NEW YORK MURDER TRIAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13859, 23 March 1907, Page 9

NEW YORK MURDER TRIAL

THAW'S HEALTH. CANNOT LIVE EIGHTEEN MONTHS. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. , LONDON, March 21. The New York correspondent, of The Times reports thai prominent, physicians declare that Thaw is suffering from a fatal disease. It- has been stated, but. not. in evidence, that he cannot live 18 months. March 22. (Received March 22, al 10.14 p.m.) At tho trial of Jlarry Thaw, charged with tho murder of Stanford White, Mr Jerome, the District- Attorney, to-day presented to Judge Fitzgerald the affidavits of seven specialists certifying that Thaw was not insane. The ease has been adjourned till Saturday lo await Mr Delmas's reply to Mr Jerome's application for a cuiumisaion iu lunacy. Wriling on February 5. the New York correspondent of tho London Morning Leader says:--l'lie battle of the mental experts engaged in the Thaw oase began in almost brutal earnest, this morning. Day after day the- menial specialists for the prosecution and ilioso for the defence have occupied seals close to tho prisoner, scrutinising every expression of his countenance and every movement- of his body. Tho public prints of this city are poking ceaseless fun. at- these expert wit-nescs, who are being paid fabulous fees to pose as infallible, but mutually destructive authorities on the prisoner's mentality. So when Dr Wiley, of Pittsburg, who is jovial and rotund in appeurance, stepped into thp witness chair this morning the audience settled down in the moral certitude of tho entertaining, interchange of wits which was before it. Nor iwas it disappointed. Mr Jerome's cross-examina-tion lasted nearly three hours. ' In thattime the [doctor was reduced to a condition little better than helpless pulp. Mr Jorotnc twisted bis victim's mind inside cut, jumped on his prostrate form, and fairly danced iu exultation. Counsel' demonstrated that he knew far more about the recognised authorities on insanity than Ibe witness did. Ho ran through the leading tests for insanity, and Dr Wiley, amid amazed laughter" confessed that he had never heard of them. "And yet," exclaimed the sarcastic and remorseless Mr Jerome, "you are a.n expert in. mental diseases!"

At one stago of the cross-cxamination Mr Jerome, asked, "Is il not a fact that all the functions of the human body are controlled by tho pnmiiriogastric nerve acting throtigh the, spinal marrow or medulla oblongata'!" Tho bailiff had to call the court to order, and Dr Wiley's answer was lost in tiie tumult. Counsel: Do you know of ihe Argyll Robertson test of tight? Witness: Yes. Counsel: Where did you ever hear of it? Witness: I <lo not recall. Counsel: Did you ever licar ot such a tiling before 1 asked the question? Witness hesitated, but Mr Jerome did' not. Counsel: Where in any l>ook in God's whole world did you ever read anything about the Argyll Robertson test? Dr Wiley did not reply. Counsel: Is Argyll Robertson one man or two ?—I think two. Counsel: As a matter of fact, lie is only one man.