The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-03-06
ZIMMERMAN.
Witness in the Adams
Poisoning Case Talks.
GARDENERS BLUFF.
Political Influence Will Be
Potent for MolineuX.


P. J. Finneran, who is closely identi-
fed with the Adams poisoning case in
New York, for which Roland B. Moli-
neux has been indicted for murder,
talked freely with The Spy man CON
corning the case while Worcester
athletes were adding to their fame at
the Boston College games, Saturday
evening.
Finneran is assistant instructor Of
the Knickerbocker Athletic Club of
New York, of which Harry S. Cornish
is instructor and his intimate rela-
tionship with Cornish made him a val
liable witness in the CoTOner's inquest,
in which sufficient evidence was re-
Vealed to hold MolineuX on the charge
of murder.
F'inneran will be an important wit
ness in the trial of Molineux. 1t was
through his instrumentality that the
writing on the wrapper in which the
poison was sent to Cornish was pre-
served, so that the experts could COM
pa II Win lIltI IlbllIlN llllll5 VI Sdo-
poets. That comparison was one of the
chief factors in causing the arrest of
MoliheuX ON the serious charge.
Finneran isn't greatly impressed
with sensational statements of District
Attorney Gardner, that it was neces-
sary to cast suspicion on a man whom
he believed innocent in order to entrap
MolineuX. Two weeks ago Finneran
told The Spy man that Cornish was not
given a chance to tell strMghtfor-
ward story and that Molineux, when on
the stand, was treated with great cour-
.tesy.
Ffnneran said Mohneux was mot
asked questions calculated to bring out
Information. Subsequent developments
showed the truth Of Finneran's state
ment. The district attorney himself
after ward declared that he deceived the
people and Molineux in order to remove
suspicion from the latter's mind so
that specimens of his handwriting could
be obtained. Whether the district at
torney was actuated by that motive
alone or whether he did not reveal the
entire truth, can't be told but Fin
neran takes no stock in the assertion.
mat statement is nOnsensical," said
tlnneran to The Spy man. THE dis
ttorney was obliged to direct the
charge against MolineuX by Can't. Nc
Cluskey of the New York detective
force. Capt. McCluskey went to him
and told him straight out that it was
about time he changed his tactics. He
sad the district attorney was direct
ing suspicion upon Cornish. against
whom the detectives could not obtain
particle of evidence. He told the dis
tllct attorney if the latter would turn
ms attention to Molineux. the detec-
tive bureau had material which would
assist him."
capt. McCluskey told the district at
torney that he had haggled long enough
win man against whom they could
not ma anything. 1t was because of
capt. McCluskeys frank statements
that Gardiner changed his tactics 7
don take any stock in the reasons he
gave when addressing the coroner's
jury There certainly was an attempt
10 shleld MolineauX, and if it had been
possible to successfully direct suspicion
upon somebody else it would have been
done
There were plenty of specimens of
MollneuXs handwriting which the dis
trlcI attorneys office could have OBJ
talleG. Ihere are such specimens at
the Knickerbocker Athletic Club, If
the district attorney simply wanted
specimens of MolineUNs handwriting
ne could have obtained them without
taxing the trouble to assail Cornish.
Anybody who wants TO believe the
statements can do so; 1 DON'T
Finneran said he would not care to
express an opinion on the probable out
come of the trial. "Molineux certainly
mas a big pull in New York" he re-
marked. His father stands we'll and
has great influence. His counsel is a
strong Tammany man as we'll as his
rather, and / think political influences
WIZ be brought to bear as strongly as
possible"
The Spy man mentioned the impor-
lance of the handwriting on the wrap
per IN which the fatal cyanide Of mer-
curry mixed with bromo settler was
sent to Cornish Finneran didn't swell
with a sense of his own Importance.
out simply narrated the story of how
the wrapper was saved. He said: THAT
Will be an important piece of evidence
at the trial, and had l not told Cornish
to save the wrapper the handwriting
would have been lost. When the pack
age came and Cornish opened 1t he
threw the wrapper on the floor. l asked
him who sent it. He replied that he had
no IDEA. suggested to him that it might
be joke, and l asked him if he knew
the handwriting. He replied that he did
not. Then l suggested that he keen
the wrapper, in order to find out later
from the handwriting who sent the
package He kept it, and it was for
tunate that he did So"
tinneran said he could not give anv
reason for telling Cornish to keep the
wrapper on which the address was
written, He did not give it a great deal
of thought, and when he made the sug-
gestlon that the writer could be dis
covered later no thoughts of a thorough
a loo -