The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-20
liked DEADLY POISON
Chemist Swayne Tells a Story
in Molineux's Interest
H. CORNISH" HIRED HIM
He Now Asks a Chance to
identify His Patron.

INC tOaOHLIS SPcSldA HUN view &A1'SH'
Conn: High on a Rifl overlooking Morris
Cove and light House Point. the pop
ular summer resorts of New Haven. there
lives a man who declares that IN March
and October of 1897 he compounded for
':H. Cornish preparations sufficiently
poisonous to cause the almost instant
death of the man or woman to whom
they were administered.
To the truth OF this statement he has
made sworn affidavft and now that ne
has done so. he says a great load Is on
his mind
This is the new evidence In the MoH-
neux case, upon which the lawyers ex-
pect to secure his release from imprison-
ment. This evidence The World presents
to ITS readers today in detail.
The man who mas made this afidavit
In Walter 8. Swayne, of the town and
county Of New Haven. He is a chemist,
and II sometimes employed to make
chemical analysis or compound prepara-
tons OF an sorts OF Ingredients. He was
once q druggist in Philadelphia, Operat-
ing two stores in that city At present
he Is in the greenhouse business about
four miles from. New Haven. He lives in
big square stone house on the top OF
Spring Clear Hull. A World man had a
long talk with him tonight.
ct have made an AFFIDAVIT for use in
S1,a LII he
my conscience drove me TO it. Ny at
tention was not attracted TO 1t until re-
Gently, principally for the reason that !
have had a great deal at home TO oc-
cupy my mind. When the death OF Mrs.
Adams was first made public l was Got
reading the papers much because my wife
was very Ill then.
"a little while ago my servant was
booking over some Of my papers, to
straighten them out. when she came
across a card with the name H. Cornish.
Hartford. Conn., upon 1t.
"'Why, that Is the name Of the man
In the Mohneux case said she.
''Then 1t came to me suddenly and I
actually felt faint. I remembered that
H. Cornish was a man who called upon
me in 1897 and asked me to make him up a
prepare tion which ne said he intended TO
use in a new secret process for carpet
dying which he had invented.
1.-THE man called in March Of that
year. was away at the time and he
waited nearly an hour for me. He talked
with my uncle, William Swayne. who
lives with me; the nurse, Mrs. Lang.
and the servant. When I came home he
said he came from Hartford, and some
one there had told him there was a good
chemist in New Haven who could do
what he wanted and so ne came 70 me.
He had a snaH vial of some liquid.
'NCan you make up a chemical prepara-
ton for me? he asked.
II told him I could II there was any
money in st. He said that ne wanted the
contents OF that vial concealed with mer-
curry so he could use It as q dye. I
asked him what was in the bittle and he
said that was his secret AMI he did not
want to give that away.
"'weu, shall do nothing with It until
know what 1t is,' I answered. I might
blow my house up. I shall test It and
find out its nature before attempt TO
compound it with anything
HE then told me It was prussic acid,
and he wanted At concealed so people
could not tell what II was. He walked
about the place and talked with me for an
hour We were working building a green
house. in which there was a patent OF
mine that he became interested in. He
asked me why did not take st to New
York and make some money out Of #.
1 replied that / had no money TO swing
It with.
Il know q lot Of people IN New York
he said 4 am In with lot Of the Tam
many crowd, and I can help you II you
will help me with this thing Of mine
so told him would do ft. I charged
him SO. He paid ~ said he wanted a
pound of the stun. AMI gave me the card
with the name and address on It.
81 went TO work on the compound and
made It UP finally in the following pro-
portions: Black aRtimony. six ounces:
mercury, one pound: pr0ssic acid. four
drains: copperas. twenty grains-
81 sent him q three-ounce package Of
Il and heard no more from him for q long
time.
I'm October. 1897. he called again, but
din not find me. My uncle saw him az
that time. He went away. and wrote me
letter for another lot ana asked my
terms for Il ia large quantities. sent
him about the same amount and bill
for t25, and he has never paid that.
THE combination made up produces
a very white powder II could De mixed
with 5romo-se,tLer. and Ave grains Of 81
thus concealed would produce death In a
couple Of minutes.
After the finding Of that card brough;
ar this back 10 me I'D not know what
TO do. hated 20 get rlixezi up In tho
case and ftE attending notoriety. But I
finally conciuded mat Il vas my duty
20 do an that ] could 10 save an limo
cent man. and believe MOAaeuK Is
innocent tod my lawyer. william
OKeete. Jr., about e. and be said be
thought ought 20 make an afidayit
tsresfs o. justice.
There are just two things ! want 70
have done 70 settle my mind IN the mat
ter.
Il want 90 be brought face 70 face with
Harry Cornish and hear him talk for one
thing / can tel II be and the III. Corn
ish' with whom had DEALINGS are one
and the sane
''Besides that I want a sample Of the
powder that killed Mrs. Adams ] can
tell b. anaiyzing 81 Whistler IL Il the
powder compounded
Ny powder would have about tns ef-
fect that was experienced "a The case Of
Mrs. Adams. diaeF decidedly With tbs