The Washington herald., 1909-07-27
THAW WILL TESTIFY
IN His OWN BEHALF
New Line of Defense Is Sub
mitted by Alienist.
"BRAINSTORM EVANS IS BUSY
ParnnOiac State shown To Differ
from Chronic ParnnOin-JerOme
Takes Charge of States Case and
Gets Startling Results from Testi-
mOny from Former Attorney.

White Plains, y. Y. July 26.- The
groundwork OF an entirely new defense
for Harry K. Thaw was laid by his coun-
sci to-day before Justice Mills. Of the
Supreme Court. upon the resumption Of
the proceedings to free the slayer OF
stanford White from Mateawan Asylum,
when Thaw's counsel had Dr. Britton D.
Evans, the alienist, diTerentiate between
la paranoiac state and chronic paranoia.
The alienist, who, during the first Grim
inal trial Of Thaw for the murder Of
White, earned the cognomen OF Brain
storm Evans stated emphaticaHy that
there was no more similarity between the
two phases OF mental ,-ouble than there
was between persimmons and pumpkins.
that paranoiac state might befau any
body and yet be subject to curative meas
ures.
From the statements that Mr.. MorSchau-
ser, Thaw's counsel. let drop after the
days session OF court had been adjourn
ed, II appeared that when the final issues
OF the present case are presented 10 the
presiding justice, claim VIII be made that
Harry Thaw was suffering from para
noiac state OF mind when he took the
life OF Stanford White, but after treat
ment in the State asylum all traces of
this temporary afllction of the interi-
gence had disappeared and he Is now
mentally sound
viii Take stand To-day.
Reliance VIII be placed upon the testi-
mony OF Thaw himself tomorrow after
noon as TO the two violent illnesses that
he suffered IN Monte Carlo and IN Lon
don. These viii establish the toxic con-
ditions and his susceptibility TO the in
vasion Of the paranoiac state when upoD
his return tn this country he learned the
real or fancied wrongs that he had suf-
fered at the hands OF the man he killed.
Mr.. Jerome was present at the opening
OF the morning session and he immediate
ly became the whole Of the counsel for
the State. because Of his intimate and
exhaustive knowledge Of the ins and cuts
of the case.
At the beginning Of the afternoon ses-
sion he called 10 the stand Clifford w
Hartridge, one OF Thaw's counsel I'm the
first trial for murder, IN order that he
might have marked for Identification in
the present suit some Of the papers that
Mr.. Hartr.dge possessed as relicts OF the
former action. Mr.. Hartridge came I'D
unwillngly. He is still the plaintiff in
a civil action against Mrs. Mary Copley
ThRw 10 recover what ne claims 10 be
just recompense for his services as COun-
sci in the first trial.
After Jerome had asked the witness
whether or not he had any reports rela-
tive 20 Thaw's mental condition which
might have been made by DIT Evans.
acting as alienist in behalf OF Thaw. and
Hartridge had answered that he had.
Jerome proceeded to probe further into
the possessions OF the former counsel for
the present relator. He did so under
strenuous objections Of Mr. Morschauser.
who asserted that anything that the
witness might possess in the way OF
papers or reports were confidential COM
muaications between the accused and
counsel. He was overruled.
HyPodermic Needles Used.
Have you anything else-something
more tangible" was Jerome's question
after Hartridge had handed over for the
clerk Of courts marking, a report that
DR.. Evans had made on Thaw's mental
condition. Il want TO know If YOU have
any hypodermic needles or other instru-
ments Of any kind whatsoever. that
might have been handed to you by a
third party in no way connected with the
trial Of Harry Thaw for murder"
Here again was vigorous objection en-
tered by Thaw's counsel. which called for
an explanation by Jerome. He told the
court that during the first trial Of Thaw
he had gained possession Of facts which
tended to show that the defendant was
addicted TO habit necessitating the use
Of surgical instruments, and that through
a certain source he had learned that such
instruments or instrument had been given
TO Hartridge by person in no way con-
nected with the trial.
Hartridge seemed TO be reluctant 10
answer Jerome's question regarding the
possession by him Of any such instru-
ments. but Justice Mills admonished him
that he must answer. He admitted that
he had in his grip one instrument which
he had obtained IN a manner indicated
by the district attorney. Upon further
questioning. he said that a woman by the
name Of Susie Morrill, and another wom-
an whose last name he remembered as
Wallace had been present when this thing
Continued on Page =, Column 4.