Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-03-01
MaIIxEI,x TRAPPED.


Roland y. Nollneux when his trial comes
of is a question; but, 50 far IL mas s"o""
a wonderful degree OF astutensss.
At the Coroners inquest Cornish WIS
never under serious suspicion By the OH
Gals while Molineux always was yet
Assistant = District Attorney Osborne
manner was harsh towards Cornish while
q was conciliatory towards Molineux'
+, turns out. however. that this was the
attorneys strategy. 1t was pehsVeo "
ne essential TO the success OF the PROSE
cution that MoIineux should be put a
ease.
rbus while Cornish was brow-peaten
and intinidated. MolineuN was coaAeu
and coddled. Poor Cornish was hi"oe
deenerate He believed himself In immi-
nent danger, and this embo'dehed nm ~
accuse Molineux more daringly thah nc
had ever before done. On the other hsnd'
under the uOlifying treatment gwen
him Molineux, who had before been
very wary. became confident and commu-
NEGATIVE. without knowing what he was
doing. he contributed many links to the
States chain Of evidence.
Before the Assistant District Attorney
began this little game" Molineux had
by advice Of counsel, refused TO write
under dictation TO afford specimens OF
his handwriting for examination ny eN-
perts. But under the soft-soapng pro-
cess, he wrote all that was asked
This was a stupendous blunder upon MS
part. and It seems to have been consented
70 nv his counsel. Mr.. Weeks. With all
this writing in their hands seven ca
perts in handwriting were able 10 come
10 the positive conclusion that the III
eliminating letters and the address
ON the Cornish package were written by
NoIineux. But this was not all Heck
man the keeper of the office where Mo-
lineux rented a private letter-Dox' posi-
lively identified Molineux as the man
who had come to his place time and again
for answers to his forged letters to drug
gists. And so. in one day, the attitude OF
the District Attorney changed. Instead
Of smoothing Moineuxs way, and treat
ing him as an innocent person, that ofncer
turned upon him with ferceness, Vigor'
and precision which must have made
Molineux's heart sink within him.
That an entrapping policy was pursued
there can be no possible doubt; the Dis
trict Attorney, Colonel Asa Bird Gardiner
himself admits it in a letter published in
the New York Journal Of yesterday.
We are not prepared to extend sympathy
10 Molineux. but we must say that we
feel sorry for Cornish. 1t is conceded
by nearly everybody that he IS an inno-
cent man; but think what he had to en-
dure day after day! The prosecuting OFF,
GERS as much as said 10 him, Thou art
the man." and he suffered visibly under
the seeming accusation. Most OF the New
York newspapers, however, stood by Cor
nish and soundly berated the prosecution
for taking sides with MolineuX. Alas.
they were not Cup to- Gardeners and
Osborne's little game" But Cornish is
all right now, while MolineuX is in most
desperate strait. 1t is said that he bears
No bravely. showing little concern, while
his poor old father and mother are almost
heart-broken As for his wife, IT is not
to be doubted that she is in deep distress.
Her status in the case has not yet been
cIearl- defined. She sent Barnet flowers
and a tender note OF sympathy while he
was I'm bed during his last Illness
With no other evidence than that which
is now before the public. We do not be
Ieve the prisoner could be convicted OF
the murder of Mrs. Adams or Barnet
either but it is safe to suppose that the
prosecution has not yet disclosed its hand
fully. The testimony OF Hickman, from
whom Molineux rented the private letter
box. and that Of the handwriting experts
was enough TO authorize the Coroner's
Jury to bring in the verdict that 1t did
and hence 1t is presumable that some OF
the States evidence was withheld. BY the
way, it is rather an odd circumstance
that one Joseph n Early, member OF
the CorOner's jury, stated to "the Coro'
ner's court" after the verdict was rem
dered, that ne thought their verdict would
cause Cornish to be held as well as Moli
neuXi