The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-02-28


Three Handwriting Experts
Testify That MOlineaux Wrote
the Address on the Fatal Bottle.
"We find that the said Katherine
j. Adams came to her death on Dec
~, 1899, I'm 6I West Eighty-sfxth
street, by poison by mercuric cyan
ide administered by Harry s. Cor
sent in a bottle of bromO seItzer by
Roland b. MoIineaux."
NEW YORK, Feb. 27.-The jury in
the Adams poisoning case came in
with the above verdict at $50 D. M
The coroner Immediately issued a
warrant for the arrest of Molineaux.
and the latter was at once arraigned
before him. Through his attorney,
Barlow S. Weeks, he demanded an
immediate hearing, but Assistant
District Attorney Osborne OBJ
jected, saying it was impos-
sible to proceed with the hearing.
The hearing was then set down for
Wednesday morning at 11:30 O'Clock
Molineaux was committed to the
Tombs without bail.
When the inquest was resumed to-
day joseph Koch, who keeps a lette1.
box establishment at 1920 Broadway
where. box was rented in the name
Of Harry Cornish was called to the
witness chair. He testified that he
only once saw the man who rented II.
He gave the name of Harry Cornish.
Koch SAID he was near-sig GIFTED, and
did not think he could identify the
man who had rented the box. The
man had never called for mail. Koch
said three pieces of mail had arrived
for Harry Cornish" A box of kut-
now powder, letter from drug firm
Of Cincinnati, and a box of capsules.
DRAMATIC CLIMAX.
Nicholas A. Hickman, who rents pri-
vate letter boxes at his place Of busi
ness, 257 West Forty second street,
was then called The Identification of
Molineaux by Hickman was dramatic.
After testifying to his business. and
that he had rented a letter box for one
month to a man who had given the
name of H. c.. Barnet, and that this
man had called for letters about six
teen or twenty times, Mr.. Osborne
asked the witness:
Gould you recognize him, II you
saw him again?"
YES" said Hickman.
"Who is he?" demanded Mr.. Os-
borne.
-a6. Mr. Mn1i NV
There he is.''
Molineaux heard. the accusation
without changing color or trace of
agitation. He leaned forward, with
his hands on the table, and staring at
Hickman, said emphatically:
Il never saw that man In Forty
second street (where Heckman's letter
box agency is). I saw him at the ho-
tel, where was on exhibition, and at
Newark, where man brought him to
me. and asked if L was the man. He's
| liar
That's ALL" said Mr.. Osborne quiet
ly.
TELL-TALE HANDWRITING.
| William J. Kinsley was next called.
| He said he was editor Of the Penman's
Art Journal, and that during the past
four years he had testified in 300 cases
as handwriting expert. He had ex-
| amined some specimens of Molineaux's S
| handwriting. They were written in
| the assistant district attorneys office
| on Feb. 20. The afternoon of the same
| day witness requested Mr.. Molineaux
| to call at his office, where the speci-
mems were rewritten, because those
written in the morning were not salts
| factory.
| Mr.. Kinsley was shown the specimens
| he examined and other specimens
What is your opinion as to the iden-
tity Of the handwriting?" asked Mr..
| Osborne.
The writing is all in the same
hand" replied the expert.
Mr.. Kinsley was then shown the ad-
| dress on the poison package and asked:
Have you compared this writing
with the letter?"
| Il have"
rs it your opinion that they were
all written by the same hand?"
II am Of the opinion that all the writ
ing was done by the same hand"
How strong is that opinion?"
II am positive of it,
Have you compared them with the
| address on the poison package?"
IT have"
What is your-opfnion about them ?''
1.-The man who wrote the letters wrote
the address on the package
MOLINEAUX SMILES.
Gen. MolineauX appeared to be great
| ly affected. His son was smiling The
| jury asked to see the specimens and
exhibits. They were handed around.
Edward b. Hay, handwriting ex-
pert Of Washington. D. c., testified
that he had examined carefully the
admitted handwriting Of Mr.. Molin-
eaux. the inscription upon the wrap
mailed and the letters signed III. G..
Barnet and III Cornish"
And your opinion is?'
That all were written by the same
| hand"
Have you any doubt in your mind
that the person who wrote the address
on the wrapper around the poison bot
tie was Roland B. Molineaux?''
II have none whatever.
do you realize the gravity Of your
claim?'
'I do. I would not give my opinion
If 1 was not absolutely certain in my
own mind as to it's correctness"
/ Albert Osborne, Prof Frazer. DR.
William Hagen and Prof Ames. all
handwriting experts, were on the
stand in quick succession and all tes-
titled, without qualification, that the
| various exhibits were all written bv