THAWS LEADING COUNSEL.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLI, Issue 86, 13 April 1907, Page 2

THAWS LEADING COUNSEL.

Mr Delphine Michael Delmas, who leads -the counsel for the defence jn the Thaw murder trial, is (says M.A.P.) a small, slight man, of decidedly intellectual features. It is not long ago, a 'Californian friend tells us, that he was what is known in America as " a one-horse lawyer," the meaning of ■which needs no explanation. For many years he practised in a small ■way as one of the junior members of a Jaw firm in the little town, of San Jose. Later, he moved to San Francisco, and —set up in practice there. He gradu- • -ally took up the .defence of criminals .and flagrant offenders against domestic morality, and his sensational firework style of defence -succeeded in so many won verdicts that he became intime famous. He is also a very fine - speaker. The first case to make him talked about was one where a young man1, named Peter W Thite, was accused of murdering his best friend, one Henry Wilkins. The evidence was all circumstantial, of the clearest sort, and everybody thought it useless to go on with any defence. But when his turn came, Delmas desired the crier to call as a witness Henry Wilkins. "What! The murdered man?" exclaimed the judge. "The alleged murdered man," replied Delmas; " the jury must decide that, your Honour." ■" All right, call your witness," said +he judge, ,and three times the crier's ■voice at the door echoed through the corridors—" Henry Wilkins, come into CourtJ" without receiving any response. "No answer," he reported. " Call again," requested Delmas. This , was done even a third time, with the same result, by which time the dramatic effect of the scene on the jury, as j "well as on the crowded Court, became j intense. The stillness in the Court I -was oppressive as Delmas turned to the! jury, and said:—" Gentlemen, the one \ .man whose voice could have proved < ~ihe innocence of the prisoner is now ; beyond the of this assemblage, -i He could tell you, were he here, that] 3iis dearest friend was not his assasin. j <lould he respond to our call, he would ; "be here, standing before you at this moment. Alas! that cannot be. Remember, gentlemen of the jury, he is < •om only witness, and his lips are sealed. He has responded to a higher «ali than ours, and /the unfortunate prisoner at the bar has no one else to tell us that he is the victim of as foul a concatention of concocted circumstances as the mind of man could conceive. Are you going to leave this innocent man to be done to death, merely because his own witness has passed beyond earthly reach ? No! Hather will you malse the 12 witnesses yourselves in his behalf. You will take the place of that absent friend -whosevoice is still, and by your just. and righteous, your human verdict. •supply the missing evidence which will send this man free to mix with his fellows once more. Gentlemen, in all confidence, I leave the case with you." It was one of the clearest cases of premediated murder-, but the jury were so hypnotised by the dramatic' scene that in ten minutes they returned a verdict of "Not guilty," much to tha surprise of everyone not present ?t the closing scene.