New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-08

MT Jerome then pointed TO Thaw's morbid
desire To be the central figure in sensational
proceedings in public places such as when he
proposed 20 Evelyn Nesbt Thaw that they
should commit suicide the waldorf-AstorH
in February. 1904. and again IN Paris. as evil
dence of his deranged mental state. His dwell
ing upon the alleged wrong done TO his wife by
stanford White. his urging her TO prosecute the
latter and 10 tell her story. one that na
and normal mind would seek publication for
were other points brought out by the District
Attorney. The clippings taken from his clothes
referring TO sexual subjects. MI Jerome said in
dicated his unbalanced condition at the present
time.
II cannot conceive of sane man. said Mr.
Jerome. mot being willing TO talk TO DR.. Lamb
or DR.. Baker about his condition" AS to
Thaw's belief that he being bounded. Mr.
Jerome. pointing the opening paragraph in
The Secret Unveiled" said: We in this
pamphlet itself the same color that through
the mind of this unfortunate man."
This was the only reference made 10 the
pamphlet by Mr.. Jerome. but Mrs. Thaw. who
published II. heard IL. although all during the
District Attorneys address she devoted herself
assiduously TO the reading of a denominational
publication and purposely ignored the man
whom she has accused of torturng her SON
Fifteen alienists. said Mr.. Jerome had sworn
Thcw insane. nine of whom had declared
he had paranoia. Evans, Of course" he added
scornfully. thinks him sane. But Evans I
mink has made sufficient qualification of him
self here 10 let that stand" In closing. Mr.
Jerome said:
IL your honor should conclude TO release this
man whether think the decision is correct or
not we should all stand upon your Judgment
Inc authorities at Matteawan, 1 believe, have
no special desire TO keep Thaw there Their
IN
shown In letting Jennie Burch go without a
fair and thorough examination I do not think
II is safe TO let him go free"
MORSCHAUSER'S ARGUMENT.
In his reply Mr.. Morschauser pointed out that
the question at issue was not whether Thaw
was insane at the time he killed White but
whether he was sane now Mr. Morschauser
contradicted the District Attorneys statements
as to the testimony Of alienists declaring that
majority Of the alienists who had examined Thaw
had found no evidence of paranoia. He pointed
10 the testimony OF Drs Pilgrim, Jellirfe Greg
DRY and Hammond, the decision Of the lunacy
commission appointed by Justice Fitzgerald and
the statement of DR.. Baker. Of Matteawan 20
Mr.. Graham. Thaw's counsel in the former pro-
ceedings for his release. Dr. Baker. after Thaw
had been three months at Matteawan under his
daily supervision, told Mr. Graham that Thaw
pressive insanity
IF this man." said Mr.. Morschauser had the
slightest remnant of insanity, with all his
trouble and his treatment at Matteawan he
would have shown IL there. He was watched
constantly by DR.. Baker and the attendants
Dr. Baker has never once stated anything that
tended TO show that Thaw exhibited weak and
unsound mind there at Matteawan.
Il do not wish to criticise DR.. Baker but all
through his testimony II has been apparent that
he has mot been absolutely unprecedented in his
study Of Thaw. He came here with a lot of clip
pings. They were taken from Mr.. Thaw's
clothes while he was in bed There were some
100 other clippings, yet he brings here only
t"enty-eight bearing on sexual matter. He
never said a thing about the rest he found until
made him answer. although among them was
a copy of Lincolns Gettysburg speech and
poems II may be innocent enough on his part
but IL seems to me that man who wanted 10 he
absolutely fair would have known that the fact
that there were $50 clippings of which he pro-
duced only twen.y-eight, would have moderated
in measure the idea that Mr.. Thaw was occu
pying his time in selecting clippings of only
certain kind"
TREATMENT AT MATTEAWAN
In reference to Thaw's treatment at Mattea-
wan Mr.. Morschauser said:
There was a time when he was permitted TO
stay up till o'clock and he was allowed IN
smoke. Suddenly this system is changed He
is compelled to disrobe before going 10 his
room. and he has 10 go TO his room, where
there is only an iron bed for furniture. at 8
O'Clock"
The only solution Mr. Morschauser said he
could give for the conduct Of Drs. Lamb and
Baker toward Thaw that after the serving
Of the first application for a writ Of ha beas
corpus they conferred with the District Attor-
new of Dutchess County and MI Jerome and
an antagonistic condition was created in their
minds DR. Baker kept on naggfng him he
said. although both DR., Harris and DR. Evans
who are in charge Of large institutions for tie
insane, testified that this was something they
always carefully avoided doing with their pa
TENTS
Mr.. Morschauser pointed out that although
he had given Mr.. Jerome a full set Of copies of
more than fifty letters written by Thaw TO his
lawyer. John B. Gleason, Mr.. Jerome had care
fully RETAINED from producing them in evidence.
As to Thaw's alleged eccentrcities and i'll
nesses. Mr.. Morschauser said his attorneys. be
heving him insane at the time he killed White
naturally did everything 10 his life Early
escapades were distorted to prove his insanity:
Vet for seventeen years, from 1884 20 1899, moth
ing to his discredit had been raked up against
him His illnesses had been likewise magni-
fed, he said
In combating the argument OF Mr.. Jerome
that ThaW possessed Of decisions I'm reysri
10 White, Mr.. Morschauser quoted the District
Attorney himself as saying in his summing
at the first trial that this man (Whte) came
10 a deserved death" and admitting the
istence Of places of the character which Thaw
said White maintained for running young girls.
'Thaw did everything TO root out this evil
said his lawyer; the Comstock letters show
that as also those TO Longfellow- When ne