The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-06-24
HARRY THAW'S
FIGHT FOR FREEDOM
Witnesses on the Stand Who Think
He 10 Just 40 Sane az
ANYBODY.

| UNITED Press Leased Wire Service. ]
I NEW YORK. June 24-Harry K
Thaw's legal forces today began
their second skirmish with state
authorities confident that the present
( trial to test Thaw's sanity before
Judge Hendrick and jury will result
| in ultimate victory for the murderer
| OF Sanford White. Legal broadsides
and technical flank movements with
! brilliant verbal maneuvering is char
acterizing both sides Of the famous
| case. John B. Stanchfield, New York's
mightiest criminal defender has found
worthy opponent in Frank ]. Cook.
| a young up state lawyer, who occu-
pies the position Of deputy attorney
: general.
From early events in the trial to-
day, it became evident that Cook is
reserving his heaviest attack on the
Thaw defense that he is now legally
sane until the state calls the slayer
of Stanford White as it's own witness.
When he puts Thaw on the witness
stand, he plans thorough searching
of Thaw's mental capacities and Of
his conduct from the time he left
Pittsburgh, young man, for Harvard
and his subsequent acts while he was
Inc anger OF bTOaQWdy.
Mrs. Mary Copley Thaw may be I'M
willingly factor in keeping her son
from gaining his liberty.
Deputy Attorney General Cook an.
nounced today that he would read to
the jury the testimony Of Mrs. Thaw,
given at the second trial, in which
she admitted that Thaw and his fam
lily before them had suffered from
mental disorders. Cook plans to use
this testimony as boomerang, show
ing that Thaw is affected by heredi-
tary insanity. II the court will not
allow this to be read into the record
Cook said he would be forced to call
Mrs. Thaw to the stand.
Gustave Roeder, New York World
reporter, stated on cross examination
today that he interviewed Thaw two
days after he had killed White and at
that time Thaw appeared irrational.
Thaw was changed man now, he
said.
William L. shurtleff, a Goaticook,
Quebec attorney, who represented
Thaw on his arrival in Canada, said
he considered Thaw sane.
What did you receive for coming
down here?" asked Cook,
twenty-five dollars and Transports
tion," admitted ShurtleR.
James e. Smith, a. newspaperman
of Sherbrook, Canada. was next put
on the stand. Thaw was sane. he
thought.
did Thaw ever discuss women
with you?" asked Cook.
''Yes," admitted the witness.
Virgins? Canadian or otherwise ?"
pressed Cook.
No" snapped Smith. ''The right
kind-mothers."
Sensational revelations about the n, .
legged plot to kidnap Harry K. Thaw
by New York state officials, headed by
VIM. Travers Jerome, when the slay.
er of Stanford White was a Fugitive
in Canada, were promised by John y.
Stanchfield at the Thaw sanity trial
today.
In fighting for certain testimony OF
counsel said their statements would
be sustained by evidence which he
later would divulge.
Despite Assistant Attorney General
Cooks strenuous objections, Justice
Hendrick allowed the testimony to
be admitted. Robert A. Ewing, Sher
brooke, Canada, alderman. was allow
ed to tell Of the stories he had hear1
about the alleged kidnapping plot.
when I went into court the first
morning that Thaw was arraigned,'
Ewing said, Il saw many strange
men. AS I passed inside the court /
heard one of the strangers say to his
companion. the best way for US to
get him is to snap him up and rush
him across the line"
Nothing developed from Ewing's
testimony that showed how Thaw's
attorneys hope to strengthen his plea
of sanity by testimony concerning the
supposed kidnapping plot None OF
the Thaw lawyers would make any ex.
PLANTATION.
The court recessed for luncheon
when Ewing was excused.
Andrew Rous seau, a Coaticook, Car-
ada, hotel keeper, who went the bond
of William Traverse Jerome when the
latter was arrested there for playing
penny ante poker, said he always con-
sidered Thaw sane. He said he had
a good chance to observe him, taking
him his meals, and conversing with
him
Robert A. Ewing, an alderman os
Sherbrooke Canada, followed Rous-
seau. Attorney Stanchfield brough
out that Ewing thought so much of
Thaw that he asked him to stay In
Canada and enter business there.
This aroused Cooks ire.
Us that all the civic pride the peo-
pie Of Sherbrooke have to desire a
murderer, an insane man, to become
a member of your business commun-
|ity?' he shouted.
NO" drawled the giant Canadian
"Byt we have an enterprising boar