The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-12
Commission Makes Report
as to Condition of the
Matteawan Escape
THAW REFUSES TO
MAKE ANY COMMENT
Attended Church With His Mother
Accompanied by Guard-Said
His Silence Was According
to Counsels' Advice


Concord, n. H.. january I1.--Harry
Kendall Thaw would not be a public
menace If released ON ball. according.
10 the report of the commission ap-
point by Federal Judge AIGrich to In
quire into Thaw's mentality.
The report says the commission finds
Thnw is not no waffIicted with my OF
the mental diseases from which he
was suffering when he slew stanford
White.
The finding was announced today
While the commissioners say they have
reached "a definite and positive opinion
as to the present mental condition of
Thaw and his probable state of mind at
the time of the homicide" they refrain
from expressing this opinion, in view of
the instructions of the court not to en-
barrass any subsequent litigation where
the broad question of insanity might be
involved.
Upon the question of menace or dam
ger through the granting of bail we may,
however, be permitted and probably are
compelled" concludes the report, ito rec
ord our finding that whatever may have
been the mental condition of Harry X.
Thaw at the time of the homicide he now
is not suffering from any of the mental
diseases alleged by the prosecution at the
time of the trials or subsequently thereto
namely, anio-depressive insanity, para
noia, dementia praecox, or delusonal in
sanity
Liberty Would Not Be dangerous
In our opinion 1t is reasonably prob
able that Harry Kendall Thaw's liberty
under bail would not be dangerous or a
menace to the public safety"
The commission comprised Gen. Frank
S. Streeter, lawyer of this city: DR.. Nor
ton Prince, Boston; DIR. G. Alderblumer
superintendent of Butler hospital for the
insane Providence r.. l., and DR.. Charles
p Bancroft superintendent of the New
Hampshire hospital for the insane, this
city. The report will be considered by
Judge Aldrich early this week in connec-
'tion with the petition of Thaw for admis-
sion to bail under habeas corpus proceed
ings The Judge has said that after the
presentation of the report, interested par
ties may have an opportunity to be heard
pefore the bail finally is passed on. No
date for a hearing has been set.
After referring briefly to Thaw's second
trial and his committal to Matteawan
state hospital as victim of "maniac-de-
pressve INSANITY" the report says the
commission examined all entries of official
record in the hospital relating to Thaw
from February 1908, to the date of his
escape from the hospital. transcripts Of
three cross-examinations of Thaw by
counsel for the state of New York on
habeas corpus proceedings were also in
spected.
Searching Examination
''All the cross-examinations," says the
report, except that before Justice Mors-
chauser, which was brief, covered the
most searching inquiry into Thaw's men,
tai condition and attitude. s,--i (
I'VE also had before u.s. say the COM
missioners, various exhibits, letters and
other documents used upon the two trials
for homicide and in other proceedings, &
The report then tells of the public hear.
ing held on January Z, at which interested
parties were asked to offer evidence Of
acts committed by Thaw since his colns.
initial to Matteawan tending oiHh0w per-,
sonal violence and evidence to the con-
tary Counsel for the state of New
York" it continues, declined 20 appear
on the ground that our power under the
order of the court was inadequate to q
determination of the question submitted.
Counsel appeared for Thaw and offered
evidence of his custodiansti1ps since Sep
tember IS, 1913. $50 as
The report says its mental examination
of ''Thaw covered a searching 1inquisition
into all the acts of his life. They iff-
(C0ntinued on Page TWst ~.