New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-28
M'CLuSKY'S PLANS FOILED.
POLICE WERE READY TO MAKE AN AR
REST IN THE ADAMS CASE.
MAN SUSPECTED WAS FORMER EMP1OYg OF
THE KNrcRERBOcKER ATHLETIC CLUB
BUT An IMPORTANT IDENTICAL
TrON FELL THROUGH.

in the Adams poisoning case in the next
twenty-four hours" on the contrary. he per
rnitted It 20 be Inferred that some person
might be arrested almost AT any moment nut
positively refused 10 make prophecy as to his
future movements
The head If tho Detective Bureau had depended
largely on the report Of the handwriting experts
who have been employed in the case To them ne
had furnished specimens Of the writing TO NUMBER
Der Of people who have been mentioned as having
possible connection with the sending OF the poison
10 Harry s Cornish and 10 Henry c. Barnet. The
experts Il may he said. had found resemblance
between the handwriting the package sent 10
Mr. Cornish. containing the poison which Killed
Mrs. Adams and that " a man formerly connected
with the Knckerbocker Athletic Club This man
IS employe Of another club. ana captain
McClusky considered the resemblance Of the hand
writing 50 importan, that he visited this cluo
on Thursday evening and remained there the entire
evening trying 70 trace the movements OF the
suspected employs
Captain McClusky arranged last night 10 nave
Mr. Hickman. who conducts the etter-oox once
30 257 West Forty-second-st., meet THIS former
employ of the Knickerbocker Athletic Club. All
plans were laid to arrest him II Mr.. Hickman
identified him. and Captain McClusky was at MS
Office. ready meet the man II arrested The re-
port 10 him late last night from MS detectives
that Mr. Hickman. after seeing the man. said posi-
lively that he not the person who had rented
the efter-bCX al MS place. As result "a NN' ~
port from the detectives. Captain Mccusky said
that he had no longer a reason to suspect the man
Of having any connection with the case
IDENTIFICAr1oNs UNSATISFACTORY.
In the reports received by McClusky from the
handwriting experts they said that the person who
addressed the package Mr.. Cornish was the
same one who had rented the letter-box at No.
$50 Broadway. az the handwrtlngs We're Identical
Accordingly. Captain McClusky had Simon Koch
manager Of The letter-box concern 20 meet the man
suspected Mr. Koch ar once said that this was
not the person who had rented the letter-ooK
and that he had never seen him before. Mr. Koch
said that the only person whom ne had seen In con-
nection with the who resembled the man VINO
had rented the box IN the name OF H. Cornish
was Harry s Cornish himself Continuing MT.
Koch said:
If Mr. Cornish would gray Fedora nat
with a black band and tan overcoat Instead or
coming here with black Derby hat on and no
overcoat would say that ne the man who
rented the box"
Both Mr. Cornish and the detectives say that ne
possesses a tan oyercoat and gray Fedora hat
with black band. both OF which he wore last fall
Captain McClusky also SAYS that Mr.. Cornish
did not wear an overcoat or a Fedora hat when
he was presented to NJ. Koch for Identification
NEW NAME IN THE CASE.
At the same Broadway letter-box there
ceived from the wholesale drug firm Of Frederick
Stearus & Co. % Detroit. Mich, letter In answer
70 a query from II Cornish" asking about tho
character Of A. \. Harpster. former employe OF
the drug Arm. as the writer of the letter OF IN
quiry desired 10 employ Mr.. Harpster coli
lector Harpster is now agent Of the Ba.lantin-
Brewing Company. He came 70 New-York I've
years ago when Adolph Gensnger took charge Of
The new Manhattan Athletic Club Harpster
a clerk In the employ OF the club and when the
property was acquired by the Baantines Herbert
Baliantine. VINO was favoraby impressed with
Harpster made him bookkeeper In the club, which
then became the Knickerbocker. Harpster left the
club a little less than year ago after dispute
over wages. and went TO the brewing company.
wnere ne Is NN
Mr. Richie the manager Of the Balls milne Com
pany. said yesterday that the Ballannnes could
give Harpster az excellent recommendation. II was
said yesterday that Harpster was familiar with the
handwriting % several members OF the Knicker-
booker Athletic Club. and thar a letter 70 Won
Mohl & CO. signea II. Cornish" had been shown
20 him and that ne recognized the writing 10 be
that OF former member OF The Knickerbocker
Athletic club now under suspicion.
CAPTAIN McClusky. however places little depend
ence In the connection OF Mr.. Harpster with the
ca further than note that he friend %
Harry Cornish while he connected with the
Knckerbocker Athletic Club According TO the adj
vices received al Police Headquarters from De-
troit MI Harpster had q business disagreement
with the firm Of Frederick stearns & Co.. and this
resulted in his giving up his situation coming 70
New-York and changing his work from that Of
travelling salesman 20 that Of assistant TO the
steward % the Knickerbock-r Athletic Club. Mr.
Bauantine liked NJ Harpsier. and when the
latter left the club owing TO a disagreement as
% salary Mr. Ballantne at once gave him good
place with his brewing company in this city
MANY DRUGS GOT BY THE POIsONER.
IN connection with the same handwriting end y
the case is tho fact that the man who rented he
lotter-hox ar No % West Forty serond-st under
the name Of Barnet wrote 70 a medical firm at
Noodus Conn last June asking for samples %
medicine This letter with many others. asking
that samples 81 drugs he sent both n the Broad
way letter-box and the one IN West Forty second
St is In the hands o. the police. and the resent
olance between the handwriting on these requests
and that on the address on the package sent to Mr.
Cornish are so much alike that the police believe
that they were written by the same person.
While relying largely on this clew. however. they
feel that the Identification Of the person or persons
renting the letter-b boxes IS of the utmost Import
ance and a. Vet they have been unable 70 get
satisfactory clew Several people who are pre-
surned 10 know about the case have been shown 70
Mr. Koch OF the Broadway concern. and NJ
Hickman. Of the West For,y-second-st. letter-oox
office and the result has been that neither could
identify any one ~ the men ne saw 90 the person
who rented the letter-box
Mr. Koch came nearest making an Identification.
and the on@ he came SO nearly making is not that
Of a person who has been under suspicion. He has
seen every ono who might no suspected OF the
crime hut failed 10 race any resemblance between
any one Of those whom he and the man who
rented the letfer-box from him The detectives
are. however not discouraged on This line Of re
search and hope that tho end It Will furnish 70
them material enough 70 warrant the arrest and
conviction Of The guilty persons
STILL SURE THERE WERE TWO MEN
The police IRE stu confident that the crime was
committed hy TWO men. Whether or not one or
them was tho Innocent victim ~ the other In the
r-srgaroont NJ the details they are nor vet pre-
nared 10 say bur they do believe that one man
r-.r--.d 10 ret The poison and adminster i other