The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1908-01-31
THE DEMEAN0R OF DISTRICT
ATTORNEY SURPRISED
COURT ROOM
MIR. Jerome Abandoned His 0verbear-
ing, Heartless Manner and Was
More considerate, Especially in
(, Case Of Evelyn-stanford White
and Thaw Both, However, Are
Termed Degenerates.

New York, Jan. 31.-William
Traverse Jerome, representative of
the people, made mastery plea yes
terday that justice be done in the
case of Harry Kendall Thaw. Vim
dictiveness, sneers, insinuations, all
were 1acking-logic, analysis and
calm consideration of facts were
their substitute. 1t was no blind
appeal for vengeance of the law that
Mr.. jerome addressed to the jury,
but always there was note of fair
ness, even at times Of mercy.
The year that has elapsed since
the first trial, had wrought a Won
derful change in the prosecutor. No
longer. attempting to shield the name
Of Stanford White, he accepted the
story told by Evelyn Nesbit Thaw
as true-all but the drugging-and
he made frank confession to the jury
that the velvet swings and mirrored
rooms of the studio houses described
by the girl were indeed a miserable
reality. No longer attacking Evelyn
Thaw as a skilled adventures, Mr..
Jerome pleaded for the girl, because
she never had a chance for the
higher, cleaner, sweeter things of
life. The climax came, however,
when Mr.. Jerome denounced both
Thaw and White in one breath and
classed them as stWo degenerates
quarreling over a woman = And
the woman, the prosecutor declared,
know no more had been taught no
more by the world than to play one
against the other, until in jealous
rage, in blind hatred, in vengeance
of "undeniably gross wrong done to
his Wife" Harry Thaw killed the ar
chitect.
Case to Jury This Morning
The case goes to the jury this
morning and Thaw may know his
fate before the setting of another
sun. Justice Bowling will begin his
charge as soon as court convenes at
10:30 o'clock.
District Attorney Jerome turned a
willing ear to the testimony of insan-
ity placed before the jury and en-
phasized it in a number Of in
stances. He admitted that Thaw had
always been physically weak and
that at times his mind had been un-
strung. And while at no period was
there direct offer of compromise in
the prosecutors speech, there was
notably an Indication that he would
not feel that justice had been misdi-
rected If a. verdict Of some lesser
guilt than murder in the first de-
gree should be the elimination Of the
jury's deliberations.
To render a verdict of not guilty
on the ground of insanity the prose.
cutor declared, 1t would be neces.
sary under the statutes and decisions
OF the court Of appeals, for the jury
to believe Thaw was so insane thai
he did not know 1t was pistol hi
had in his hand when he fired at per
feet aim three bullets into the bod.
Of his victim; that he must hav,
been SO Insane not to know that th,
man he killed was Stanford White
the one man in the world whom b,
hated and had motive for vengeanc,
against; that he must have been g
insane as to not know It was agains
4 the law to take a fellow beings life
that he must have been SO insane a
not to know what the police officer
wanted with him, when he voluntar
lily surrendered himself into thei
custody and asked to be taken quick
II to the station house with the re
quest that his brothers n-law and at
torney be sent for; and lastly tina
he must have been so Insane as no
TO know the mature or quality Of hi
act or that the act was wrong.
Denounces Thaw q Coward
lacking In these essentials, til
insanity of the defendant concede