Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1908-01-23

lin tine law TOT CLOSING doors hBhlnh
the public and there was a grea
cIamor for admittance from thron
which hung about the building all da
long. District Attorney Jerome, fai
ing In HIS move to exclude spectators
took occasion when 1t came his turf
to cross examine the witness. Il
bring out all Of the details Of the frs
trial which Mr.. Littleton Of the de
Tense, had omitted on his direct In
quiry Of the witness. Mr.. Jerome als'
sought to block Mrs. Thaw's Testimony
In Its entirety on the ground that I
conversation which occurred three
years before the tragedy could MOI
have any bearing on Thaw's menta
condition on the night Of the homicide
Justice Bowling over-ruled the objec
ton.
Mrs. Thaw was on the stand all day
long. and Mr.. Jerome announced when
adjournment for the day was taken
that his cross examination would oc-
cupy a greater part Of Tuesdays SEES
sion.
Mrs. Thaw's story was broken into
bits by constantly repeated objections
from the prosecution, who sought to
exclude all details on the ground of
immateriality. The frequent objec-
lions led Justice Bowling to request
Mr.. Littleton to cut his examination
as short as possible. Mr.. Littleton
took this course only to find that on
cross examination Mr.. Jerome insist
ed upon reading from last years rec
ord nearly every word the witness had
then uttered. He did this under the
privilege of framing new questions.
Mr.. Littleton objected to 1t, declar-
ing that the district attorney by read
Ing the former testimony In a dis
agreeable manner, was trying to dis
credit her in the eyes of the jury when
he could not discredit her in any way
by a direct question. Mr.. Jerome
made no attempt to disguise tone of
complete contempt in reading the tes-
timony. Contempt also characterized
most of the questions he put to the
witness, whom he attacked in the loud
est voice he has yet used at the trial.
Mr.. Jerome plunged at once into the
more intimate details of the testimony
and made no delicate choice Of words
In framing his interrogations.
Mr.. Littleton's objections on the
ground Of "offensiveness and impro-
priety" frequently were sustained by
the court.
Mrs. Thaw matched wits against
both District Attorney Jerome and his
assistant, Mr.. Caravan, who was ever
at his chiefs elbow with new sugges- |
lions. She fenced with them as ski |
fully as she did year ago, and at
times reflected the mood of the dis |,
trict attorney by answering In a voice
pitched in as loud key as his own.
The prosecutors pitiless and agrees
sive questions often struck fire and |
once when Mr.. Jerome demanded to
know If the young woman had told
Thaw certain things, she replied hotly:
Eyes. l told him, but I did not use
the language you are using"
Don't argue with me, madam"
shouted Jerome, who then had the re-
ply stricken from the record.
But one new feature appeared In the
testimony of the witness. This was
when she told about Thaw swallowing
he contents Of a bottle of laudanum
1t Monte Carlo In 1904, In an attempt
o end his life. Previously to this, at
he Grand hotel, in New York, Thaw
lad talked of suicide, his wife de-
,lared, and had suggested that she
Ilso should take poison as both their
ives had been ruined. Mrs. Thaw
aid she humored Thaw at the time
md diverted his mind. She was out
# the room when he finally took the
olson in Europe,
"Why didn't you tell us about this .
t the first trlal?" demanded Mr.. ID
erome. ID
Because Mr.. Delmas said 1t might I
make Harry out too crazy" the wit
less retorted before the district attor. Q
icy could stop her. u