The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-06-29

there to convince the jury that Thaw
should not be liberated as sane,
did you learn" asked Mr.. Cook
suddenly, when DIR. Bancroft had tes-
titled that among other things he and
his collea CUES, who had decided Thaw
sane, had based their verdict on was
an inquiry into Thaw"s family his
tory ",that an aunt of Thaw's father
was an epileptic from childhood
VI think" replied DR. lBoncroft,
that we learned of this"
And did you hear that a second
cousin of Thaw's father. after being
confined for fifteen years in an
asylum, died there"
Yes, sir" answered DIR. Bancroft.
And did you hear that a half-sister
of Thaw's father was insane?'
II don't recall that"
And did you know That cousin Of
Thaw. once removed. was insane?"
mot to the extent you recall II
now"
Lived Tempestuous Life.
Throughout all this testimony and
additional evidence brought out by Mr..
Cook that DIR. Bancroft had heard that
Thaw's later life was ''tempestuous,
that ne had gone "a rapid pace" that
he drank more or less"-these replies
swept from Thaw's face the look OF
confidence which had been there while
Frank s. Streeter, of New Hampshire,
and DIR. Bancroft during direct exam
nation were piiing up eyidepce In his
favor.
And then. came q. question WHICH
seemed 10 make the biggest impress
sion of the trial so far. 1t had To do
with DR.. Bloomer, an assistant to DR..
Bancroft in the New Hampshire in
sane asylum, formerly connected with
the insane asylum at Albany. and with
DR.. Bancroft a member of the Streeter
commission, which recently in New
Hampshire declared Thaw sane.
Before asking his question concern
ing DR.. Bloomer, Mr.. Cook led up to
1t by having DR.. Bancroft testify that
a paranoiac will, as the State agrees
with medical experts when put to IT.
successfully conceal for some time all
signs of insanity from physicians or
others who have the patient under
observation.
"Dr. Bancroft" began DR.. Cook
then, did Dr. Bioomer ever speak to
you OF the Davis case under his OBJ
servation while DIR. Bloomer was at
tached to the Albany asylum
II don't recall that DR.. Bloomer
ever mentioned such a case" answered
the witness.
Cites Davis Case.
Perhaps / can help you recall that
case" said Mr.. Cook easily. Davis
was a patient at the Albany asylum
who for one year and half while Or.
Bloomer was there, showed absolute
ly no signs of insanity and, therefore,
WIS finally discharged from the
asylum as sane. And the night of the
day Davis left the asylum" concluded
counsel for the state slowly. Davis
picked up an axe and crushed in the
skull OF his sister-in-law.
The eyes Of every juryman, the
court, the counsel for both sides. and
crowd of spectators that Allied every
seat, were fastened upon Mr.. Cook.
When spectators did begin TO whis-
per among themselves bit later what
seemed to impress them wholly was
that the State had, by putting the
question. got before the jury the
states whole contention that Thaw
might show. every sign, of sanity, but
that his liberation would be inadvis-
able.
Court was adjourned a few minutes
later, and as the crowd filed out there
seemed to be no memory, II one were
TO judge by the conversation over
heard as groups discussed the days
testimony out in corridors and eleva-
tors, of the fact that except for the
last hour or so OF the afternoon all
the testimony OF the day had been
in Thaw's favor.