Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1908-05-16
THAW TOLD OF
The SHOOTING
OF HIS VICTIM
Described Staying Of Stanford
White to the Asylum Supt.
Who Believes Him Insane.
ACTIONSAT MATTEAWAN
Did Many Peculiar Things
Hearing Being Rushed Many
Witnesses on Stand.
speotaI bv Untted Press we:

Special bv United Press Wire:
Poughkeepsie, N. Y, May 16:--
Nervous at the prospect of taking
the witness stand, Harry Thaw seem
ed anxious when he appeared at the
habeas corpus trial today. He said
he was beginning to dread Jerome's
cross examination.
1t was announced when court open
ed that Thaw will be put on the
stand today. The Tombs keepers
testified that Thaw seemed rational
in his talks with them.
DIR. Amos H. Baker, assistant med
ical director of the State Hospital
for the Criminal Insane at Mattea-
wan read from carefully kept notes
the following account of the killing
OF Stanford White, June 26, 1906, as
given by Thaw himself:
am not insane now and never was
except for half a moment before shot
White and for half moment after.
felt as normal individual would feel
standing on the edge Of a high precl-
pice. l was there, my wife was there
and the man who had wronged her was
there in the very building where he
had done his evil deed and meant to
do further evil deeds.
II was about to go away when saw
him. He sat there glaring at me, and
/ thought of everything he had done
and drew lay revolver, walked over to
him and shot him three times.
Pleaded Insanity to Save Life.
"I took a plea of insanity to save my
life. My lawyers and doctors were
very clever about It."
DR.. Baker, who was called by Dis
trict Attorney Jerome for the people,
testified to many conversations had
with Thaw during the latter's stay In
Matteawan.
ION Feb. 25 200 chocolate eclalrs ar
rived at the hospital. Thaw had or
dered them and wanted them distrlb-
uted among the patients and attend
ants, because he said he had under
stood there was to be dance at the
institution that night His desire was
not complied with.
"On March 2 Thaw announced to me
that the thirty day period of obserya-
ton was up and that he wanted to get
out. i am perfectly sane now he
said"
Believes Thaw Insane Now.
eliminating the killing of White
from his conduct, would you have com
mltted Thaw as an Insane person on
what you saw of himT' asked james
G.. Graham. Thaw's counsel, In cross
examination.
81 would have hesitated to do so ON
what / saw and knew of him when he
was received at the hospital" answer
ed DR.. Baker, "but would not hest
tate to commit him on the knowledge |
have of him now"
DR.. Carlos Macdonald also testified
that in his opinion Thaw is insane now.
Mr.. Graham was authority for the
statement that Thaw himself will take
the witness stand, possibly today. Dis
trict Attorney Jerome says If Thaw
testifes 1t will take him long time
to cross examine him.
The first witness called by Mr.. Gra-
ham In rebuttal was DR. Faldemar
Sillo physician and surgeon, Of New
York, who said that he saw Thaw four
teen times in the Tombs and at Mat
teawan The first time was November,
1907, when he found Thaw to have
diminished appetite and to be other
wise temporarily indisposed. He pre-.
scribed for him. He found Thaw calm
and rational, he said On his subse-
quent visits his physical condition was
improved. The witness advised him as
to his diet and cut down his smoking.
DR., Sillo said that Thaw always
talked with him in a perfectly normal
manner, Thaw, he said, expressed dis,
satisfaction with his first trial and
with his former counsel, Mr.. Delmas,
but expressed confidence in Mr.. Little
ton and the outcome of his second trial.
The witness first saw Thaw at Mattea-
wan on March IL, when Thaw sent for
him to see IL he had improved His
physical condition was better than in
the Tombs. He complained Of the food
and expressed some fear Of typhoid
fever, as there had been an epidemic
III int 1u5UlHuOil Ou iuOtneI WISH vi
April - Thaw spoke sorrowfully OF
the notoriety which his wife was then
receiving. He said that he did not see
what more he could do for her. Dr.
Sillo said that Thaw's actions lm
pressed him as rational.
chaplains Call Thsw Rational.
Attorney Graham called several other
Witnesses in rebuttal, among them the
Rev. Luke + Evers and Rev John A
Wade, chaplains at the Tonbs prison
both of whom testified that they had
talked with Thaw many times during
his confinement there and had inyaria-
bly, found him rational.
Dr. George w. Jacoby, qualifying as
an expert, said that he had examined
Thaw twice during his stay at Mattea-
wan, once In the Poughlzeepsie Jail and
in court. He had found Thaw, he said
logical, with good memory and capable
Of following argument. He gave 1t as
his unqualified opinion that Thaw was
sane.
DIR. Graeme Hammond, another ex-
pert on mental diseases. the last Of the
session, declared that Thaw was not q
aaranoiac and in his opinion was sane