New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-27
PRISONERS, TWO, BOTH MEN.
CAPTAIN MCLUsKYs THEORY IN THE
ADAMS CASE.


CALLING HIMSELF H C BARNET" WHO
ORDERED DRUGS FROM CINCINNATI
WRITING LIKE THAT OF
H CORNISH"
| The police have a superabundance Of clews In the
/ Adams poisoning case and working vigorously
/ on all Of them. Some Of the cews will have to he
thrown out, but others. It is hoped. will be
woven together TO make out a against the
guilty who the poison TO Harry Cornish
and caused the death OF Mrs Adams. II be
stated on the most positive authority that the de-
! tectives now confident that two persons we're
concerned in this murder. and that they both
men. The theory that connected
with the case a principal has been abandoned by
the police. and while they will not make public the
evidence they have they say that two sent the
poison and that they close the track OF those
| suspected
The principal CLOVIS In connection with this hang
around private letter-box concerns which rented
| boxes TO people who used names OF persons asso
| ciated with the present The police made
/ public on Wednesday the facts concerning the
rental OF a box AT No. 1850 Broadway by man
| giving the name OF II Cornish" and the fact that
sample drugs had been received at the box from
| firm In Cincinnati. Yesterday when Captain Nc
Clusky reached his Office he found a telegram from
/ Cincinnati which further complicated the and
showed that In May last another letter-oox had
been rented in West Forty-second-st by man
calling himself H c. Barnet" who had obtained
samples not only from the firm in Cir.'innau which
had sent drugs the H. Cornish box. but had
also received many other sample packages OF vari-
drugs through this box
Captain McClusky, In giving out the facts con
corning this new discovery said that the Arm in
Cincinnati which had sent the drugs to II. Cor
nish" had advised him that in June last they had
also sent samples 10 n. c. Barnet" addressed TO
Letter Box No. PIT. az No. 257 West Forty-second-
! 81. Captain McClusky said that in view Of the
fact that Henry Crossman Barnet OF the Knlcker-
booker Athletic Club. had died under rather pecu-
| liar circumstances last November he felt that
this might furnish clew 70 both cases. and he
had accordingly sent detectives 10 look up the
| West Forty-second-st. box. and had also sent to
Cincinnati FOR the original order for the drugs.
which he understood In a handwriting similar
/ 10 that on the order from II Cornish" and
also written the Knickerbocker Athletic Club
paper
THE LETTER BOX MANS STORY.
The manager OF the etter-tox In West
! Forty second-st IS Nicholas A. Hickman. OF No
237 Flushing-ave.. Astoria and part OF mis- state
| ment. as given Captain McClusky. as
| follows:
Il remember renting a lettsr box TO man who
| gave his name Fl. {. Barnet. some time last
| spring think Il was May. but I cannot be posi-
! tive II may have been month later. At any
| rate. II before summer set in. There was
| nothing in the mans appearance or manner then
to mark him In my memory, but became pretty
| we'll acquainted with him afterward by reason OF
his frequent calls mail. and I recollect his
pearance well He paid his so cents for months
rent and got card calling for Box No. ~. He
| gave the name OF Barnet and I wrote It down
first Barnett. Later | crossed out the final
- I am not certain why but think I asked
him how ne spelled II.
Nearly every evening about o'clock he called
mall mad al ad
dapper man. rather hncky in his dress should
say for he always looked spick and span.
His reddish mustache rather heavy. was curled
up at the ends His hair. lighter tinge OF red
was always brushed smooth. He what call
| l-groomed.
samples from patent-medicne concerns. One or more
OF them I remember was from Won Mohl & Co.,
| OF Cincinnati The similarity in the matter ad-
! dressed to him. the mans appearance and tho un-
falling regularity Of his calls all served TO mark
! the thing In my memory. o- r,t
We never had much conversation. He'd say
good evening. and I'd say the same. The weather
was fine along about that time, and perhaps there
| would be word two about that. This was
while looking in box No. 27. II anything
was there for him I'd pass II out the window
Sometimes he would look at 1t; other times he
wouldn't but shove Il In his pocket and walk out.
AT the end Of the month the rent OF the box
expired and my strange customer came
| back Packages arrived for him after that, though
! they commenced drop of when his visits ceased
I held them FOR while and turned them over 20
the postal authorities There has been nothing for
| H. c. Barnet passed through my hands this win
ter"
The descriptions OF the two men renting the
! letter boxes one in Broadway and the other in
West Forty-second-st differ materially. and II IS
this fact and other evidence in their possession
were concerned in the poisoning case. The matter
OF comparison Of handwriting has played promi-
nent part in the case. and the TWO orders sent 10
Cincinnati hrm will be turn over 10 the hand
Ts se sent to m Cornish w this VIII
furnish a strong circumstantial point for the police
! TO work on they are now deyoung thelr etotts 20
managers of the letter-box concerns to go with
them to several people who might have been
concerned in the poisoning with the hope that they
| can identify them as having rented the boxes Al
! up other orders for drugs which sent 10 the
ietter-box in West Forty second-st
| The friends OF all persons concerned in the case
have been cautioned by the police 10 maintain 81
as to they may knoT Se qoQut e ~
! the detectives not 10 allow any OF their plans to
WSo pmsSt nave some Hnowedse of facts which
would aid them in theii work to refuse to talk
Harry Cornish. when seen at the Knlckeroocker
Athletic Club last night refused absolutely to talk
! friends OF Henry c barnet were equally silent
to the situation HI. brother Edwin ., barnet
brother Henry rented the letter-boK II ne had he
/ would have done as others 90 VINO rent private
| etter-boxes-given fictitious name The descrip-
! ton OF the man given renting the box does not
in any way resemble that Of my brother"
! Cantain NcClusky. while saving that arrest
would be made in the case yesterday did not say
! as usual, II do not know when an arrest Will he
! made" but. Instead gave the impression that he
was now satisfied with the progress OF the case
! and that he would soon be In position 20 make
important move.
PROFESSOR w1TTHAUss REPORT.
Professor Wi,thaus who is in charge OF the chem
| zeal analysis Of the viscera Of Mrs. Adams. has
! completed his work and s now preparing his full
renor copies OF which will be sent 70 the Coroners
/ office and Captain McClusky A verbal report Of
| his finding Of poison In Mrs. Adanss viscera
! has already been made to both Coroner Hart and
| Cantain McClsky and the detailed written re-
| nort which will be used as evidence in the case,