The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-02-11
NEW YORK POISONING CASE.
Roland II. Molineux Follows Cornish
on the stand.

New York, Feb. 10.-The two men
whose names have been most Intimately
connected with the death of Mrs. Kate
j. Adams were on the witness stand to-
day before Coroner Hart and a jury and
were put through a rigid cross-examin-
alton by Assistant District Attorney Os-
borne, who is conducting tile case. Har-
ry S. Cornish, who gave the poison to
Mrs. Adams, was the first witness this
morning and at the afternoon session
Roland B. Molineux, who had been
named by Cornish on the stand as the
man he believed to have sent the pols-
oned bromo seltzer through the mails
was called
Cornish was again to-day somewhat
reticent and equivocal in his answers to
questions put to him by the assistant
district attorney and in one instance at
least occasioned good deal of surprise.
In an interview with number Of news
paper representatives previous TO the
commencement of the examination Cor
nish, when asked If he knew Mrs. Mol
ineux and If she could have any connec-
tion with the case, said that he wished
the district attorney would ask him that
question on the stand. "A man is sup
posed to perjure himself for a woman"
said Cornish, but am here to tell the
truth if they ask me such a question
on the stand" But when Mr.. Osborne
put that question to-day, Cornish re-
piled: II never saw Mrs. Molineux to
know her and never saw her when she
was Blanche Chesbrough.''
Did not you" asked Osborne, "say
to two men this morning, when asked
Ii you knew Mrs. Molineux, that you
wished / would ask you that question
and although some men would perjure
themselves, you would tell the TRUTH"
Cornish denied this at first, but later
he admitted that he might have said it,
as he had said so many things and that
he was very much ratified at the time.
Cornish did not prove to be very good
witness, as he threw but little light on
the case. He stated that he had sus-
pected Molneux of having prepared the
poison because a chemist, a friend Of his,
had suggested, on account of a sedi-
ment left in the glass from which Mrs.
Adams drank, that the bromo seltzer
preparation had been put up by half
chemist, man who had some knowl-
edge of chemistry, but not a complete
knowledge AS Molineux knew some
thing of chemistry his name immedi-
ately suggested itself. Another reason
for suspecting Molineux was that he
had quarrel with Molineux
Cornish gave way on the stand tenn
porarily to Molineux, who took his place
there after wrangle between Assistant
District Attorney Osborne and Barlow
Weeks, Molineux's counsel. Mr.. Weeks
objected on the ground that Molineux
had not been properly subpoenaed and
during the course of the wrangle a Sec
ond subpoena was prepared which Mol
ineux accepted, being apparently very
different document. Molneux told Of
his connection with the Knickerbocker
and New York Athletic clubs and said
that he had left the former club largely
because of his quarrel with Cornish He
said he knew Barnet and that he was a
warm friend of that man. He could
suggest no motive why any one should
send poison to Barnet and declared that
he had not known that Barnet was sick
until a few days before Barnet's death,
and this he learned, he explained, be-
cause he was to give dinner at which
Barnet was to be present. A mutual
friend told him of Barnet's illness. Mol
ineux then described the rooms at the !
Athletic club on the sec
ond floor occupied by himself, Barnet. /
Cornish and Adams, after which the |
trip on A. j. Morgans yacht /.
Viator, which has recently been intro
1uced into the case, came up for con-
Molineux said that he had |
been on several cruises on this yacht,
but that Barnet had never been with |
him. He met Miss Chesbrough on one
IF these trips, being introduced to her
oy her married sister. At this interest |
ing point the hearing was adjourned un-
I'll Tuesday morning next.