The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-06-19

HIS MEMORY IS POOR

NEW YORK, June hillary X
Thaw unexectedy took the witness
stand at today's session of the hear
Ing which Ia being held before Justice
Keogh al White Plains to decide
whether or not he ls now sane and
should be released from Matteswan
Asylum.
He was the lnterrogate tea for only
a few minutes.
Thaw became witness because
former attorney Jerome who il spec
iaiip representing the state st this
hearing. produced some papers which
the young slayer Of Stanford White
had written while In the Tonbs.
Clarence j. Shearn, Thaw = attorney
would sett Admit -tifat- TREY were in
Thaw's handwriting.
All right, Put him on the stand
then, and wen see" said Jerome.
Dressed all In black, and carrying
huge palm lear fan, the so-called
paranoiac left his place between his
mother and his sister. the Countess OF
Yarmouth and walked 10 the witness
chair.
He was shown several sheets Of yell
low paper. upon which there were
scribblings In blue pesci!. and was ask
sd II that WAS his handwriting. He
examined the sheets carefully. and
then. after period OF thought that
seemed more than "A minute long, re-
piled:
Thaw Acknowledges Writing.
Yes. believe 1t is.
Jerome READ the writing INTO rne
records. II related TO articles by
Mrs wilcox" and Dorothy Dix
printed during the murder trial.
Thaw replied TO an insinuation by
Jerome that the Mrs. Wilcox referred
10 was a woman from whom he had
rented n room, said the letter refer
req to was Ella Wheeler Wilcox. the
writer.
Mfr Thaw, where IS Susan Merrill
or Roger o'Mara?" asked Jerome. but
Mr.. Shearn holly objected to the Is
slnuaion that witnesses were being
concealed by the defense and Jerome
ceased.
Thaw was then shown another piece
Of writing. He said 1t was a ,cson-
munication he had written Tor his
counsel. Clifford Hartridge. soon after
his arrest.
Just look aid see if II wasn't writ
tea beore Hartridge became your
counsel" Jerome asked.
Thaw showed fash of brightness
and memory. He replied: No, II
refers here TO July "a, 1906, and Hart
ridge was retained by me on July
"a OF that year"
DO you object TO 1t going in as
evidence in this case Thaw and
Attorney Shearn both objected in
chorus. Jerome demanded OF the
witness:
Why do you object? Because you
know 1t is incoherent and shows that
your mind was disturbed when you
wrote it,"
After another pause Thaw said
"No. object because my counsel
objects"
His voice was low and not very
strong.
A hurdle of rewsp1per clippings
that Thaw had given TO MI Delmas
was then produced. Alongside % each
printed article Thsw had made notes,
He admitted having written the COM
ments
IT was because OF these that
stopped your trial and ordered a COM
mission IN iunecy to examine you"
said Jerome Don't you remember
that vow went before the commission,
and wrote out secret story OF your
crime mean that the commission
aud you were the only ones who saw
that story. and they Immediately
burned vonr writings"
Thaw Can't Remember.
Thaw couldn't remember such An
occurrence clearly II seemed He re-
manned silent
The days session ended before
Jerome could go further,
There were no witnesses TODAY out
side of the principal himself
EVELYN Neshitt Thaw. the young
wife OF the man who - nghf!ng Tor
his freedom, will be q principal wit
ness against him She has been mott
red 10 appsar tomorrow