Evening star., 1908-01-15
TALES OF ECCENTRICITIES
How the Prisoner Impressed Them
Before the Tragedy.
CLUB STEWARDS EVIDENCE
Amusing Details of Bridge Whist
Games in Which Prisoner Acted
Anything But Rational.

Thaw continued today to submit
evidence to bear out their conten-
ton that Thaw was insane when
he killed Stanford White. More
to the actual shooting
were called, and they all said that
in their belief Thaw was IRA
tional. A physician from Phila-
delphia said that he had examined
Harriet Alice Thaw, who was
cousin of Thaws father, and he
declared that she was OF unsound
mind.
The steward OF the New York
w hist Club, of which Thaw was
a member and which he visited
almost daily while he was in the
city, told OF Thaws strange
actions in the clubhouse for two
days before the shooting.
Toward the close of the morn
ing session Mr.. Littleton, for the
defense, began calling as wit
nesses the jurors who did duty in
the Thaw case at the coroner's S
inquest. Three were examined
before the adjournment, and it
was intimated that the whole
panel would be seen on the stand
before the defense was through.
NEW YORK. January 15-The skele-
tons of the Thaw ancestry. the basis for
the defense of insanity in the trial OF
Harry X. Thaw for the killing of Stanford
White, will continue to be exhibited in
court today. The attorneys for the de-
fense are laying bare that history of the
Thaw family. on both the fathers and
the mothers side. which was only limited
at in the former trial. Whether later the
defense will claim that Thaw is now
sane is a matter wholly for speculation
man whose school classes Harry Thaw
attended when he was a boy. and wom-
an who nursed him when he was Ill in
Monte Carlo years ago. have already been
called to the witness stand and have
told of the actions which they believe
showed Thaw mentally unsound. The de-
fense has promised to put forward sew
eral other witnesses to testify to his men,
tai condition long before the night of the
tragedy on the Madison Square roof gar
den, and it is probable that some of these
witnesses will be called today.
Mrs. Mary Thaw, the defendant
mother. 1t is announced. will come 10 New
York in spite of a serious illness, and will
again testify in an attempt to save her
son from the electric chair AT the former
trial her testimony was o" minor impor-
tance. and she was compelled by her son $
lawyers to leave the stand before she had
told all that she wanted to tell. Whether
or not she will now be allowed to go fur
ther into the story of the insanity in her
family cannot be told until she takes the
stand.
The First Witness Today.
DIR. Horatius c. Wood of Philadelphia
was called to the stand as the first witness
today DIR. Wood some years ago made
an examination of Harriet Alice Thaw,
"A relative of the defendant. District At
torney Jerome objected to the physician s
testimony. but was overrued by the court,
as the relation of attending physician and
DR. Wood said that Miss Thaw was OF
unsound mind.
The next witness to be heard told of
new eccentricities of Thaw just before the
killing of Stanford White. He was Chris
topher Baggan a steward at the New
York Whist Club. Thaw was in the club
June 20. 1905. just five days before the
roof garden tragedy. Although the day
was hot. Thaw insisted on taking a
screen with him wherever he went ABOUT
irl,1x
citable and irritable. and once as he
passed the witness he was muttering this
is awful" Baggan said Thaw finally
came up to him and asked him to have a
package put in the safe
Thaw's Eyes Had a Peculiar Stare.
..What was in the PACKAGE" asked Mr..
I.ittIeton.
cigarettes wrapped in tinfoi.'
Thaw.s eyes, the witness said. had a
heculiar stare A telephone message
came for him and when the witness
touched him to attract his attention Thaw
trembled all over. When in the city
rhaw was in the clubrooms nearly every
day.
Did Thaw impress you as rational or
irrational?'
Irrational.
On cross-exan'nation Baggans said he
had known Thaw for fourteen years.
TnaW was in the Ciub playing bridge
whist the day OF the tragedy Asked
who else was there. the witness said
Can't Wharton. John \. Drake and John
r. Gleason one of counsel to Thaw at
the first trial. At other times he said
MIR. Gates and Mr.. Schwab" were
present
An Animated Dialogue.
But they always appeared calm
didn't they?" asked Mr.. Jerome.
Yes
And Thaw was nervous?"
Yes"
And they were playing for money!
Il don't know.
Haven't YOU any idea2"
No. sir; I'm not supposed to have
any.
II know you are not supposed to have
any, but as a matter of fact, haven't
you2"
THE rules forbid playing for money
SIR
rhe court officers had to suppress fire.
auent outbursis of laughter.
Did Thaw and his party have anything
To drink on June 25?
.'Oh. all sorts of mineral waters
And what else? :
Nothing unless they had IL with
Continued on Second Page.l