The times., 1899-07-10
A CARD FROM MOLINEUX
The Alleged Poisoner Attacks The
District Attorney.
He Thinks the Time Has Come When
He Should Say Something in His
BehaIf-No Testimony, the Accused
Mnn Says, to Connect Him With
Any Crimc-A Lengthy Statement.

New York. July 9.-Weeks. Battle &
Marshall. counsel for Roland B. MolineuX
charged with the murder of Mrs. Kate J.
Adams. last night gave out for publication
a statement made and signed by Molineux.
In the opening paragraph of this the
prisoner says:
Under the advice of my counsel l have
hitherto refrained from making any state
ment to the public in regard to the charges
against me. feel now, however, that the
time has arrived when l should make some
statement in my own behalf. / am sure
the people of this great city desire only
fair play. l also feel that l have been
placed in false position by the public
prosecutor"
The prisoner then attacks the case pre-
sented by the prosecution, and dive Is
upon the failure of witnesses to Identify
him as connected with any phase of the
murder. In this connection he says;
Il presented myself TO one Nicholas A.
Hickman at the Sinclair House, in the
city of New York in order to give him an
opportunity TO identify me as having rent
ed a certain letter box from him. He re-
fused to identify ne. although l am in
formed that he subsequently stated that
he would identify me. am also informed
that he offered to sell to several different
newspapers in the city his story identify
ing me as the person who had rented a
letter box from him.
THE Broadway letter box was owned
by Mr.. Koch, who stated positively that
the person who rented the box was not
myself. AT the. coroner's. inquest the Dis
trict Attorney did not elicit this fact from
Mr.. Koch. although he well knew that Mr..
Koch had stated that Twas not the per-
son who had rented the box from him."
Molineux continues in part:
Il have never refused to write any spec
linens OF handwriting or to do anything
else that either the police, District At
torney. or the handwriting experts of the
District Attorney have requested.
THE attitude of the District Attorney
was shown by his attack upon the charac-
ter of my wife in his address to the jury
before the coroner. This attack was wholly
uniustifed and without foundation what
soeyer l cannot comment upon this action
of the District Attorney. No words can
express my feelings in regard to it.
1T will be remembered. that / was mar
ried on the 29th day OF November 1885.
and that the alleged crime with which /
am charged was committed on the 2sth of
December Of the same year. The District
Attorney has seen fit to charge me with
this alleged crime and to make aspersions
upon the character CT my wife. 1t cannot
be believed that within one month after
happy marriage such flendish design
could have entered my mind or could have
been carried ont by me
Furthermore, the District Attorney, in
his address to the coroner's jury and in his
subsequent conduct of the prosecution
against me, has intimated that | am re-
sponsible for the death Of another person
one of my best and most devoted friends.
! There is not a shadow of testimony to
connect me with the death of this person
or with that of Mrs. Adams, or with any
| other crime.
THE evidence which has been adduced
before the coroner and before two grand
/ juries only goes to show that as an officer
I of the Knickerbocker Athletic Club l disa-
| greed with Mr.. Cornish as TO his method
/ OF conducting the athletic affairs of the
/ club. There is not a word of evidence
I nor can there be such evidence. that at any
! time the feeling between Mr.. Barnet and
myself was not that OF the warmest
/ friendship.
Il am induced to write this letter be-
/ cause of the fact that before the grand
/ jury l am not allowed to appear by coun-
! sci, and If l were to be called before that
! body | should be subject to cross examina-
tion by the District Attorney and should
| not be allowed to state the entire fact:
surrounding the charge made against me
| Under such circumstances should fee
that my interests were not properly pro.
tected, and ! wish therefore to make thi!
public statement in order that the Iubli,
may be informed as to my position.
THE evidence against me consists who'll.
in the testimony of the expert witnesse
as to handwriting. The conclusions o
these experts are drawn through com
parison of the handwritings, which hav'
been held by the Supreme Court TO be il
legal and incompetent testimony.
My sole desire in making this statemen
is TO inform the public as 10 the tru
facts in my case. and l have no desire Il
bias the opinion of anyone in regard TO TIL
charges against me. / have absolute con
iidence that these charges will be ulti
mately dismissed, but | do not desire tha
the public shall remain in the dark as t
the evidence against me and | wish L
show by this statement that | have bee
for some reason unknown 10 me bitteri
persecuted. my business ruined, my famil
rendered i'll, and the character of my wife
which is dearer to me than life, aspersed
Il only ask for fair play and for an i'm
partial disposition of the charges agains
me To this end / have stood the hard
ships of Imprisonment since February @
this year. ! have made no statement an
have submitted without protest to tn
charges against me and against my wife
l now ask that the public reserve it
judgment upon me until a careful exami
nation can be made of the evidence an
until it can appear upon what fimsy testl
mony l have been subjected to this humili
| atinn. :"