The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-08-03
FURTHER INSIGHT
INTO THAW'S LIFE
Or. Baker of MatteaWan Tells
of Prisoners Ways
THAW'S MOTHER IN COURT
Mrs, Thaw Hears Evidence introduced
by the State Which Had Been
Used Before in Defense
of Her Son.
THAW'S MOTHER IN COURT

White Plains \. Y, August 2.-How
Harry X. Thaw conducted himself at the
Matteawan asylum for the criminal in
sane, a phase OF his life not gone into
before, was described today by DR.. Amos
b. Baker. first assistant physician of
the institution, the only witness called by
District Attorney Jerome at the continue
ton of the hearing by which Thaw hopes
to obtain his release. The examination
of DR.. Baker had not been finished when
adjournment was taken.
Aside from his testimony a two-foot
stack of canvas bound books. labeled 1.-The
People VS.. Harry h Thaw''-records of
the murder trails-furnished all the evil
dence introduced by Mr.. Jerome today.
MIR. Jerome expects to be through with
the states interests tomorrow and Charles
Morschauser, Thaw's lawyer, will put his
client on the stand, possibly late tomor-
row afternoon.
Mrs. Mary Copley Thaw, as she sat in
court today, heard Mr.. Jerome introduce
against her son testimony she had willing
ly given heretofore to save his life. Today
1t was seized upon by the state to prove
him insane 1t included her accounts Of
his nervous temperament as a child, given
to save Thaw's life, but now being used
to prove he is an insane man.
While some of these notes described the
patients acts as silly" and while the
witness said that in his belief Thaw was
Irrational now, Thaw's attorney made him
admit that during the first three months
of the patients stay at Matteawan he
observed no signs of paranoia.
When Thaw reached Matteawan on the
day the jury acquitted him of murder on
the ground of insanity, almost his first
statements according to DIR. Baker, were
expressions of amusement over the clever
work of his lawyers and alienists." He
said frankly, according to DR.. Baker,
that his acquittal was obtained by exaS-
gerating certain incidents, and putting in
testimony jerome was unable to refute
because he had not the facts
The witness described Thaws manner
at most times silly and ''pompous.
He said he quarreled with the other pa
tients who played cards with him. calling
them stupid donl1eys." From his note
book he told of various incidents, includ-
ing Thaws refusal to accept mall ad-
dressed to him; his refusal TO see his
wife until told that Mr.. Morshauser had
sent her, and his dominant action to-
ward the physicians.
Last fall the prison authorities searched
Thaw's pockets when he asleep and
the next day he offered $500 for the de-
lection of any one tampering with his
clothes. The fruits of this search appeared
In court today when DIR. Baker handed
in as evidence about 80 newspa per clip
pings. They not read, but Mr.. Je-
rome explained that all we're on sexual
topics
Mr. Morschauser weakened the force of
this exhibit by making the witness testify
that in all he had found nearly 200 clip
pings in Thaws pockets and that they
were on various subjects He said he had
brought the 80 to court because he thought
they all had bearing on the case. Judge
Mills told him to fetch the others to-
morrow.
When court adjourned for the day Mr.
Morschauser was trying to make DR.
Baker admit that a musical at the hos
pital not long ago was arranged for the
purpose of letting Thaw make a fool OF
himself. Thaw refused to attend the af-
fair