The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-02-20
Finneran Talks About the
Adams Inquest.
TAMMANY'S INFLUENCE
Cornish Is Not Permitted to Tell What
He Knows, and the Poisoner Will
Probably Not Be Discovered.

Several celebrities attended the ath-
letic contests in Boston Saturday eve
ming, but few IN the vast crowd knew
such famous parsonage as Harry s.
Cornish was in the building. Mr.. Cor
nish was on the program as one of the
officials, but preferred to remain in
comparative obscurity on the edge of
the crowd and in the dressing room He
talked with several friends during the
evening, and as might be expected, all
OF them wanted to talk of the New
York poisoning incident with which his
name has been connected. Cornish has
not lost particle of prestige in Bos-
ton on account of the fame he has re-
Gently acquired through the death of
Mrs. Adams by drinking cyanide of
mercury, which was accidentally given
her by Cornish. His Boston friends
are faithful in their belief of his inno-
cence of any knowledge of the con-
tents of the bottle, and nothing that
the New York newspapers say can
shake their faith in Cornish.
There was also present P. J. Finner
an, assistant to Cornish in the manage
ment of the athletic department of the
Knickerbocker Athletic Club of New
York Finneran is even better known
in this city than Cornish, for several
years ago he was famous in athletic
contests in the rink and at the oval.
He was then one of the best hurdlers
in New England F'inneran sprung
into prominence at the inquest last
week, when he was called to testify to
what he knew regarding the poisoning.
The Spy man talked at length with
both. They said many things about the
case, some of which they gave simply
for information and not for publica-
ton as they feared to make such
straightforward charges lest they be
considered libellous.
Cornish smiled when The Spy man
spoke to him concerning the poisoning
incident. He said: IT would not say
anything for publication under any cir
cumstances. l have been quoted at
considerable length in various newspa-
pers, but every interview was manu-
featured. l have not said a word to
any newspaper man concerning the
case. If l had anything to say, 1 would
tell The Spy as soon as any paper
in the country, as L know it does not
misrepresent facts"
You intend to go on the witness
stand again next week?" asked The
Spy man.
Il am ready to go on whenever they
want me-" said Cornish in reply. And
in answer to another question, he said:
ct am not afraid to tell anything that
/ know in connection with the CASE
Cornish also said that he expects to be
called to the witness box when the cor
oner's jury resumes it's sitting this
week
The Spy man asked several other
questions. Cornish has fortified him.
self against newspaper men, for he
1-nfr oh cs,1t oil IN 10 nj
evasive answer lest he be drawn into
conversation and say something he
would rather have remain unsaid. He
refused absolutely to say anything con-
corning the case.
P. J. Finneran. better known as Joe"
was not as reticent as Cornish. Fin
neran chafes under the msrepresenta-
ton of New York newspapers concern
ing the strong point secured by the
government in his testimony, regarding
the fitting of the bottle into the holder.
F1nneran testified that the bottle which
came In the package fitted into the
holder. Assistant District Attorney Os-
borne produced a bromo settler bottle
In the examination which did not fit
into Fhe holder Considerable stress
was laid on its failure to fit when Fin
neran had testified that he saw the bot
Tie which contained the supposed bromo
~ into the holder. Speaking of this,
Ffnneran said to The Spy man:
1t was not the same bottle at
all. The assistant district attorney
rung in another bottle. The bot
tie which came to Cornish and
which contained the cyanide of mer-
curry, htted snugly. slipping to the
bottom Of the holder. The bromo
bottle which the assistant district
attorney showed me this week
would only catch on the upper edge.
cyanide OF mercury bottles and
tNromo settler bottles are not the
same size, although they are the
same color. They are almost one
size, however, and the difference
could not be distinguished unless
uney were placed near each other
osborne tried to mix me up as re-
CARDS the size of bromo bottles. and
10 snow that was not present when
the wrapper was taken from, rho
bottle of poison and the bottle
placed in the holder
II told him i didn't know ANYTHING
ABOUT the exact size of bromo bot
ties nor do I. But | saw that hottie
fitted into the holder and I saiS So
he asked me such questions as.
All bromo bottles are of the same
size. are they not?"
Il told him didn't know whether
they were or not, nor did I know
whether the bottle which | saw a.
ted into the holder was a bronze
bottle or not"
The Spy man asked him regarding his
suggestion that Cornish keep the adj
dress on the wrapper when Cornish said
he could not recognize the handwrit-
ing. F'inneran said: when he l,ndtd
the wrapper / asked him If he reoog1
nized the handwriting. He said he aid
not I thought 1t was Joke that
somebody put up on Cornish. and told
him to keep the address in order that