The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-01-21
JEROME SHOUTS
HIS QUESTIONS
District Attorney Attempts to
Terrorize Evelyn Nesbit
ThaW on Witness Stand.
WITNESS is UNRUFFLED
JUDGE DECIDES AGAINST CLOS
ING OF DOORS.

NeSbitt Thaw told her story today for
the second time. The repetition lacked
the vitality of the first recital, but the
crowd in the court room where her 1us-
band. Harry Kendall Thaw. is on trial
for the killing of Stanford White. lis
tened intently to every word Justice
bowling had ruled that he found moth
ing in the law for closing the doors
against the public. and there was q
great clamor for admittance from a
throng which hung about the building
all day long. Mr.. Jerome. failing in his
move TO exclude spectators. took occa-
sion. when it came his turn to cross
examine the witness. to bring out all
of the details OF the first trial which
Mr.. Littleton of the defense had omit
ted on his direct examination of the
witness. Mr.. Jerome also sought to
block Mrs. ThaW's testimony in it's en-
tirety on the ground that a converse
ton which occurred three years before
the tragedy could not have any bear
ing on the mind of Thaw on the night
of the homicide. Justice Bowling over
ruled the objection.
AII-0ay Drilling.
Mrs. Thaw was on the stand all day
long, and Mr.. Jerome announced when
adjournment for the day was taken
that his cross-examination would occu-
Ply greater part of tomorrow's. ses-
sion.
Mrs. Thaws story was broken into
bits by constantly repeated objections
from the prosecution, who sought to
exclude all details on the ground OF
immateriality. The frequent objections
led Justice Downing to request Mr..
LittletOn to cut this examination as
short as possible. Mr. Little:on took
the course indicated, only to find that
on DISCRIMINATION MIR. Jerome in
sisted upon reading from last. years
record nearly every word the witness
had then uttered He did this under
the privilege of framing new ques-
lions.
Jerome Shows Contempt.
Mr. Littleton objected to it, declar-
ing that the district attorney by read
ing the former testimony in disagree
able manner, was trying to discredit
the witness in the eyes of the jury
When he could not discredit her in
any way by direct question. Mr.
Jerome made no attempt to dis
guise tone of complete contempt
in reading the testimony. Con-
tempt also characterized most of
the questions he put to the witness,
whom he attacked in the lOudeSt voice
he has yet used at the trial. sAfr. Je-
rome plunged Immediately into the
more intimate details of the testimony,
and made no delicate choice of words
in framing his questions.
Mr.. Littleton's objection on the
ground of "offensiveness and impro-
priety" frequently were sustained by
the court.
Match for the Attorneys.
Mrs. Thaw matched wits against
both District Attorney Jerome and his
assistant Mr.. Caravan, who was ever
at his chiefs elbow with new sugges-
tons. She fenced with them as skill
fully as she did a year ago, and at
times reflected the mood OF the dis
trict attorney by answering in a voice
pitched in as loud a key as his own.
The prosecutors pitiless and aggres-
sive questions often struck fire, and
once, when Mr. Jerome demanded to
know if the young woman had told
Thaw certain things, she replied:
Yes. I told him. but | did not use
the language YOU are using"
Don't argue with me- madam.
shouted Jerome, who then had the re-
ply stricken from the record.
One New Point.
But one new feature appeared in the
testimony of the witness. This was
when she told about ThaW swallowing
the contents of 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, as 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.
why didn't you tell us about this
at the first trial?" demanded Mr.. Je4
rome.
Mr.. Delmas said it might make
Harry out too crazy" the witness re-
torted, before the district attorney