New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-05
THE MOLINEUX TRIAL.
Mr., OSBORNE MAKES HIS OPENING AID
DRESS.
vEHEMENTLY DECLARES THAT THE DE.
PENDANT Is THE GUILTY MAN-TEN
WITNESSES For rn-nAx

sistant District Attorney Osborne Its delivery was
punctuated by occasional objections from the pris
oners counsel, Barlow S. Weeks some OF which
were sustained. but more were overruled. Mr..
Osborne began by saying:
This defendant is on trial for murder in the first
degree on Indictment charging him with the
murder OF Mrs. Kate J. Adams while In the act OF
committing felony on the person OF Harry g.
Cornish on December Is 1885, this community
was shocked by the news that a woman had been
poisoned She lived the West Side With
her lived roomer. Harry s Cornish whom
the woman had known for years and years
Mrs Adams had reached that period where she
had LETT behind her the passions OF youth and
knew only her duty. She had not an enemy the
face Of this earth. No human being had the slight
est motive for removing her. She had no property.
no enemies. There she was living with her grown
children and doing her household duties. On the
morning OF December 2s she took while preparing
breakfast, the fatal dose"
WHY MRS. ADAMS TOOK IT.
Mr.. Osborne then rected how the bottle purport-
Ing 10 contain bromo settler and the silver bottle
| holder were mailed TO Cornish on December "a.
To Mrs. Adams. suffering with a headache had
been given the supposed bromo settler by Cornish,
IN the hope OF relieving her pain. Half hour
later Mrs. Adams dead. Cornish also
taken III, but not so violently. Mr.. Osborne then
told Of how searchngly Cornish had been examined
the clews placed before Captain McClusky in the
early proceedings Of the case. They consisted of
a small Tiffany envelope the wrapper about the
package Of supposed bromo settler and the silver
bottle holder
Mr. Osborne went at great length into the send
Ing Of the poison and pictured 10 the jury the inner
workings Of the sender's mind at the time. The
sender he said. had worked IL all out so that he
was satisfied no human being could trace 1t back
TO him. He next told Of the bottle containing the
poison. Of how that clew traced Newark,
" J.. where the purchase made. He drew the
conclusion that since It was bought in Newark #
must have been used by one who lived be-
tween NewYOrk City and Newark How the
poison Cyanide OF mercury procured by the
sender was next taken up by Mr.. Osborne. Only
chemist, he said, would have any possible excuse
for having such a powerful and deadly poison in his
possession. adding: You must look for a chemist
to find tie sender OF cyanide OF mercury. and
furthermore you must look for a chemist engaged
in working in dry colors, the business Of the de-
PENDANT"
When the question OF motive was touched upon
Mr.. Osborne said;
You must not look for a man with an all con-
Stunning hatred for Cornish. but for a man whose
hatred for Cornish is strong and never ceasing
one that lasts all a mans life"
BARNETs NAME BROUGHT IN
At this juncture Mr.. Osborne mentioned the
name OF Henry Crossman Barnet and Mr. Weeks
was on his feet in instant objecting TO the in
terposition Of that mans name Of any facts con-
corning his Illness in November 1885, and his death
The Recorder refused to rule the matter at that
time. saying it was too early IN the proceedings
for him 10 rule intelligently upon that point
MI Osborne then went 10 say that the same
physician who attended Cornish during his sick
ness attended Barnet. The doctor. he said. knew
at once that Cornish's illness was due to cyanide
Of mercury. because he had attended Barnet, who
had taken similar poison.
Mr. Osborne next told Of how Captain McClusky
took photograph OF certain handwriting to the
office OF Kutnow Brothers. and there found the
letter asking for a sample OF their powder, signed
III. Cornish" and mailed at No $50 Broadway
The paper on which the letter written was
made by Whiting & Co.. and sold by four
In New-York City and two In Newark Osborne
then told OF how detectives went to No. l.620
Broadway. and found that on September 2S some
one giving the of H. Cornish had rented
a letter box there He told Of letters sent from
this place how they were traced and finally the
letters put into the hands OF the prosecution He
told of all these letters written the same class
Of paper signed by III. Cornish" and all mailed
al No l630 Broadway
Mr. Osborne then took up the letters written to
Frederick b. Stearns & Co., Of Detroit signed II.
Cornish, and asking about A. A Harpster, who
had been employed by that firm, but had been dis
charged because Of some difference over a sum Of
money he collected for the firm, and declared that
the connecting link in the whole affair was the
fact tina. Barnet Cornish Harpster and the de-
PENDANTS were at the same time members OF the
Knckerbocker Athletic Club.
LETTERS DESCRIBING THE WRITER.
MI Osborne laid much stress on the point that
the writer Of the letter TO Won Mohl Co. signed
II c. Barnet" had written asking for certain
remedies ADVERTISED for sale by that nrm. and
guaranteed 10 cure certain perverslons. I'VE will
he med
and other letters was not H. C. Barnet. This letter
box in Broadway was taken on May p. and let
ters addressed to II. c. Barnet from these patent
medicine firms were received there. The next let
ter touched upon that written 10 the Marston
Remedy Company. signed II. c. Barnet ana
giving full description Of the writer, who was said
70 be thrty-one years old. a clerk, contemplating
matrimony and asking for remedy Tor the per
versions mentioned before. The writer said that
there was consumption in the family that he meas
ured thirtv-seven inches around the chest ana
tbirtv-two inches around the waist; that his com
rle,,on was yellow and his general health not
ood From the stamps the letters In the hands
., tho prosecution. IL was shown that the letters
were mailed in the General Postohce IN new
York At 5 o'clock on weekdays ana carrier OF 0a'-
urdays 49,,
ao,,I,ar,,ies Of the handwriting on the envelopes
"a IN the letters He had a small blackboard
a, ,be room which he meant to use. MI weeks
obtected however. and the Court sustained the Cd
tect,on hut said the District Attorney wouu De
ouovred 10 give any oral description OF the manu-
.,t,t,q he chose Mr.. Weeks wanted to enter
- ob,ection AT the same time. but the Court
td ,ot oven allow him 10 name his GROUNDS OF
o,,tection Mr. Weeks insisted, and was again ana
again directed by the Court to resume MS sea-.
rbirb he refused to do. The Court al last saiu.
INT Weeks. If you do not at once resume your
seat I will be under the paln1ul heOce''' Va F'
ing YOU in contempt OF court"
VEHEMENT PERoRATIoN.
NJ Osborne then compared Barnet Harps'er
and Cornish with the description IN the Ie.,.''
Barnet" he said. does not III 'he 0Aoe' ,.'"s 49,
-. 4, dead-died before Cornish received the
' aoLaee Harpster is too big and fat and