The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1908-01-31

New York. Jan. 90-The question of
Harry K. Thaw's insanity. while weighed
carefully by District Attorney Jerome, in
his final summing up to the jury to-day
seemed, TO the minds Of those who heard
10 be tnconsiderate, as compared with
Thaw's motive for killing Stanford White
With a remembrance Of Jerome's bitter
arraignment at the first murder trial. the
court expected something of a like char
acter from the district attorney, and, that
be did not avail himself Of the oppor-
tunity to condemn, was the cause of
general surprise. Instead. he pitied
Evelyn Thsw: he admitted the existence
of those dens Of iniquity which she de-
scribed; he acknowledged that Stanford
White was an immoral man; he ques-
toned Thaw's Insanity. but, at the same
time, he inferred that he would have justi-
led his act had ii been committed three
years previously.
The effect Of Jerome's closing argument
upon the jury can be only surmised, but
lit is the general opinion that his words.
more than OF Thaws counsel, will clear
the young millionaire Of the charge Of
murder. and when the jury shall come
to decide upon the innocence or guilt OF
the prisoner, it is the belief that he will
be freed Of the responsibility of his deed
on the roof of Madison Square Garden.
The Insanity Plea.
The question whether Harry X. Thaw
was insane the night ta killed stanford
White will be submitted finally to the
jury tomorrow morning. District Attor-
ney Jerome closed his summing up to the
jury this afternoon, and Justice Victor J.
Dowling will charge the jury in the morn
ing. He has prepared his charge, which
will take probably a little over an hour
It took Mr.. jerome about four and
half hours TO present his argument TO
the Jury. Those who heard the first part
of it thought it was rather tame per
functory address. but in the afternoon he
warmed up bit. calling for the cOnvic-
ton OF Thaw on any of the degrees oe
homicide
That it was hatred. and not insanity
that drove Thaw to kill White. was the
basis of Mr.. Jerome's argument All the
Jurors had 10 decide was whether Thaw
knew ne had a pistol; that he knew that
he was firing three bullets into the body
Of White. and that when he did 50 he
knew he was violating the law Of The
land. 1t was not a question Of general
insanity or that Thaw was insane at
any or many periods before the killing
was he insane that night? If he were
not insane Mr.. Jerome insisted that IT
was the sworn duty Of the jurors to con-
Wet him.
Mr.. Jerones opinion of Stanford White
has changed since the last trial. Not only
did he make no attempt to defend the
memory of the architect, but he said he
mad become convinced that he got what
he deserved, looking at it from a moral
standpoint lie believed Evelyn Nesbit
Thaw's story, except for the drugged
wine and the ravishment and he also
believed that White and his friends
some o. them still aliYe-kept just such
places as she had described. As for tie
young woman herself, Mr.. Jerome al
most went so far as to pity her. AT
least. he did not attack her.
I.ashed the Prisoner.
But TEaw had to stand bitter lash
ing from Mr. Jerome. Shaking his finger
at Thaw, he demanded TO know what
manner Of man was he that would per
nit this young woman at two trials 10
come forth in public and tell her revolt
ing and hideous story, drawing aside the
curtain of her past life. Air. Jerome also
pictured Thaw as rich. dissipated.
young man going about doing as he
pleased The spells he had IN his early
life and abroad did not indicate insanity
to Mr. Jerome. but tantrums and fits OF
anger of q nervous, irritable young man.
No attempt was made by Mr. Jerome
TO diseredit the witnesses of the defense.
His reply to their testimony was that