The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-07-29
.THAW In DUEL
WITH JEROME
Takes Stand IN Own
Behalf.
|s1AalsAg $ esuzllue
Stanfo Whites Slayer Put ia
~ Severe Test.
: seets to Having wife Become wit.
ness Asain-Is Forced to Ana
swer Questions Coaseraing
His Motives for Murder.
|lzAalrAU. s eRuElI1ue

White Plains, MY. July ss-Harry
K. Thaw's fate lay in his own hands
today. For six hours he occupied the
witness stand. while District Attorney
Jerome. the man who twice tried to
send him to prison and who once al
ready has thwarted an effort to release
him from q criminal insane asylum.
delved into his life history.
Thaw emerged creditabiy from the
ordeal. Whatever Jerome and his
alienists, may make Of the examine
tion. to the eye and ear OF the iayman,
Stanford whites slayer showed no
signs Of insanity on the stand today.
Tonight Thaw. the members Of his
family and his retinue Of attorneys and
experts. were unanimous In their opin-
lon that he has proven his ntness to be
at large. His friends beifeye that IL
he acquits himself In the future as well
as he did today, Justice Mills Will nave
no choice but to grant his application
for release from Matteawan.
But Thaw's ordeal is not over. lie
Twin remain ON the witness stand to-
morrow and perhaps DAY longer.
Two State alienists believe that IL he
Is insane he will be more likely to be-
tray himself toward the emo when
wearied OF Jerome.s continued hammer
ing.
Neither Thaw nor the District Attor-
ney displayed anything but the utmost
good nature today. Frequently the
dialogue resembled the chat Of friends
at an afternoon tea. Sometimes Thaw
thepght he had scored point and
smiled with the keensst enjoyment.
The smile was always reflected on the
face OF his white-haired mother. who
sat in court throughout the day with
other members OF the Tnaw ramiiy.
| Before he took xhe stand. Thaw Kissed
her on the cheek and frequently al
/ critical points IN tifs examfnatioii, h
shot reassuring glance n her dirset-
| len.
Jerome today stroye 10 establish
Thaw,s Insanity. mainly on his alleged
| hallucinations regarding Stanford
Whites treatment OF young girls
Time and again he asked the WITNESSES
own opinion OF his mental state. Thaw's
replies were:
~ have always been sane, medically.
When I killed White. may have been
legally insane for few minutes. I am
sane now
Thaw explained the evidence of his
alienists at the trial by saying that In
declaring him insane. they had been
misled. They were told. he said. that
the charges he made against white
were untrue and they inferred that the
charges must have been delusions.
l. Rrxn-.-
Three years confinement. DO not seem
| to have embittered Thaw. Today he
expressed regret for certain of the
more unspeakable charges which he
made in his will against the man ne
killed. Although he has been quote~
frequently in the past az not regrstting
his deed, he declared that sometimes he
felt regret. although any Feelings Of
remorse or horror were diminished. he
added, by the strain Of continued legal
soua billing of the past three years.
At times the witness scored on the
District Attorney and the whole court
room Joined in his smile of triumph.
Nothing pleased him more than the
chance to correct Jerome on some min.
or details OF the evidence of past
legal proceedings. which he had at HE
tongues end.
One characteristic epihode occurred
when Jerome asked Thaw to explain
his hostility tokDr. ALLAH McLane Ham
ilton, one OF the States former alien
lists. Thaw said he did not know ex-
actly why he disliked Hamilton. II
was like the case OF Or. Fell. he added.
who is Feli?" inquired Jerome In
.swhy. don't you know?" exclaimed
the witness. in real or feigned sur
prise. He quoted the nrst lines of
the nonsense rhyme.
Il don't like you. DIR. Fell.
"The reason why. ! cannot tell"
Thaw's mood was not always joviai.
He gave the first signs of worry when
the District Attorney returned later to
his dislike Of DR.. Hamilton and asked a
number OF questions evidently designed
to show that Thaw's prejudice was
something violent and abnormal.
Another line Of questions that made
the witness kntk his brows had 10 do
with his relations with Evelyn Nesbit
before their marriage.
Although 1t has been alleged that
shaw has broken with hts wife and
that she Is aiding the opposition, he
showed a strong dcsirs today Go shield
her name. The young woman herself
arrived in the court room during this
part of the examination and rewarded
her husbands evident consideration for
her feelings WITH several radiant
smiles.
AT the same time, Thaw showed
strong reluctance to letting his wife
take the stand and had his attorney
invoke the privilege of<confidential re-
lations to bar him
To Recall Woman.
Susan Merrill. who was the chief wit
ness at yesterdays session, was in
court today. but did not take the stand.
Thaw swore that her most damaging
charges against him were untrue. She
will probably take the stand again
later. The State also expects to put on
their three alienists TO tell their i'm.
pressions regarding Thaw's mental