The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-02-28

.lollneuS, or Brooklyn, was arrested to-
night. charged with numbering Mrs.
Katherine ]. Adams. In this city, OH De-
cember 2S, 1885, He was locked up In
the Tombs prison.
The arrest followed the verdict Of the
coroner's inquest, accusing him OF the
crime. While the inquest was into the
death OF Mrs. Adams. 1t also went into
the circumstances Of the death Of Hem.
ry c. Barnet, OF the Knickerbocker Ath-
letic Club. who was poisoned by a pow
der received through the mail, as was
Mrs. Adams. The cases are so closely
| connected that they can scarcely be
considered separately.
The proceedings of the final day Of
the inquest We're sensational In the
highest degree. The case had dragged
along monotonously witnesses being
examined for the sole issue, as 1t seem
ed. OF contradlcting Harry Cornish's
testimony In minor details or of elicit
ing suggestions as to a motive that
might have led Cornish to commit the
crime. The newspapers from the be-
ginning had stuck to Mollneux as the
person most to be suspected. but the
prosecuting officials apparently never
harbored such a thought The exam
iner was kind and gentle when Molineux
| was on the stand. gruff and severe when
dealing with Cornish.
The Last Act.
The curtain rose on the last act of the
melodrama this afternoon. A shopkeep-
er who rented private letter boxes
swore positively that Molineux was his
patron, using the name OF "H. C. Bar.
net. 1t was proved long ago that
the bottle of medicine had been sent to
that letter box Then the handwriting
experts were called.Jan one after an
other declared that the hand that wrote
the address on the poison package and
forged the names OF Harry Cornish and
II. &. Barnet to letters sent to drug
firms. ordering powder medicines, was
the hand OF Roland b. Molneux. The
experts were absolutely certain In their
identification OF the penmanship, and
would make no qualification of their
statements. District Attorney Gardiner
then summed up the case. directly ac-
cusing Molineux.
The jury brought in verdict charE-
Ing MolineuX with the murder. and he
was at once arrested and committed to
the Tombs without ball.
MollneuH is Il member of the New
York Athletic Club, and was until his
quarrel with Harry Cornish, a promi-
nent member of the Knickerbocker Ath-
letic Club. from which he resigned be-
cause OF that quarrel. Molineuxs
father is n paint manufacturer. and Is
reputed to be a millionaire. The pris-
oner had gone in good society. being OF
excellent address and manners and
prospective heir to great fortune.
His counsel is Barlow S. Weeks. Of the
New York Athletic Club. and a per-
sonal enemy Of Harry Cornish.
Dramatic Identiilcution.
The identification OF 0Iolineux by
Hickman was dramatic. After testify
Ing to his business. and that he had
rented letter box for one month to q
man who had given the name Of H. C.
Barnet. and that this man called for
letters about sixteen or twenty times.
Mr.. Osborne asked the witness:
Gould you recognize him IL you saw
him ugain?"
Yes" said Hickman.
WHO is he?" demanded Mr.. Os-
borne.
Hickman answered:
Mr.. M0llneuN, There he Is, -
MolineuN heard the accusation without
changing color or u trace OF agitation.
He leaned forward with his hands on
the table. and stared steadily at Heck
man, and then said emphatically:
Il never saw that man in Forty-scc-
ond street (where Heckmans letter box
agency is). saw him at the hotel
where I was on exhibition. and at New
ark. where man brought him to me,
and asked If 1 was the man. He's
l!ar.''
That's ALL" said Mr.. Osborne, quiet
ly Despite Mr.. Weeks efforts to have
Hickman cross-examined, he was al
lowed TO leave the stand, the coroner
saying that he promised the district
attorney TO conduct the investigation in
his own way. That closed the Incident,
and Emma Miller. the Newark sales
woman. who sold n silver holder similar
to that which held the bromo seltzer
bottle. was called to the stand.
Gardeners Speech.
It was Just f:35 o'clock when District
Attorney Gardiner arose and announced
that all the evidence in the hands OF
the people had been given and he faced
the jury and began TO sum up the case.
He explained 10 the jury the reasons
FOR the delay In bringing the case TO an
investigation. saying that II was neccs
sary to determine whether Mrs. Adams
had IN reality died OF poison. Prof.
Witthaus did discover poison In the
contents OF the bottle and as soon as
It was possible for the district attor-
ney's office to SO ahead with the in
quest, II did so.
bIp CnnSnuunppa Of tl,a
which the case was given" continued
Mr. Gardiner. Certain persons became
suspicious and were put on their guard.