The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-17
Aged Mother of Defendant Ar- riV8S and May Be Able to
 Testify h the Trial
JEROME WILL FIGHT
 EVELYN FLAWS TESTIMONY
Former Daorkeeper At Madison square Garden Again Testifes to the Shoot. ing-Thaw's Former Teacher
 Tells of Peculiar Acts.

New York, January 16.-The non-arrival or Important witnesses who are hurring to New York by steamer and train. caused an abandonment of the after noon session of the Thaw trial today. and cut the morning sitting down to less than two hoGrs. Mr. Littleton. leading counsel for the defense announced that beginning tomorrow he would hurry the case along as rapidly as possible It was necessary he explained. that all the evidence having to do with Thaw's al- leged irrational 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 the time he killed Stanford White.
 Mrs. William Thaw mother of the ac- cused, arrived from Pittsburg today and 1T strong enough may take the stand tomorrow. She has been i'll for more than month and at one time it was feared she would not be able to attend the trial at all. Mrs Evelyn Nesbt Thaw will not be 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.
 Mrs. Thaw's Letter.
 The elder Mrs. Thaw figured indirectly in the evidence taken today A letter written by her in 1881 to the master of the little Pennsylvania school, where her son was pupil, was identified by the mas ter and read to the jury. It told of tho mothers anxiety over the conduct of her son and the fear she felt certain that his mind even then was unbalanced. The school master, now @ years of age, was an impressive witness. He is Abraham R. Beck, uncle of former Assistant Attorney General James M Beck. and he related many incidents which led him to the conclusion that young Thaw un- doubtedly was irrational The former as- sistant attorney general was a spectator at the trial today.
 Benjamin Roman. formerly door keeper at the Madison Square tn eatre, where Evelyn Nesbit played in "A Girl from Dixie" in 1903. repeated the story he told at the first trial of a threat made by Stanford White to find and kill Thaw before daylight.
 First Witness Called.
 August Weber the former Thaw but Ter, who yesterday testified to various incidents in the life of Harry Thaw during the early months of 1903 was recalled to the witness stand when the trial was opened today. He was asked by Mr. Littleton for the defense of Thaw's actions. if he observed them while employed in Washington and Pittsburg homes, impressed him as rational or irrational.
 irrational" replied the witness promptly.
 District Attorney Jerome then began his cross examination.
 He had the witness repeat several of the incidents he related yesterday aft ernoon. and was asked if he considered a s5 tip from Thaw an irrational act.
 Tt seemed queer, for what l did said Weber.
 The witness declared that Thaw was not dissipating and seemed healthy when he knew him. but always was nervous and excitable.
 Christopher Baggan, steward of the New York Whist club, was recalled to. give the dates of Thaw's visit to the club in 19O4-5 and 1906. MT. Jerome brought out from the witness that he was able on each of these occasions to play bridge whist with the best play CTS in the club.
 Raymond A. Brown music publish CT and eyewitness of the killing of Stanford White here. was called and testified to Thaw's irrational appear ance on the roof garden.
 Jerome's Sharp Question.
 Brown said he knew Thaw in past years personally and spoke to him during an in- termission in the performance, but could not get coherent reply
 Did you ever try to get coherent re- ply from any other man 20 minutes before he took the life of a fellow human be- ing?" asked District Attorney Jerome.
 No replied the witness.
 That's all"
 Abraham R. Beck of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, uncle of former Assistant Attorney General James M. Beck, was called as the next witness. He said that Harry Thaw was one of 15 boys in his school in 1881 and 1882. The memory of the boy had always lived with him. said the witness. ."The boy was excessively nervous" said Mr. Beck, and was very unsocial and sullen and abstracted. Ills eyes were most striking. One of the principal things I remember about young Thaw were the spasmodic and startling outbursts of animal-like howls These howls would stop as suddenly as the turn ing off of a fountain"
 Letter identified.
 Mir. Beck identified a letter he had re- ceived from Mrs, William Thaw, mother of Harry about the boys conduct at school. and he read it to the jury. The letter was dated October 15. 1881, and was in reply to a communication from Beck complaining of Harry's conduct and speaking of tine distress the letter caused the parent.
 Cannot you bear with him while longer?" the letter from Mrs. Thaw read.
 ..rn ..ield a lis Hyishes now and 10