The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-22
STILL NO NEW LIGHT
NEW YORK POISONING MYSTERY YET
FAR FROM SOLUTION.
Testimony of Mrs. Rogers, Mrs. MoIin-
eux and DR.. PhiIIips-The econd-
Named's Relations with Barnet.

Witnesses. Mrs. Roland b. MolineuX, Mrs.
Florence Rogers and DR.. Wendell c..
Phillips, were examined to-day at the eoro-
ner's investigation into the poisoning of Mrs.
Kate j.. Adams, and their testimony,
although very interesting, threw no new
light upon the mystery surrounding the case.
Cornish was present in the courtroom most
of the day. There are more than twenty
witnesses yet to be called, including club
members, walters and policemen who have
been working on the case. There will be no
hearing tomorrow and it is doubtful if
the inquest will be finished within ten days.
David Murdoch, a stationer and private
letter box keeper, was the first witness
called to the stand to-day, and verified his
evidence of yesterday, in which he stated
Cornish and Mrs. Rogers had dealings with
him in 1897.
Mrs. Rogers then resumed her testimony.
She answered questions in a self-possessed
way. She said she had lived in Hartford,
Conn.,, all her life until four years ago.
Cornishs uncle had married her fathers
sister and Cornish was her cousin by mar
riage.
How long did Cornish live in your
house?' asked Mr.. Osborne.
Sim March last, replied Mrs. Rogers:
How long since you had a letter box?'
Not in a year and a half"
She had a letter box as Miss Addison, at
Murdock's place. She never had any other
letter box. She was living with her hus-
Oth0 q NAC tAAN 0hN HA2 N
him. Her mother was always friendly with
her husband. Asked If he was not in Buffalo,
Mrs. Rogers said: Il can't tell you. We
don't communicate He sends me money for
my support every month
Coroner Hart asked. "Your mother and
your husband were very friendly?'
RELATIONS WERE FRIENDLY.
Every friendly said the woman, emphat-
ically. She added that her mother was much
grieved over the quarrel with her husband.
The line of questioning was evidently in
tended to bring out whether or not Rogers
could have had any possible motive for an
attempt on the life of his mother-in-law.
There was never any trouble between her.
self and her mother, Mrs. Rogers said.
Why did you have that letter box?' was
asked.
Because replied Mrs. ROBBERS, loudly. 81
have business Of a confidential nature with
a man who is making Investigations for me.
The communications were of such a nature
that / did not wish a member of my family
to know about them
Mrs. Rogers said she was legally separ-
rated from her husband.
Coroner Hart asked her if the letters she
received at the private box were written
by a member of the New York Athletic Club.
Mrs. Rogers declared that she had never
met any member of that club. Neither had
she received any letter from the Knicker-
booker Athletic Club. Her mother never had
any trouble with Cornish.
Mr.. Osborne then endeavored to show that
her mother and the agents objected to the
way in which life was led in the Adams
apartments, but Mrs. Rogers denied this.
do you know any reason why anybody
should want to kill Cornish"
Il certainly do not" said Mrs. Rogers.
Mrs. Rogers said she had known Cornish
since she was a girl. She had never seen
Mrs. Cornish.
A new point was brought out when Mr..
Osborne asked: did you ever hear of amy
aDamU that Cornish h9d2'
II know one man Cornish spoke of as be-
ing intensely hostile to him. said Mrs.
What was his name?"
Barlow S. Weeks
About a year and a half before her
mothers death she had heard Cornish say
that Weeks had threatened to run him out
of town within a year.
Have you learned of any more threats?"
demanded Osborne.
"A man told Mr.. Cornish that Mr.. Weeks
had said since this affair began that he'd
finish him now, replied Mrs. Rogers.
Mrs. Rogers characterized as being 'abso-
lutely false and untrue" the statement, Of
DR.. Potter, who testified at the inquest that
he had overheard Mrs. Rogers say to Cor
hish as thew left the room where Mrs.
Adams's body lay, don't make the affair
public; you know the reason Why"
MRS. MOLINEUx'S TESTIMONY.
After recess Mrs. Molineux took the wit
ness chair. She is a tall, rather good look
ing woman, about thirty years old. Her
mother-in-law sat beside her while she gave
her testimony. She first became acquainted
with Mr.. Barnet in the fall of 1897. She
was never on a yacht with him and was
rever invited to take such a trip. Summar-
izing her relations with Mr.. Barnet, Mrs.
Molineux said: well, he called to see me
at times alone and sometimes with Mr..
Molineux. He called alone at the suggestion
of MI. MoIineux, and at one time [ attended
an amateur circus with him, given at the
Knickerbocker Athletic Club. He called
after that several times. 1t was simply out
of friendship that he called" Molineux
knew, she said, OF the friendship between
her and Barnet.
In answer to the question whether Barnet
and Molineux were not rivals, Mrs. Molineux
replied: Never to my knowledge" She
had not seen Barnet since May, 1898. She
had heard that Barnet was i'll. Molineux
had told her that she had better send him
some flowers, which she did. She was never
engaged to Barnet and he never proposed to
her.
1t was at the request of Molineux that
Barnet had invited her to the circus. Mrs.
Molineux denied that she ever lived in a
certain locality in this city in which the dis
trict attorney SCENE by his questions to
think she had. Mrs. Molineux knew of no
pictures taken in which she and Barnet APP
peared together, or in which she and Barnet
and other persons appeared. DR.. w. G.
Phillips said the latter's condition showed
symptoms of poison. He said that from
suspected who had sent him the powder,
although he did not mention the name Of
any one in this connection. From what he
observed there appeared to be a marked
ness. The case was then adjourned until
Thursday morning.
LEO To GIBRONS