The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-01-16

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johnson newspaper writer's who wit
messed the tragedy, declared iii turn
upon the stand that Thaw Impressed
them as decidedly irrational. Lionel
/, strans. a portrait painter ard an eye
witness. also characterized Thaw's &c.
tions nv Irrational Francis McGuipess.
who was a member OF the coronor's
jury, testified TINT Thaw at the inquest
appeared IRA ionni, while Henry Schaef.
er. another member OF the coroner's
Jury. vas testitying Thaw appeared
Irrational at the Inquest, Foreman
{ Dremmcls put question for the jury:
ibid Thaw's eyes appear then as they
do now?' he dueried.
NO, SIR" replied the witness.
Rich n,ond Man mr. Witness.
Mr.. Albert Lee Thaw. OF Richmond.
& a son OF william Simmons Thaw. was
the flrst witness called altar recess.
Annie Brooks was his mother, and
eleven children were born OF the union.
named Horace s. Thnw, and that ho
had seen Harriet Alice Thaw. who was
his fathers halt.sister. He said his
Erandtather's name was william ThaW,
who was the father OF Harriet Alice
y Thaw. His great. grandfather was Ben
jamin Thaw. He said he knew Harry
Thaws father. who was his fathers
first cousin.
The witness was tall, with clear-cut
features, close cropped mustache. high
forehead and broad brow He was at
tired neatly In dark business SUIT,
with a rundown collar and small oinck
tic. He described himself q a nner-
chant, and gave his address as kfcn-
moud. Va
The witness said his father died In
1855, at the age OF sixty-nlne years.
r.A. Ia, "a
Of his death Then Mr.. Littleton asked
tic witness about his fathers mentai
condition. Mr.. Jerome objected. on
the ground that the mental condition
nj the man referred to would have no
bearing on the defendants mental con-
Gition. Justice Downing permitted Mr..
t.ittleton to proceed. however.
The witness said his father died in
an insane asy!.tin, after having been
m Inmate of She institution for four
teen years. He said there was no un-
soundness OF mind among his mothers
PEOPLE or in the Simmons family. one
of which ,vos his grandmother. He
knew Harriet Alice Thaw had been
taken to the Friends Asylum. Phila-
delrhia- Horace S. Thaw, his brother.
he said died at the ags OF twenty
three. in the Western State Hospital
fer the Insane in Virginia. That was
In 1885. Horace s. Thaw. the witness
said. In answer to a question by Mr.
Littleton. was III disturbed mental
condition about n year before he went
20 the asylum.
cross.esan,ined BY AR. Jerc he. the
family. and said Harriet Alice Thaw
was his aunt. He could not say when
he first saw her. On redirect
examination the witness said he did
not know Alice Kendall Thaw. He was
positive that Harriet Alice Thaw. was
insane for twenty-five years, before
she went to an asylum. That ended
the testimony OF the Richmond wit
ness.
The commitment papers OF William
S. and Horace Thaw were introduced
in evidence
Was Absolutely Crazy.
Several additional members of the
coroners jury were called to the stand
and oil agreed that Thaw was an IRA
tional man the day following the shoot
ing; One OF the Jurors called.
said lie was sure "Thaw was abso-
iutely crazy
After the coroners jurors. ten of them
altogether, had been disposed of, Mr..
Littleton called Per August Weber to
the stand. Weber served as a butler
in the Thaw house in Lafayette Square
Washington, from January 10 May,
1903. The witness said he formerly
was In the employ OF Senat T Foraker,
OF Ohio.
He related many incidents OF what
he described as .rrationality Oh the
Part OF tho defendant Tllaw would
ordta. that no tinner be rce IE l
certain evenings and few hours later
would come In and demand to know
{, why there was nothing to eat EIc
would call the butler out of his bed
a. and give him s. for some trifling
service. Thaw would sometimes pace
midst Of dinner, l1,uttcring to him
self. Once Thaw called for car
-iase at 6 4. NJ. and When told one
Was not available became hysterlca'
and fell prone on couch. During
tho irratio~al outbreaks. the witness
said. Thaw's eyes We're shiny and haG
vacant stare.
w. May Go 10 aIntteawnn.
Criminal lawyers of prominence.
who are following the case outlined
by the defense and who are tal.ine
into consideration the fact that n spe
3cific plea Of insanity has been enter
Cd this year declare that acquitta
under 10 circumstances can com,
only WITH tie added clause ION nc
count Of Tho insanity OF the defend
ant at the time the act was com
rnitted.' This. 1t Is declared woul,
compel the presiding judge to commi
'rhnw 10 Matteawnn Asylum. whenc
q fight to prove his present sanity
and thus gain freedom. would hay
To be conducted through habea
corpus proceedings.
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