New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-07
A DAY OF MANY LETTERS.
MUCH OF MoLINEUX'S CORRESPOND
ENCE SUBMITTED IN EVIDENCE
HErLEs SUBJECTED TO SEARCHING
CROSS ExAMINATION-REPLY TO THE
sTEARNs NOTE EXCLUDED.

STEARNS NOTE EXCLUDED.
Rutolph Heiles the witness whose introduction
INTO the Molneux trial on Tuesday AFTERNOON was
surprise TO every one except the prosecutor. oc
cupied the stand for the greater part or Yesterday
hearing Until he was suddenly called late on the
nrev,ous afternoon by Assistant District Attorney
oshorne his name had never been heard Of In con-
nection with the case
The testimony he gave while beng exa"ineu O'
Mr. Osborne Is the most damaging TO the delence
that has been produced so far In the uia'. Al
though essentially Of Indirect character 'he
rg.r IN HeiIes-s evidence lies in the fact that II
tries TO prove Molineux entertained ha'reo Vi
both Cornish and Harpster and that ne mao gone
10 the extent OF endeavoring TO inture Harpser o'
writing 10 his former employers In Detroit he"es
deposed that at Molineuxs suggestion ne hau
written 10 the Detroit firm asking them lot
,arns,er's character The insinuation conveyed py
Mr. Osborne's examination was that the oeienu"l'
knew that Harpster had been discharged oy 'ne
Detroit company under somewhat unpieasant V'
cumstances and that Moneux sought TO ootai"
the facts In the matter with view OF uslns INC"
70 the detriment of Hsrpster Other points IN tue
,.s,,r,orv given by Heies which was so unex-
,,ec,ed,, snrune on the defence were that MohneuN
was In consultation with Barlow . weeks anu -
y Carvalho. the handwriting expert, near! wv
months before his arrest and that letter "rit'e"
10 a medical firm inclosing % cents TOT ee''""'
remedy was written by Molineux' anu no'o'''''
on blue crescent crested paper .
I, was evident yesterday morning Wheh MI
1yeeks hogan his cross-examination OF Heiies 'hd'
+he counsel for the defence was perturoed a' ''ie
nature OF the testimony given by tne Wi'ne ~,
For over an hour and hair MT. "eeNS'
characteristic vigor. put Heiles through II seai'"
Two course of cross questioning. Ii was the genera
opinlon. however Of the people In the courtroom"
that Mr. Weeks's efforts TO counteract 'he e"oN.
Jeiles's evidence were not materslIy success 81
While the counsel at times succeeded IN eh'a"s'"e
Heiles and involving him IN contradictions aIiH'"s
from the witnesses haziness as TO dates ana tiies'
,ho tes,fnonv adduced in Mr.. Osbornes examha-
,,on remained practically unshakcn. Appa't""'
realizing the futility of his endeavors IN th's u'
tion Mr. Weeks suddenly began line OF quest,o"
ing that was a little startling In its susseSu
The nature OF his questions seemed 10 inu'ea'e
cha, he suspected Heies OF having sent the poiSoH
a Cornish He asked the witness II he hao ever
bopsht silver presents at Hartdegen's store IN
Newark; If he dealt with Plumb q Co. 'he $40"
tioners OF Newark. and then sudoeniy p'ouu''"e
"a brown paper covered package similar 10 'ne o.ie
described as having been received by cornish. MT
Weeks asked the witness 10 write the auoies'
which was Inscribed on the poison parcel.
Although Heiles is OF extremely nervous tenn
perarnent he performed the task with consioeia
composure. While he was writing the aooreSs Hil
Osborne stood over him watching MIN caiei"'''
There was a general craning forward on INC pa
of every in the vicinity or the WITNESS s'N.U'
and the utmost silence prevailed In the court al
together the scene intensely dramauc' Inc
paper with Heiles's writing on 1t was marKeo iof
Identification and put In evidence
CLASHES BETWEEN COUNSEL.
The first clash between the prosecution and de-
fence in the inevitable conflict upon the intro
duction Of the letters alleged 10 be In Mon"euA
handwriting Mr. Osborne produced large number
of letters. and submitting them to Heiles got 'he
witness 10 testify that they were in the defehnahls
Mr. objected
various grounds TO the admission of the letters,
contending also that there was no evidence 70
show they had ever been mailed or received. Dut
despite counsels protests the letters were put III
evidence Another protracted tussle between Mr..
Osborne and Mr.. Weeks occurred when r. e. Nc
Iauehln of the Detroit firm of Stearns Co.,
was recalled He produced q copying book con-
tanning an impression OF the reply sent by the hrn
10 the letter asking about Harpsters character
The Assistant District Attorney wanted the copy
of the letter accepted evidence but Mr. Weeks
fought him at every step. quoting precedents in
supnort of his objection Finally the Court ruled
In Mr. Weeks's favor w. J. Knsley, the hand
writing expert. testified that the letter signed IL.
Cornish asking Stearns & Co. for their opinion OF
1iarpster was In Molineux's handwriting. He said
also that in February last, when Molineux volun-
teered to supply specimens OF his handwriting, ne
had considerable trouble in inducing the defendant
70 write In vertical style. The specimens obtained
BY the witness that occasion were now put in
evidence although Mr. Weeks strongly objected TO
this proceeding. contendng that the specimens
were secured from the defendant under duress.
In order TO permit Juror No. g. George c. Edgar.
attending the funeral OF his business partner to-
day the Court will not sit until o'clock this az
ternoon
When the trial resumed yesterday morning
Rudolph Heiles was at once called to the stand
for cross-examin alton by Mr. Weeks He testified
that prior to being employed at the Knickerbocker
Athletic CLUB he for fifteen years employed by
the Ballantne Brewing Company. He said ne was
friendly terms with the members OF that firm
and that through the influence OF j. Herbert Ballan
tine. the younger member OF the firm, he secured
his place at the KnickerbOcker Athletic Club where
A. A. Harpster was employed at the time. The
witness said that he had other occupations besides
working for the firm OF Sidenburg a Co. In thi,
city He confidential clerk keeping the privat,
books OF the firm OF Charles Cooper & Co.. manu-
facturers OF chemicals. in Newark. N ].
HEILEss ss-ExAMINATIoN.
Oven. when DO you do yoir work for Cooper
Q-Are you alone in their chemical shop at thai
time? AmYes; in their heir Offices hCes;o.,o -, un.,o
nofne gam a%yii6as unpleasant 5S yoS5 G-Yssp
9ea Me ef feet at 5P' St qs R 20 hno"
9-WhS S opened %as ~ ad A dif obr Adams
Odd you read that letter? Al never took I
'' 9nD Doc you ' Know of your own knowledge wha
that letter was? Al don't
O-Who were the clerks in the main ONCE OF IN
club at that time? A.-Harpster and Felix Gal
S-Now that letter written by Jacobs & Co wa
rot signed by you was It? A-No. r.,
Dwell when the reply came TO Jacobs &c
who gave IL 10 you? A.-Charles Jacobs.
Odd you have any conversation with Chare
Jacobs before that letter was sent! A'-None
Q.-Now. you have said you showed that repl
10 Mr. Molineux where did you show II TO him
Alt the Knickerbocker Athletic club -
Odd you show that 10 any one else? A.-No
Dwell. when did you take that letter 10 IN