The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-01-17
Letter Shows She Feared
Insanity When Thaw
Was at School.
WITNESSES COME
FROM ACROSS SEA
Nonarrival OF These and son1a
Coming by Train Causes Delay
in Trial--More Evidence
as to Young Mans Ir-
rational Fits-Je-
rome to Oppose.
rome to Oppose.

rome to Oppose.
NEW YORK. January 16.-The non-
arrival OF important witnesses who ara
hurrying to New York By steamer and
train. caused an abandonment OF the
afternoon session OF the Thaw trial to-
day, and brought the morning sitting
down to less than two hours.
Mr. Littleton. leading counsel FOR
the defense. announced that beginning
tomorrow he would hurry the case
along as rapidly as possible. It was
evidence having to do with Thaw's sl-
legged irrationala acts Of the past several
years should be introduced before the
medical experts are called to the stand
to express a scientific opinion as TO
the Defendants mental condition at .he
time he killed Stanford White. Mrs.
William Thaw. mother of the accused.
arrived from Pittsburg to-day. and II
strong enough may take the stand to-
morrow. She has been III for more
than month, and at one time 1t was
feared she would not be able to at
tend the trial at all.
Mrs. Evelyn Nesb't Thaw will not
he offered as witness until some time
next week. All Of the indications so
far have been that District Attorney
Jerome will make a desperate fight to
have her testimony ruled out this year.
Counsel for the defense are confident,
however, that 1t will be allowed to SO
In. now that they have entered sor-
NAL specification OF insanity in connec-
tion with the plea of not guilty.
Anxious About Hcr Son.
The elder Mrs. Thaw figured indi-
rectly in the evidence taken to-day.
A letter written by her in 1851 to the
School, where her son was a pupil. was
Identified by the master. and read to
the Jury. It told of the mothers great
anxiety over tho conduct Of her son.
and the fear she entertained that his
mind even then was unbalanced. The
schoolmaster. now seventy-nine years
OF age, was an impressive witness. lie
Is Abraham r. Beck. an uncle Of for
tmer Assistant Attorney James NJ. Beck.
ard he related manv incidents which5.ed
him to the conclusion that young Thaw
undoubtedly was irrational.
BENJAMIN Bnman. formerly door,
keeper at the Madison Square Theatre.
where Evelyn Neshit played In IA Girl
from Dixie" in 1909 repeated the story
he told at the first trial of threat
made by Stanford Write to find and
kill Thaw before daylight.
The Tip Suprised Him.
August Weber, the former Thaw but
Ter, who yesterday testified to various
Incidents in the life of Harry Thaw
during the early months OF 1908, was
recalled to the witness stand when the
trial was opened to-day. Heswas asked
by Mr.. Littleton. OF the defense. u
Thaw's actions as he observed them
,cGt In II
Pittsburg homes impressed him as ra-
tional or irrational.
'Irrational,'' replied the witness
: District Attorney Jerome had the
witness repeat several OF tha incidents
he related yesterday afternoon, and
asked him II he considered SIS lip
from Thaw an Irrational act. u
ut seemed queer for what I did"
I'D Weber.
Tho witness declared that Thaw was
not dlssipatins, and seemed healthy
when he knew him. but always was
nervous and eScitable.
Christopher Baggan. steward OF tho
New York Whist Club, was recalled
to give the dates of Thaw's visits to-
the club in 1901. 1905 and 1906. Nr.
Jerome brought out from the witness
the fact thatshe was able on each OF
these occasions to play bridge whist
with the best players in the club.
Irrational on Roof Garden.
Raymond A. Brown. music pub
Usher and eyewitness OF the killing
OF Stanford White. was called and
testified to Thaw's Irrational appear
ance on the roof garden. Brown said
he knew Thaw personally. ana spoke
to him during an intermission in the
performance but could not get a CO.
herent reply. AZ
Did YOU ever try to get coherent
reply from any other man twenty
minutes before he look the life OF a
fellow-human being? asked Mr..
Jerome.
No. replied the witness, sS
Mother Was Concerned.
Abram r. Beck, OF Lancaster coun.
| ty. Pa. was the next witness. He
said that Harry Thaw was one Se,fs
|hfteen hoys IN his school In 1881 and
1889. Tho memory of the hoy had al
ways lived with him. said the witness,
The boy was excessively nervous, SAID
| Mr.. Beck, and was very unsocial and
sullen and distracted, Els eyes were
most striking. One OF the principal
| ttings remember about Young ThawS
were the spasmodtc and startling OUT
bursts of animal-like howls. These
bowls would stop rs suddenly as, she
turning off OF a fountain
Mr., Beck identified a letter he had
received from Mrs. William Thaw.
the mother OF Harry. about the boy'A4
conduct at school and II was read tc
the fury. The letter was dated octo-
her n,$lss1, ard was In renly to "a
communication from Mr.. Beck com
planning ot Frarrv's conduct. ap1
speaks OF the distress the iettsx
caused the parent, s8e
"can you not hear with him 4 whtspl
Alonssre' the letter s-on, Mrs. 'rha,4s
1 read, ITO yield to- HIS wishes naW
and to send him home I am. q fraid
might ruin him, I begin 10 fear that
his conduct and his oMsbiirets are st,,A
Iall the results OF tempAr and rehellisA.s
hut that his mind As more or lesf sfss
\ balanced. ssS
snn you think there IA any dan 80
4 OF that? His uncle, who became veal
N minded. was sub bject as 9 boy tos just