Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-06-29
'THAW SANE WHEN
HE KILLED WHITE"
SAYS LUNACY EXPERT
DR.. G. P. Bancroft, of
Federal Courts Commits
sion That Studied Slayer
in New Hampshire, I'm
shaken in Belief.

NEW YORK. June 29.-"Thaw lie no
insanc and never was insane He was
not insane the night he killed Stanford
White, but was labornR under an over
indulgence in champagne He thought he
was Justified in shooting white"
This statement, the sworn opinion OF Dr..
Charles p Bancroft, a Thaw witness,
created sensation today in the Supreme
Court. where the slayer Of Stanford White
seeks q habeas corpus writ to release him
from Matteawan Asylum.
Doctor Bancroft, superintendent OF the
New Hampshire Hospital for the Insane
and a member OF the Lunacy Commission
appointed. by a Federal Court in 1913.
which found the prisoner sane. remained
unshaken in his declaration that Thaw
is rational In every particular. He Is the
chief expert aiienist aiding Thaw in the
present sanity hearing.
"Thaw's expressed regret for his
crime" said Doctor Bancroft, rs the
chief evidence that he was not insane at
the time" The expert swore that Thaw's
act was that OF a man actuatcd by a
real report rather than by delusion or
hailuclnation
Doctor Bancroft reiterated his dec
laratiOn that a paranoiac may submerge
his mania for period Of several weeks
and conceal 1t from a physician, but he
refused TO admit that such concealment
could be carried on for months or years.
Doctor Bancroft admitted that heredity
plays great part in any individual suf-
fering from paranoia, and the possibility
of prenatal influence. Deputy Attorney
General Cook brought this out to pave the
way for his proposed effort to show that
Mrs Mary G.. Thaw's nervous state at
Thaws birth was responsible for his al
legged paranoiac tendencies.
Cook used almost every tactic known
to court procedure. attempting to impeach
10 -
in trying to shake the physi-
clans testimony.
DR., d. Percy Hickllng, an alienist, of |
Washington, ID. c., a practicing physician
for 81 years and an expert on mental
diseases, was the next witness. He swore
he believed Thaw sane and rational and |
In several examinations found no evil
dence Of paranoia. He said he was called !,
upon TO examine about 800 persons a |
year as to their sanity.
Much Of Cooks cross-examlnation had |
TO do with perverslon Mrs. Mary Copley |
Thaw. mother Of Harry, who was not in |
court yesterday, was not expected to he |
there today. 1t was the first time in the |
nine years of the Thaw legal controversy /
that his mother was not with him, but the |
gray-haired woman had been warned that
the States cross-examination would be
distasteful to her. During Cooks ques-
toning OF Bancroft, many women spec-
tators left the courtroom.
It was deemed probable that Thaw's di-
rect case would be concluded today. He
win probably offer some evidence in re-
buttal. The States case will consume
a week
Thaw told reporters just before court
that he had a Startling sur
PRISE that would be sprung In his be-
half soon. Just what 1t was he would
not tell. He intlmated that the evidence
he referred to probably would be offered
ln rebuttal of the State's cnse