Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-29
j. D. Adams Says Defendant Ad-
dressed the Poison Package.
HAD STUDIED TIE HANDWRITING
Secretary Of knickerbocker Club
Gives Damaging Testimony.
MIR. WEEKS LETTER

CttulliSS III t1le OF holaDu Is. MOnneux
for the alleged murder of Mrs. Katherine
]. Adams were resumed with John d.
| Adams on the witness stand. Rartow S.
| Weeks, counsel for the defendant. took up
| the cross-examination, which was
pended yesterday at his request.
In the room was Felix J. Gallagher. He
was under subpoena from the district at
toineys office. and II was said that he
| might be called to the witness stand some
time during the day. Mr.. Adams was asked
If he had brought with him, as requested,
the minutes Of the house committee of the
Knickerbocker Athletic Club. Of which he
is secretary. He replied that he had, but
that they we're not fully completed, and
that he would ask, he had with great
difficulty secured permission to bring them
to the court that the books be placed in the
custody of the court, where they could be
accessible to the jury. This was consented
to. Mr.. Adams SAID so far he knew they
were the original minutes of the commit
tee.
PeruSing the book of minutes Mr.. Weeks
called to the attention of the witness the
fact that Mr.. Race had been discharged
at certain meeting OF the club. He asked
If Mr.. Adams knew that. Mr.. Osborne OBJ
Jected and the objection sustained.
The attention OF the witness was called to
several entries made on the minute book,
but Mr.. Adams testified that he was not
present at any of the meetings OF the house
committee. The witness told Mr.. Weeks.
in answer to questions, that he thought
MolineuN prepared the program for the
amateur circus in the spring OF 1897. He
did not know whether the program had
been edited in any way before having
been sent to the printer, but on being
shown the program said that some inter
linear marks in the paper were in his
(Adams) writing. Mr.. Weeks offered the
paper to be marked for Identification. and
Mr.. Osborne asked to be allowed to see
1t, but Mr. Weeks refused.
MIR. Weeks Presents "a Letter.
Mr.. Weeks handed to Mr.. Adams letter.
asking. as he did so, that the witness state
in whose handwriting IT was. The witness
examined the letter and said:
1T is in my handwriting, but this letter
has been stolen from my possession and it
pertains 70 fraternity matters and has no
relevancy whatever to this case, and l beg
that the court exclude it from the case"
"Well.'' said Mr.. Weeks, sis this gentie-
man lawyer or a witness?'
There was a sharp wrangle between
counsel over the admission of the letter 20
be marked for Identification, but the court
ruled that the letter be so marked and kept
in the custody CT the court clerk.
Il understand" said Mr. Weeks, that
no one will be permitted TO see the letters"
Certainly not answered the recorder.
ut Will be in custody of the court"
MIR. Weeks can see anything I've got on
earth" retorted Mr.. Osborne hotly.
Mr. Adams identified in turn several let
ters that were then marked for identifica-
tion, to each one of which Mr.. Osborne OBJ
jected.
Mr. Weeks then showed the witness de-
fendant's exhibit L., a newspaper clipping,
and also exhibit \, the poison package ad-
dress, of which defendants exhibit Il is a
newspaper fac simile and asked Mr. Adams
when he had first seen them. He replied
Before the May grand jury
Admitted Specimens Examined.
Several of the state exhibits, admitted
specimens of the defendants writings,
were shown to Mr.. Adams who said he
had seen many Of them before; had placed
them in an envelope and had shown them
to Cornish specimens of Molineux's
handwriting. He said he got them from
the files of the knickerbocker Athletic
Club.
Not from your own desk?''
mo, sir, only one or two of those scraps"
Mr.. Weeks asked him how long he had
studied Molineurs writing I'm conjunction
with exhibit l. before he had shown them
to Cornish. Adams replied that as soon as
between that and the defendants writings
struck him forcibly. He later said he saw
the newspaper reproduction of the address
before he procured any of AIolineuX's writ
ing.
At this point Juror Foster asked the wit
ness: Are you a handwriting eXpert?"
No, sir, l am not
Mr.. Weeks requested Mr.. Adams to look
at exhibit II, the cut and the writings or
MolineuN that had struck him bearing
marks of resemblance, and asked him to
point out the resembling features. MIR. Os-
borne objected, on the ground that the wit
ness had just sworn he was not a hand
writing expert and that it had no connec-
ton with the matter now under the atten-
tion of the court Mr.. Weeks said he asked
the question for the purpose of ascertaining
what regularity struck the witness at the
time
Court Allows n Question.
81 will allow the question" ruled the
court.
'1 found in Mr.. Molineux's handwriting
the words 'Knickerbocker Athletic Club in
exhibit "a and Harry Cornish in exhibit
90" the witness said. Besides, there was
the letter f. and also the general irregu-.
larity of the defendants handwriting"
Now you have since learned" said Mr..
Weeks, that defendants exhibit II bears
little or no resemblance to exhibit A.
"1n my opinion" answered Mr.. Adams
'it bears very close resemblance"
do you know, Mr.. Adams, if your men,
tion of defendants exhibit II was the first
nection with this case?'
81 do not"
THAT is all, Mr.. Adams"
Mr.. Weeks then sat down, and Mr.. Os-
borne at once mentioned the question put
by, Mr.. Weeks as to why the witness had
taken defendants exhibit l. and the Mo-
lineux writings to Cornish. And 1 want
to know Mr.. Adams, II at that time
you bore in mind the death of Barnet"
said Mr.. Osborne
The court asked why this question was
asked, and Mr.. Osborne said he considered
that he had right to show that Mr.. Ad-
ans knew of the feud that existed between
Cornish and Molineux. The court ruled
out the question.
Identified as MoIineux's Writing.
Mr.. Osborne then showed Mr.. Adams
exhibit "A" the poison package address,
and asked if he knew the writing Mr..
Weeks was on his feet, shouting. I'VE OBJ
ject, We object" but before the court could
rule the witness answered "Yes."
Whose is it?''
1--WE object" shouted Mr.. Weeks.
"Overruled." replied the court
'1t is ia the handwriting of the defend
ant"
The court ruled that Mr. Weeks had made
the witness identify writings and compare
them. hence the prosecution should be given
the same privilege.
Adarasn said Mr. nSho-pa sghax-a