New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-06
SURPRISES FOR MOLINEUA
TAKING OF TESTIMONY FOR THE PEG
PIE BEGINS
RUDOLPH HEILEs swEARs THAT THE PRS
oNER PLOTTED TO INJuRE
al IA HARPSTER.


A HARPsTER.
rh. examination Of witnesses began yesterday in
the trial OF Roland B, Molineux before Recorder
Gon In the Court OF General Sessions upon 'he
ohar9e ~ numbering Mrs. Kate j. Adams. some
surprises were sprung by the prosecution the nrs'
witness was Dr. Edward F. Hitchcock. who testi-
fed that he had offices at No. p West Egh'y-seV-
enth-st and that he attended Mrs. Adams wheh
sbe died at No 81 West Eighty-sixth-st, having
been called In at sS5 O'Clock a. on December IS
1905 When ne reached the house he saw at the
ION ~ the second flight of stairs number Of per-
sons among whom Harry s Cornish. He had
no conversation with Cornish then. Mrs. Adams
was lying on the sofa in the dining ROOM her
right arm extended rigdly, and she was breath
ing heavily Her face indicated that she hau
swallowed some poisonous mixture OF a blush Color
He made a careful examination of her, found
.a,ckering" pulse and saw that she was near
death Her hands were cold and clammy. and there
was no nausea. He gave hypodermc Injection TOT
heart stimulant, applied warm applications ana
administered other restoratves. but the woman
died while he working over her
TWO GLASSES ON THE TABLE.
In sneakjng Of the room ne said there had been
o,iv ono MACE occupied al the breakfast table.
Two glasses were the table He heard some one
retching in a nearby room, and on asking VINO IL
was was told II was Mr. Cornish lie coVeieu ue
dad
nv Cornish 10 he had any Idea what stun II was
thew had taken He examined the promo senHer
hottla and smelled g. but could not determine the
nature of its contents He inspected the pupils or
the dead woman's eyes, and from that ana other
things came 10 the conclusion that the poison was
not strychnine He tasted the stun In the bottle,
and az soon as II touched his tongue he detected
the odor Of almonds and prussic acid, and knew ne
was IN contact with one OF the most deadly poisons
rhicb caused general paralysis. He also detected
the mercurial taste in the preparation. ana the oo'
tIe containing the stuff was a little smaller ana ol
a darker color than a bromo settler bottie. Inc
label was soiled and gave the bottle secohu manu-
appearance, $500, !. 500.
DR. Hitchcock identified the bottle ana u was
orersd IN evidence The defence asked permission
10 see the bottle ana 1t was given MI weeks anu
Mr. Rattle examined the bottle carefully anu j
was then passed into the hands Of Dr. Allan NC
Lane Hamilton. who both weighed ana fheasuleN II
Dr Hitchcock continuing. said that the ootte
holder was handed TO him by Cornish TINS was
,arded 80 the witness who identified 1t positively
as beinr the same he In the Adams nat IL
was also passed TO the defence for examination
opa received the same careful measurement that
was given to the bottle. Moineux glanced furtiVe-
" but ntently at the little silver ornament
The wrapper which Cornish told Dr. Hitchcock
80 about the hottie was next offered to the Wit
ness and Identified by him. The wrapper. bearing
the handwriting which is to play SO important d
part In the trial was framed under heavy glass
If was passed to the jury box ana examiner ON
each Juror in turn. The defence then asked tha'
DR.. Hitchcock should weigh the bottle and bottle
holder He did so. They were each passed. apou'
for the inspection Of the jurors
.' CORNISH SAID IT WAS A PRESENT.
m Hitchcock told OF asking Cornish where he
bought the bottle and he said that 1t was sent TO
hin, as a Christmas present The witness SAID ne
then began to feel Ill himself saying the poisoh
began 10 get In It's fine work on me- lie sent
Cornish sor Dr. Potter. DIT Potter came about lo%o
o'clock At that time there were more than TWO
glasses on the table. One contained about TWO
inches Of sediment which was slightly effervescent
ano,ber contained clear water He took home with
him A specimen Of the handwriting and the bottle
ard bottle holder locking them in his desk. These
were later delivered TO Patrolman Palmer OF the
west One-hundredth-st. police station Dr. Hitch
cock next told Of the visit he and Cornish made 10
the undertaker's office, and Of how he then went
home.
Mr. Weeks at once began the cross-examnatloh
70 hin, the witness said he could not swear that
certain little blue marks on the wrapper were
there when he examined the exhibits in the nat.
He could not remember distinctly as he had paid
no particular attention TO the matter, and had not
studed the case The witness testified before the
Coroner that the patient had peculiar ''pailor
In his testimony yesterday he said pecuilaE
"hlutsh color" He stuck to his assertion that the
woman's face was of a blush tinge. He thought
perhaps she had swallowed something, and put
his finger down her throat and found a small plate
of false teeth lying the throat. Whisky, he
said was the chief restorative ne relied upon.
The witness said he thought there was mercuric
chloride in the stun, because he detected metallic
taste. The bottle not In the dining room when
he entered but brought IN from the bedroom
and Mr. Cornish brought them all in-the bottle
the bottle holder and the wrapper. He thought the
bottle In the holder when II brought In
Mrs. Hovey. Mrs Rogers and Cornish in the
at that time.
SEVERAL KINDS OF WHIsKEY.
Mrs. Rogers asked him If the matter could not
''be kept quiet" He then told again the story OF
the trip he and Cornish made TO the undertaken
Office. He said he took nothing until he reached
there, but several kinds OF whiskey-perhap,
three" On the way TO that Office he and Cornish
had talk and Or. Hitchcock admitted saying L
Cornish. This is a golden opportunity for you
] am connected with the Health Department
Several times Mr.. Weeks referred TO the witnes
having taken Several kinds Of whiskey" Mr.
Weeks brought out from the witness the fact tina
during all the time he worked over Mrs Adam
he detected sign of odor OF almonds sue
as he later detected IN the POISON in the bottle.
Mr.. Weeks then went into the question of wha
antidote the witness took and what he gave Coz
nish The witness admitted he took nothing bu
whiskey and also admitted that he had never hear
of any poison for which whiskey was antIdot