The Portland daily press., 1899-12-05
AOLINLUX ARRiIGNED.
Jurors Secured and
Trial Begins.
Scathing Accusations by District
Attorney.
Prisoner Listens With
out Tremor.
" 0iion for Dismissal of In lict-
ment Denied.

Adams, began today. Twelve days were
ut ns1med In selecting a jury. Before
the trial proceedings had started, d..
Alexander MoLsns Hamilton entered the
court room. He si.d he was present as
the medical adviser of the defense.
The Indictment was read, Moll neux
standing up. He was unmovsd, but his
fathers eyes filled with tears.
harlow S. Weeks. senior counsel for the
defence moved for dismissal Of the In
dictment on the ground that the proof
was not sufficient. The court ovsrruled
the motion and Assistant District At
torney Osborne began his opening spsech.
He recited In detail the manner In
which Mira. Adams came to her death.
Mr.. Osborne said the things the prose-
cution would attempt to prove were that
Mrs. Kate J. Adams aud Henry G. Barnet
both died from the sffso of the same
poison sent through the mails. He said
he would fret establish beyond any rsa-
sonable doubt, motive on the part OF
the person who sent the poison and tsat
the motive was desirs to rid himself CT
an adversary against whom the sender
had . deep and las Ing hatred. These
facts. Mr.. Osoore said. he would estab.
lish By evidence.
Referring to one Of the letters to n
medical concern, Mr.. Osborne said the
writer had given his age as 81. his chest
measure as 81. his occupation IS clerk and
htd stated that he was contemplating
matrimony.
He went OF to tell Of ths phraseology
of the letters writtsn and signed II. g.
Barnst
''BArnst." he said, 'doss NOS Ht the
case. Besides Barnet is dead-died before
Cornish received the poison package.
"Harpster is too big and fat and good
nAturtd TO have any OF the chAraoteristios
that are SO plainly shown throug hout all
these letters.
at was not Corn ish, because Cornish
Is more than 81 years old. He IL too big
about the chest; he measured more than
81 inches.
"Who was 1t, then that answers all
these descriptionsY Who Is 1t had . oleri.
cal ocoupationf Roland B. Molineux.
Everything tends to show, he contin.
usd, that no land ID. Molinsux liked and
loved n woman. Here was Q man, appar-
emily whose whole Idea seemed to dwell
upon sexual things. who wrote for "mar-
riags guides" who contemplated matri-
organic disorders Suppose he should fear
there should come breakdown between
himself and this woman. Suppose he
should 60 to her and plead with her for a
speedy marriage. Suppose there should
come along a strong and healthy man,
good looking and athletic. who was be-
ginning to pay this woman marked at
those letters and this woman should sud-
denly marry what woulo you say TO
that? What would you think
"Who had q hatred for Barnet. and
whyf Who had low-burning frs of an
tipathy for Cornish. and whyf Who had
deep dislike for Harpster? Roland b.
Molineux."
Mr.. osborne declared that the man who
could lie at the New York Central post
otiico at O'Clock In the evening to mail
letters who wrote with such strong and
invariable characteristics as described,
who rented the letter box at 1890 Broad
way, who lived at the Kniokerb booker A.
e., and who wrote the lettsrs signed "H.
@. Barnet and "H. Cornish" was the
prisoner at the bar.
When Mr.. Osborne had completed his
address, at his request, the recorder ad-
journed the court until tomorrow.
During the time the district attorney
was summing up the matter he had becn
working up to all day, the prisoner sat
and listened to the seathing accueations
made against him without so much as a
tremor of the eye-lash. He would. at
some especially strong point Let a snaer
cross mis- face and again he would smile
slightly. The instant MIR. Osborne sat
down. Molineux turned to his counsel and
there ensued hasty consultation.