New-York tribune., 1908-01-15
THAW'S LIFE LAID BARE
IRRATIONAL FROM YOUTH
His Teacher and Monte Carlo Nurse
ON Stand-4srait Witnesses.

Several witnesses for the defence failed TO arrive
here yesterday in time 70 go on the stand ana as
= result the testimony in favor OF ina" was
scra ppy Mr Littleton being Obliged TO break up
i,sS or5er Of witnesses Because Of the absence
Or fhes. witnesses court adjourned az S;a1
O'clock until this morning. when Ny Littleton ex-
meets &c have his witnesses on hand
Enough testimony adduced TO show that the
defence would not be temporary insanity al the
time that Thaw slew Stanford White but that ne
VAS insane or least. perilously close TO H. all
his life I'D that time
lizzie was accomplished by the defence yester-
dav The two principal witnesses were Professor
Charles H Koeher. Of winona- MINI. who was
Thaw's instructor in 1856 al the Wooster Unlver-
sty in Ohio. and Mrs Amy Gossette, a framed
nurse IN attendance Thaw at Monte carlo IN
1877 Professor koehler said that Thaw. when NJ
seen or sixteen years old. was under his care Tor
sbsour six months OF his appearance when ThaW
entered cchool the witness said;
He had nervous. jerky rnarner- He walked
irregularly and in & zigzag fashion HIS eyes
were rather striking. HIS skin was pale and
anasmic-
Turned over to Mr. jerome for cross-exarninatlon
the witness said that he had often recalled Iha~
-rrearsnce 10 his mind after Thaw left school
He said that he had recalled il particularly when
the case began 10 appear in the newspapers
7 frequently thought about it." said Professor
KoehIer 1T was my business 10 instruct the
Young and ] recalled that this was an example
of q young with too much money VINO ooolo
not equal the average student
This IS highly technical point. said Littieton-
Tt isn't" said Jerome -It appears in the code
Technical, but legal said Justice DoVhng
Mr. Littleron then asked II Mr. Jerome would
consent 10 q waiver by counsel. or II there must
t-e q written waiver by the defendant Justice
racrIirr replied that II was not question of con
sent and that the waiver must be made in open
relrrt and by written consent The section OF the
rode relating this subject was read 10 Tfaw ana
re half rose 10 say, Il waive
g-a7g1l hc n a.
iournrneur by the defence. Martin Green, re-
porter said that when he saw Thaw at the ROOF
garden lust prior 70 the shooting the defendant :
face was pale he .pop-eyed," and his lips were
loose and penduloas Such Of his actions as ne sa"
before and after the shooting the witness said were
distinctly Irrational. In cross-exaninaticn he ad-
r1irted that Thaw's face not like marble and
his eyes cold and repeilent as he described them
isrer in the story OF The shooting he wrote
Thomas P. Hanley. another newspaper man, saw
Tbavr ~ the roof garden before the shooting, AMI
testified that his eyes staring, and the mouth
was open with the lower lip hanging down" He
said that Thaw appeared irrational 10 him
After his cross-examination completed. Mr.
rsttlefon asked for "A recess until this morning He
es.d that he was expecting witness tonight
from PENNSYLVANIA, one from California and an
other from Virginia. 10 arrive here last night or
this morning. Mr.. Jerome said that he would con-
sent If Mr. Littleton would indicate what line OF
testimony would be taken to-day that he might
prepare for the croes-exa uination. Mr.. Lttleton
replied that scientific witness would be called
to-day end recess was declared
Part Of the day WIS taken up in showing to
What extent insanity had prevailed in the Thaw
and Corlev families Similar testimony will be pre-
scented today. Court was half hour late in
opening as Justice Dowling got caught in q sub
z.av blockade on the way downtown. The first
stiffness was Dr.. John T. Deener, of kippaning,
Penn. who was the Thaw family physician He
said he had the defendant for nervous dis
order when TEaw young. He knew Henry w
Couley a brother Of Mrs. William Thaw. who was
af unsound mind. He is dead now. He testified
that Mrs. Washington FSoos, a sister OF Mrs Thaw
had d son, John. and Mr.. Lttleton tried hard TO
show thar he was Of unsound mind. but Mr.. Je-
rorne's objections prevailed. Washington Roos the
witness was allowed 10 say, had "a very weak
mind
DR. william y. Z. Butler, formerly Of the Staun-
TTa-l Insane Asylum. said that in 1882 he had
net Harris s. Thaw. but he not allowed 10
state the mans condition. The hospital records
accepted the ground that they were
hearsay evidence. but marked as exhibits and
may be introduced later. Dr. L. s Foster, of the
staT Of the Eastern State Hospital for the Insane
Williamsburg Va, said that he knew Albert =
Thav, but was not allowed say anything more
about him. Records OF the hospital to show the
sdnittance there cf William s. Thaw were ex-
cluded hesrsay evidence
Or. Deemer was recalled and this time Mr. Lit
tieton got the mental condition Of John Roos, now
ffty-six years old, before the jury. The physician
ssid that the man maniacal.