Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1909-07-31
THAW'SFATE LIES
IN HIS OWN HANDS
More Than Holds His Own on
Witness Stand.
SORRY He KILLED WHITE

Tells District Attorney Jerome Legal
squabbling Has Diminished Feelings
Of Remorse over sIaying-DecIares
He Has Always Been Sane Medically.
White Plains, NJ Y, July 29.--Harryf
X. Thaw's fate lies in his own hands
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 already has
thwarted an effort to release him from
a criminal insane asylum. delved into
his life his1ry Thaw emerged credit
ably from the ordeal. Whatever Je-
rome and his alienists may make of
the examination, to the eye and ear
of the layman Stanford Whites slayer
showed no. signs OF insanity on the
stand.
Thaw, the members of his family
and his retinue of attorneys and ex-
perts were unanimous in their opinion
that he has proved his fitness to be at
large. His friends believe that IL he
acquits himself in the future as well as
on the stand Justice Mills will have
no choice but to grant his application
for release from Matteawan.
But Thaw's ordeal is not over The
states alienists believe that If he is
insane he will be more likely to be-
tray himself toward the end, when
wearied by Jeromes continued ham
mering.
81 Have Always Been Sane, Medically"
Jerome strove to establish Thaw's
insanity mainly on his alleged hallu-
cinations regarding Stanford Whites
treatment of young girls. Time and
again he asked the witness own opin.
ion of his mental state. Thaw's replies
in substance were: 81 have always
been sane. medically. When / killed
White l may have been legally insane
for few minutes. 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 be decisions.
Regrets Killing White.
Three years confinement do not
seem to have embittered Thaw. He
expressed regret for certain Of the
more unspeakable charges which he
made In his will against the man he
killed. Although frequently quoted in
the past as not regretting his deed, he
declared he sometimes felt regret, al
though any feelings of remorse and
horror were diminished. he added, by
the strain of the continued legal
squabbling of the past three years.
81 believe" he said, that In acquit
ting me the jury was largely infu
enced by the belief that Stanford
White deserved his fate"
did you have a feeling Of bitter
personal enmity toward him, or did
you think he was the kind OF creature
that every decent man was justified
| in putting out of the way?" There is
no such thing as man that every
decent man should put out Of the
way"
/ Asked again why he killed White,
Thaw replied: Really. do not
know"
Thaw Shields Evelyn.
! Another line of questions that made
: the witness knit his brows had to do
with his relations with Evelyn Nesbit
before their marriage. Although it
i has been alleged that Thaw has
broken with his wife and that she is
aiding the opposition. he showed
| strong desire 20 shield her name. The
young woman herself arrived in the
| courtroom during this part of the ex'
animation and rewarded her husbands
evident consideration for her feelings
with several radiant smiles. At the
| same time Thaw showed strong reluct-
ance to letting his wife take the stand
and had his attorneys invoke the privi-
lege Of confidential relations to bar
her.
Mrs. Susan Merrill, who was the
chief witness at Tuesdays session,
was in court. Thaw swore that her
most damaging charges against him
were untrue She probably win take.
the stand again later.
Man Badly Bitten by Horse.
R.ca CharIoa Va IuIv 90 William