Mr. Jerome objected to further "defamation being thrown on the dead, who have no chance to answer. The state is not permitted to controvert the truth of a single statement in this testimony," he added. "Stanford White is dead, and I object to this question, which is along a path which we can not follow."
Mr. Delmas said he had no desire to besmirch the name of the dead. He was introducing letters by Thaw to corroborate the question.
Justice Fitzgerald said he thought further competent evidence as to Thaw's insanity should be introduced before further testimony along the day's line was taken.
"We are ready to submit the proof," said Mr. Delmas.
The line of examination was changed and Mrs. Thaw was asked to identify more letters.
One of the papers Mrs. Thaw was asked to identify was Harry Thaw's will.
The old saying, "Nothing but good of the dead," must have recurred again and again to Mr. Jerome as the slender Evelyn told her story. It is a good old saying, but there is another: "The dead are safe—let us take care of the living." Jerome strove to protect the cold and unresponsive dead. Delmas tried to save the living, and the fragile little model was the life-line in his hands. Evelyn Nesbit's story, as she told it, showed new and curious lights and shadows in the character of White. One thing was
