Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-06
ThaW's Mother Says Jerome
Is Trying to Torture Son

WHITE PLAINS, n. Y, August s.
The appeal of mother for the liberty
of her SON lent gentle touch yester-
day to the otherwise sordid testimony
which marked the days proceedings In
Harry X. Thaw's fight to be releaS ed
from the Matteawan State Hospital for
the Criminal Insane.
Thaw's white haired mother, seventy
years old, trembling with nervous ex-
element and on the verge of break
down, took the stand in the afternoon
to tell Justice Mills things that a
mother keeps sacred. to show MIN
photographs of Harry when he was an
infant. and to plead he is not only sane
but also victim of a conspiracy to
keep him in close confinement without
even the little privileges accorded TO
other alleged lunatics of good behavior.
Jerome Declines Combat With Her.
Though she broke down several times
while telling her story on direct exam
ination, Mrs. Thaw was primed to fight
back vigorously should District Attor-
ney Jerome cross-examine her. When
Jerome announced he had no questions
to ask the aged woman glared defa nee
at him and ruStled away In her black
silk gown, plainly disappointed he had
declined the opportunity to cross swords
with her.
Delmas Made Her Double Fee.
Mr.. Morschauser led her to the matter
of the differences between counsel and
the money paid by her to Hartridge.
Delmas and others. She said Hartridge
had represented to her that unless more
money was expended than her son was
civ
not be available.
Then Delmas. after agreeing to sum up
and cross-examine for a fee of $oj,OUO
announced, she said, that unless he got
twice that sum he would desert the case
at it's most critical moment during the
first trial. Always there was quarreling
among the lawyers. she said, and each
wished to be chief counsel.
The family history. Mrs. Thaw said.
had been .'fearfully misrepresented" by
Thaw's lawyers and by Jerome. and she
denied there was any such common faint
of insanity among members Of the fam
lily on both sides as had been declared.
Mrs. Thaw told of her return from Eu-
rope when she learned of the killing Of
White. and of her visits to her son at
Matteawan.
"He had no complaints to make ex-
cept about the change of his room and
the early retiring hour. and l thought 1t
marvellous that he could accept his stu
alton SO philosophically and patiently
His first room was fairly decent and COM
shocked to see where they had put him.
Jerome interrupted to object. Justice
Mills said he would allow Mrs. Thaw to
say whatever she desired.
She thanked the court. adding:
Il think it has bearing on whether
or not my son is insane. Col. Franklin
Bartlett, his counsel. told me when he
saw that room that If he was there one
month he would be insane himself"
Her Other Son Comforts Her.
Again Mrs. Thaw's tears overpowered
her. and this time Josiah Thaw, her
other son, came to comfort her. When
she recovered composure she proceeded:
Your honor, it only shows that Mr..
Jerome is trying to torture my son in
every way he can. Is 1t not right that
I should tsIl.the truth about 1t ALP
AS she said this she glared at Jerome.
and went on to say that in her sons
room there was nothing but an iron cot
with the coverings. while next door was
another inmate with a rug. a rocking
chair, a bureau and a stool.
She asked DR.. Lamb, the superintend-
ent she said, to treat Harry more len
iently. Lamb told her he had orders
from DR.. Ferris, head OF the state lunacy
commission, to extend no favors to Thaw.
Touching on the occasion of a concert
arranged by DIR. Austin Flint for the in
mates, she said Observation-Disclosures
pronouncing the name hesltatingly and
with evident dislike, had warned Thaw
not to attend 1t. as there was plan on
foot to have him observed and his actions
reported in an exaggerated way.
This concluded Mrs. Thaw's testimony.
Harry Thaw was then recalled to the
stand, and was the last witness at the
afternoon session.