Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1908-01-16
TO PROVE HIM MAD
Opening Statement Of Harry Thaw's
Counsel Shows Determination
to Show Insanity.
STARTLING STATEMENTS
Purpose Of Defense Evidently to Save
Prisoner From Electric Chair
First and From Asy.
Ium Later.

New York, Jan. 14.-The Thaw
trial moved with a rush Monday. Az
ter the state had presented Its direct
case and Assistant Attorney Caravan
had characterized the killing of Stan
ford White as "a premeditated, DELHI
crate and cowardly murder" Martin
W. Littleton, for the defense, made
the opening plea for the prisoner. His
promise Of new evidence was sensa-
tional and held the supreme atten-
ton Of all in the court room.
Mr.. Littleton's speech fairly bristled
with surprises. He startled the court
room by declaring that after Evelyn
Nesbit had told him her story in Paris
in 1903, Thaw "drenched himself with
q poison" and would have died but
for the heroic work of three physi-
clans, who labored over him all of one
night. Mr.. Jerome had his surprise
to offer too, and when Mr.. Littleton
started to launch into the relations OF
Stanford White with the girl whom
Thaw married, the district attorney
was on his feet with an objection.
Justice Bowling sustained him and the
name Of the architect was not linked
again with that Of the defendants
wife. Mr.. Littleton touched but
lightly upon the girls story as she
told 1t to Thaw, but careful as he was
on this point he again drew an objec-
ton from the prosecuting officer who
said:
"Mr. Llttleton is now straying into
a field of stuff which in my opinion
will be excluded"
Again Justice Bowling sustained the
objection. 1t was reported at the be-
ginning of the trial that Mr.. Jerome
would fight this year to exclude the
testimony Of young Mrs. Thaw.
Mr.. Littleton spared neither Thaw
nor his family in his recital Of the
defendants life history. During the
speech Thaw sat wide-eyed and pallid,
looking hxedly at his counsel. To-
ward the close he seemed rather dis
pleased with something that was said
and leaning forward scrubbed on a
note. Mr.. Littleton's speech was
somewhat dramatie and imprisoned
at times, and was keenly followed by
the jury despite the rather frequent
objections from the state attorney, de-
scribing the flights Of oratory as having
no opening statement of fact.
Thaw's ancestry, marked by decided
taints of insanity marked on both the
fathers and mothers side, according
to his chief counsel was drawn with
great care and the defendant himself
was pictured as irrational, erratic and
insane as boy, who, oscillting be-
tween starshlp and madness, between
brilliance and darkness, fought I'M
avallingly against the fever of insan-
fly which coursed In his blood at
birth.
Il make no claims for this defendant
above those Of the average man as to
morals or virtues declared Mr.. Lit
Teton. But l say his life history
Is enough to free him from the charge
that he was responsible for his act.
Add to his history the heart-breaking
episode Of his love for the young wom-
an who became his wife and Of her
recital TO him Of a story which.
flashed to the four quarters Of the
globe, made all the worlds that reads
stand stlIl and wonder, and l shall
have no hesitaney in asking yon n
you have not reasonable doubt as
to whether he was sane the night Of
this deplorable tragedy. And upon
that doubt ! shah ask you for a yer.
dict Of not guilty"
Mr.. Littleton told Of q trip abroad
taken BY Thav In 1893 when be was
m and insane at Rome. Monte Carlo
and London. being under the care Of
physicians and nurses at each place
and declared he would prOdues these
phyuicians and nursos e AR as pm
sible 10 ten their stories. TuacheFa
uho kept diaries ahout TIE atranss
ehIld Nho nat IN iholr classes also
IN onnr. ~ aal1 10 til ~ I'M