The Washington herald., 1909-07-30

White Plains, N Y. July 29..-Harry X.
Thaw weathered the second days assault
by District Attorney Jerome in the su-
preme Court here to-day by the narrow
est leeway Of safety.
When. at the end Of four hours of
pounding. Jerome announced at the close
Of the afternoon session that he was
through with the witness. save possibly
for a few fugitive questions tomorrow.
Thaw jumped from the stand without
waiting TO be dismissed and hurried to
the security OF the seat beside hts coun-
sell
The Matteawan prisoner did not break
once. but for fifteen minutes during the
early part Of the examination he fought
himself visibly on the stand. and he came
out OF the conflict shaken but temporarily
secure.
II was not what he saId that betrayed
his struggle to regain control Of his
sharpened faculties: II was the evidence
OF his uncontrolled muscles that may
have been carried 20 the judge,
Followed Hartridge on stand.
Thaw took the stand after clifford W.
Harrldge, his one-tlne counsel. and Mrs
Susie Morrill,, the keeper OF the apart
ment houses. had added further weight
20 the testimony Jerome had previously
ndduced regarding dog whips and girls
and cash payments. That testimony was
not pleasing nor beneficial 10 his case.
and the ranl1le Of It was with him when
he was called 70 the stand 10 resume the
hard task OF cross-examination that
Jerome had set for him on the day be-
fore.
The minute Thaw took the stand. Je-
rome hurled al him the same bald gues-
ton that had caused him difficulty on
the stand yesterday:
Were you or we're you not crazy when
you shot White?'
The witness shifted IN his chair. his
right hand fluttering 20 his lips and back
again. He spoke in a low voice. with
none OF the easy confidence that had
his saIlies OF yesterday.
The muscles IN his cheeks just below the
eyes twitched and his toes beat q rapid
tattoo on the floor. Jerome with eyes
narrowed watched, and waited.
I was not crazy-that Is. I was not
medically crazy" was Thaw's answer
after a full minutes delay. Then he
repeated what he had adopted as his
route the day before, saying that the
alienists who had examined him had
assured him that such was the case
Drs. Lamb. Baker. and Jacobi were the
ones whom ne cited as authorities.
Didn't Drs White Gregory. Pilgrim.
and Jelliffe swear on the stand in the
second trial that you were crazy when
you shot White?" came the question In
Jeromes rasping infection
Mental DeranEement.
II think those gentlemen testified that
I was suffering from mental derange-
ment which prevented me from knowing
the nature and quality Of the act I COM
mitted," was Thaw's hesitating answer
AS he spoke he looked nervously from
his own counsers face TO the implacable
visage Of Jerome. The man seemed to
be straining FOR a support beyond his
reach.
More questions Jerome asked him along
the same lines as those covered yester-
day, as to wherein his opinion OF his
own sanity differed from those Of the
experts who had testified for him in his
trials for murder what was his present
belief as 10 his sanity at the time OF the
shooting of White. and now Thaw an
swered mechanically at first and as II by
note. then gradually he began TO get
him a good chance by asking him 10
look over a sheaf Of writing paper and
identify them as his own. Carefully
like a trained fighter sparring for wind.
Thaw took plenty Of time TO examine
the papers, and during those moments his
nervousness passed away, and confidence
crept into his eyes. At the end he was
the same gently aggressive man that
had banded repartee and retort with his
yesterday.
His Second Defense.
you were being tried for murder the
second time. and your defense was that
you were insane at the time OF the shoot
ing" Jerome was saying. when Thaw in
terrupted him with one Of his quick
flashes Of lmpatience.
fense was all that the law would allow
me-"
But" persisted the district attorney,
you understand that when you appeared
before Justice Morschauser in Poughkeep-
sic last June upon & writ similar to that
which is being heard now. the justice
adjudged you insane"
Il understand no such thing. under
stand that the justice dismissed the writ,
which, to my mind, meant that there
was a bur6en OF doubt which he cast
against me; that's all.
Gets Back at Jerome.
Thaw. with the fun measure Of acumen
that he possessed on the first day of his
examination, was giving it back to the
district attorney as hard as il was sent.
The States alienists, who sat behind Je-
rome. were exchanging glances. Peculiar
brilliancy in concealing the evidence OF
paranoia is also. they say. one Of the
unfailing indications Of a paranoiac. A
man being examined as to his sanity ls
Continued on Page o, Column ?.
s1.25 90 Baltimore and Return