Page:The Great Harry Thaw Case.djvu/215

 defendant is now and for some time past has been suffering from a form of mental disease commonly known among men skilled in mental diseases as paranoia. Yet it is my opinion, based upon what has just been enumerated, that when the defendant killed Stanford White on the 25th day of June, 1906, he was then suffering from said mental disease commonly known as paranoia, but that his then mental state was such that he knew the nature and quality of the act that he was doing and that he then and there knew such act on his part was against the current morality of the people of this state and in violation of law.

"I am of the opinion, upon the facts above enumerated, that the mental disease commonly known as paranoia, from which the defendant was suffering on the night of June 25, 1906, is a form of mental disease from which it is reasonably certain he will not recover, and that the discharge of the said Harry K. Thaw would be dangerous to public peace and safety, and that he should be committed to an institution for the insane."

In arguing to secure the investigation of Thaw's mental state, Mr. Jerome said:

"As long as forty days ago, Dr. Austin Flint, one of the state's alienists, came to me in my office and told me that after watching Thaw in court every day of the trial he was solemnly of the opinion that the defendant was not capable of instructing his counsel.