The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-12-29
SCHEME OF A BORGlA
ATTEMPT TO POISON CORNISH RESULTS
IN DEATH. OF MRS. ADAMS.
Deadly Christmas Gift Sent anonymously to
Cornish. Bottle Labeled Bromo Settler
Filled With Cyanide Of
Potassium.

New York, Dec. 2S.-Mrs Kate J.
Adams, a wel-to-do woman, was poison
ed today in her handsomely furnished
apartments on Seth street. Her death
is connected with curious chain of
events. Mrs. Adams was a widow 80
years old, and lived with her son-in-
law. Edward Rogers. an insurance agent.
Harry Cornish, well known athlete
and physical director of the Knicker-
booker Athletic Club. boards with the
Rogers. Mrs. Adams awoke this
morning with a bad headache. Her
daughter, Mrs. Rogers, advised her to
take some bromo settler. Mrs. Rogers
hunted around, but found none of the
required medicine. Finally she remem-
bered that there was some brom0 settler
in Mr.. Cornish's room. This she got
and gave to her mother. who took a
fair sized dose. In a few seconds Mrs.
Adams was in great pain and evidently
suffering from the effects OF n strong
poison. Dr. Hitchcock was called and
he tried to counteract the effects Of the
poison. which he declared to he cyanide
of potassium. Mr. Cornish and DR.
Hitchcock both tasted the poisonous
stuff and in few minutes both were
Frustrated by the effects of the slight
quantity they had taken. Dr. Potter
was called in. He revived the two
men, but Mrs. Adams died.
Mr.. Cornish states that on Christmas
day he received neat package adj
dressed to himself containing sterling
silver medicine bottle holder in q Tiff
fanny box and in the holder was a bot
tie marked 'Bromo Settler" This
package was anonymously sent, but
Cornish says he thought nothing of this
as he frequently gets presents in this
way. 1t was this bottle that Mrs. Rog
ers got for her mother and out of which
Mrs. Adams drank with fatal effects.
Mr.. Cornish says he cannot think who
could have had any designs on his life.
POISON MEAT FOR CORNISH.
Harry Cornish is a cousin of Mrs.
Adams. and is 40 years old. He has
been the phyical director Of the Knick-
erbocker Athletic Club for three years.
Prior to that time he was the physical
director of the Chicago Athletic Club,
and prior to that well known figure in
football and other sports, and coach
for many college teams.
On the morning of December oath,
there came TO the desk of the Knicker
booker Club office a package wrapped
in Manila paper and sealed with wax.
On the flat surface was written in a
feminine hand, disguised to cause the
impression that the writing was done by
IL man. the address.
MIR. Harry Cornish, Knickerbocker
Athletic Club.
madison Ave. and 46 ST., New York. :"
The package had been mailed at the
general delivery office down town. In
the wrapper Of Manila paper was a
pasteboard box marked Tiffany" in the
box the usual cotton packing and in the
center wrapper in white tissue paper a
vial holder of polished silver.
On the bottom of the holder is mark
ed STERLING Silver No. SID"
The receiving cylinder of the holder
was a ten-cent vial of ''Bromo Settler"
The bottle was wrapped in the usual
label of the drug made in Baltimore.
The stopper was unsealed and packed
down hard on a level with the neck of the
bottle. an unusual thing with Walls of
Bromo Settler of this make. The vial
with its contents were placed in Cornish's
ROOM 1nere it rested until this morn
ing.
Cor0ner's Physician Weston called at