide did not occur until three years thereafter.
 MT. Jerome had previously objected to Mrs. Thaw detailing conversations she had with Thaw three years prior to the tragedy, but Justice Bowling ruled that the declarations of the de- fendant were admissible on general principles and without any reference to the Wood case, under which the evil dence in dispute was admitted last year and which MT. Jerome had been expected to ask construction of this year.
 Irrelevant Details Barred.
 T will not except to your honor's ruling" said the district attorney as he took his seat after his objection, flor the state has no power of appeal"
 Then MT. Jerome attacked the wit ness in another way and by standing immediately fin front of her and object ing to practically every question which Mir. Littleton asked in his preliminary examination as to her early history cut the young woman's recital from the effective narrative it assumed last year into hundred fragments. Many of the objections, based upon irrele- vancy and immateriality, were sus. tained by the court.
 When these failed, the prosecutor was ever ready with others until the testimony fairly was torn into shreds and had lost entirely the many little touches of human interest which were a part of the narration last year, when no objections were offered. MT. Jerome said his objections were intended to cut out all stories about pet cats "and a lot of other stuff" which had no place in the trial.
 Jerome GIares at Evelyn.
 The day, however. was one of good progress for the defense. The elder Mrs. Thaw. pale and weak from her recent illness. was assisted to the wit ness chair and repeated large part of the testimony she gave year ago. Her appearance and the sincerity of her evidence as she told of her sons strange conduct after meeting Evelyn Nesbit and hearing her story had a marked effect upon all who listened. On account of her weak condition her examination was interrupted by con sent. to he resumed some time next week.
 District Attorney Jerome's manner while the mother was on the stand was all deference. and 1t was his sug- gestion which led to the respite in her ordeal But when the young wife took the stand the change was marked. Je- rome glared at her from the very first. and his objections were fairly shouted in her ears. We'll accustomed to court usage from her former experience. the young woman waited patiently for a ruling as to each objection. When they were sustained. she was silent: when overruled. she was ever ready with her response.
 Always Irrational" Says Witness.
 Effective testimony was given at the session by Miss Alice C. Fletcher of Washington. a long time friend of the Thaws and a frequent visitor at their home. She said she had known Harry Thaw for twenty-six years. and he had always impressed her as irrational. Miss Catherine O'NeIIl. who nursed Thaw as q boy. from his third to his tenth year. added her evidence to that already adduced as to irrational con- duct and tendencies on the part of the defendant
 Two dOormen at the police station where Thaw was confined the night of the tragedy repeated their stnrirs of last year of Thaw's irrational appear arra nnh hfx r.nntnIafnfnc nf nnIssss