Page:The Great Harry Thaw Case.djvu/226

 CHAPTER XIX.

Commission Finds Thaw Sane.

CRISIS IN CASE IS REACHED—BLOW TO JEROME—EVELYN CARRIES GLAD TIDINGS TO PRISONER—THAW EXPRESSES NO SURPRISE—PROSECUTOR THREATENS TO APPEAL, BUT BOWS TO FINDING.

One of the most dramatic phases of the great trial was at hand. The defense suddenly announced it had closed its case before the lunacy commission, and after a private examination of Thaw by the board Dr. Allen R. Diefendorf told the members that Thaw was a paranoic and had not recovered his sanity. "Thaw is insane now," he swore.

The crisis came on the morning of April 4, 1907. After a session lasting nearly all night the commissioners filed into court and Chairman McClure handed the following report to Justice Fitzgerald:

"After careful examination of the defendant personally and of all the evidence we find the following facts:

"In the frequent and in some cases daily—during the several months last past—intercourse had by the defendant with the Tombs physicians, chaplains, keepers, other attendants, and the probation officer these