The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-08-04
DIR. BAKER BELIEVES
THAW STILL INSANE
Another Trying Day for the
Slayer of Stanford White.
SWAPS JOKES WITH JEROME
Prisoner Hears Acting Superintend-
ent of Matteawan Declare He Sees
No ImprOvement-Dr. Flint Calls
Thaw n "True ParanOiac'-Dr.
Hirsch Terms Him n Degenerate.

White Plains. Aug. 3.-Harry X. Thaw
sat in the Supreme Court to-day and
heard the alienists for the State call him
all Of the hard names in psychiatry.
While they were Analysing, dissecting.
and appraising his mental equipment
from the witness stand Thaw snapped
jokes with District Attorney Jerome.
"a true paranoiac, said DR.. Flint, one
OF the heaviest guns In the States ar
tillery, and Thaw wrote out something
on a slip OF paper and handed II 70 Je-
rome. They laughed together. "a de-
generate paranoiac," was the contribu-
ton OF DR.. William Hirsch. and Jerome
touched Thaw on the shoulder and whis-
pered something in his ear that brought a
grin to the lips Of the Matteawen pris-
oner.
All OF this went on within two hours
after the time that Thaw himself had sat
white Tipped and afraid in the witness
char 10 undergo the examination OF
Jerome. following the testimony OF Dr.
Baker, acting superintendent OF the Mat
teawan State Asylum for the Criminal IN
sane. which was that the man whom he
had under observation for eleven months
was a maniac.
DIT Baker had testified that during that
time no signs OF an Improvement had APP
peared in the condition OF the prisoner,
who had been acquitted OF the murder of
White on grounds Of insanity.
Asks Direct Question.
From your observation OF Thaw. and
your study Of the full history OF his case.
have you reached a full and firm con-
clusion as 20 his present sanity CT insan-
typ the justice asked
That includes my study OF the testi-
mony OF various trials and the exhibits,
as well as the medical history OF the
case?" queried the asylum physician.
"Oh. yes; everything"
Then my position is that the man is
now insane he said.
rs that a thoroughly well-settled con-
viction. and does il apply 10 his present
condition. asked the justice. Baker
said that such was the case.
When you say that ne Is insane now.
what do you mean2 DO you consider that
his freedom now would be a menace 10
the public peace and safety-that he is
dangerous to the public safety?"
Yes. 1 do" the witness replied. and
Thaw settled lower in his seat. Before
Thaw had had opportunity 20 recover
from the shock OF Or. Bakers testimony
Jerome called him 20 the stand. He
went to the chair only after he had
made an excuse 10 leave the court room
for FIVE minutes. and Il was evident that
no was making every effort TO get & grip
ON d eff IA
ney Immediately produced more OF
Thaw's writngs-this time they were ad-
visory notes prepared by him for Del
mas. Thaw said. and upon these scrawIs
Jerome opened a merciless attack.
Thaw's Notes as Exhibits.
Some OF the exhibits Of Thaw's notes
follow:
who connected him OfummeD with
Jerome: let him show cOmradeship be-
tween Jerome and any others Ask him
how he met White, afterward rele-
gated many girl victims FOR ". Carly
1892. Did you pay Edna Goodrich and
her mother 5000 for White in parlor OF
Hummel's while S. W waited upstairs?
"Carvalho can explain. The document
could be a photo on a not very public
jurat. a signature Of forgery OF Evelyn
Nesbit photo on. The name Dellls was
unknown 70 Miss Nesbit or Hummel or
White IN 1903, Thereupon II may not be
1893 paper. A simple signature by Evelyn
was criminally stamped on a jurat by
the"
In explanation Of these notes Thaw
said that they had been prepared FOR the
use Of his counsel and that as TO Jerorne's
having lunched with Hummel. he had
learned that fact from the reading Of
the papers
Thaw kept his nerve until the finish.