THE THAW MURDER TRIAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 28 March 1907, Page 3

THE THAW MURDER TRIAL

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NEW YORK Mar 27.—Mr Justice Fitzgerald has appointed a Commission in lunacy to determine Thaw’s mental condition. IS THAW INSANE? Mr Jerome, chief counsel tor the prosecution, has so fur contended and sought to prove that Thaw is sane and was sane at the time he shot White dead. His famous cross-examination of Dr Wiley, an expert called by the defence, was de- j voted to this object. _ I Dr C. H. Wiley was for six years president of the Pennsylvania Hospital for the Insane, and he. gave it as his opinion , that Thaw was insane because of his conduct in a street car in the summer of

’ 1905. Thaw pulled one of the window blinds up, then slammed it down, then drew it up again, and afterwards quarrelled with the. conductor. Witness certainly thought that prisoner was insane when he shot White. The witness several times showed embarrassment, and once when asked by Mr Gleeson whether, in his opinion, Thaw knew that the deed which he was committing was wrong, replied “Yes,” and then started upon an explanation, which was quickly stopped by Mr Jerome and_ Mr Gleeson, the former objecting to the explanation, and the latter endeavouring to stop the witness, who was answering in a manner not intended by the defence. The question previously asked was then repeated, and the witness this time answered “No.” He was of opinion that the shooting of White was an act of insanity, as was the killing of any person in a jealous rage. Mr Jerome took the witness over every incident of the night of the tragedy, and asked if in each case he thought Thaw’s acts were those of an insane man. The witness finally summed up that, taken alone, they were not, but that taken together they were. In answer to a question as whether the cardiac nerve connected directly with the cerebellum, witness hesitated, whereupon Mr Jerome suggested perhaps he could tell them “if the pneumqgastric nerve joined the spinal column in the lumbar circle or the dorsal region.” Dr Wiley thought the latter, but he could not say where the dorsal region was. Counsel: Oh, well, never mind. Tell me if it is not a fact that the pneumogastric and cardiac nerves are one and the same thing?—They may be. Counsel: Don’t you, as a specialist in nerve diseases and an expert, know which is which? Witness remained silent. Mr Jerome rained question after question upon him, but no answer was vouchsafed. Mr Jerome asked what books on nervous diseases the witness had read, and the latter mentioned two authors. Do you recollect a single thing either of these authors said?—Not in their language. When did you last read them?—Just

before coming here. Why did you do that?—l merely glanced at them. Dr Wiley, if you recall anything you over read in any book please state it to the jury. The witness said he had read a translation of Oppcnheimer’s work, but lie was unable to describe it in any particular. Are yon a homeopathist?—No.

Well," what arc you ? I am a nervous practitioner. When Mr Jerome asked : Is it not a fact that all the functions of the human body are controlled by the pneumogastric nerve acting through the spinal marrow or medulla ablongata ? the tumult in court was so great that the answer was lost, and the bailiff had to call the court to order. , . „ _ Dr Wiley said he knew the Argyll Robertson test for light, but could not recall where he had heard of it. Did you ever hear of such a thing before I asked the question ? Witness hesitated, but Mr Jerome did

Where, in any book in God’s whole world, did yon ever read anything about the Argyll Robertson test? Dr. Wiley did not reply. Counsel:'is Argyll Robertson one-man or two?—l think"two. Counsel: As a matter of fact, he is only one man. Witness could not tell whether a man was insane by looking at him he would have to converse with him. He had never conversed with Thaw . Counsel: Do you think it right that you should come here to give it as your opinion that a man is insane when you have, not submitted him to examination, and have not even conversed with him? — I gave my opinion on a hypothetical question. not on examination.