New-York tribune., 1899-12-29
Fl. S. CORNISH ON THE STAND
TESTIMONY OF THE MAN TO WHOM
POISON WAS SENT.

BARNET CASE ALLOWED. BUT USE OF THE
NAME NOT PERMITTED ILLNESS OF
CORNISH DESCRIBED - JOHN D.
ADAMS ON MoLINEUX-CoR-
NIsH TROUBLES.
Harry s. Cornish, the man to whom the
prosecution alleges Roland B. Molineux sent
| bottle Of bromo seltzer with which was mixed
cyanide OF mercury a dose OF which killed Mrs
Kate J. Adams was called to the stand yester-
day afternoon in the trial Of Molineux. He re-
peated In careful detail the evidence he gave
| at the Coroners inquest, describing first how
he found the bottle wrapped in a package, which
contained also a silver holder IN his letter box
| at the Knickerbocker Athletic Club. He went
| on TO relate that he took the present, as he
| thought It to be. to his home the following
| Tuesday and that the next morning Mrs.
Adams complaining Of a headache ne opened
the bottle and gave her q dose Of its contents
| believing that he was administering to her
plain bromo setzer Within a few minutes. he
proceeded, Mrs Adams taken violently I'll
and doctor was sent for. That as far as
Cornish got when the court adjourned but to-
day he will continue the story.
All that ne testified to yesterday has already
been told but when It comes TO Mr. Weeks's
turn to cross-examine II Is believed that much
will be brought out concerning what may be
the inner history of the circumstances which led
to the bad feeling existing between Cornish and
Molineux, and which the prosecution will en-
deavor to prove supplied the motive for the
sending of the poisoned bromo setzer. Before
recountng the receipt OF the poisoned bottle
and the incidents attending Mrs. Adams's death
the exhibits in the case which are signed in
his shown to Cornish. He swore
that they not written by him.
INTEREST IN CORNISH.
When Cornish was called TO the stand irnme.
diately after John D. Adams the secretary OF
the Knickerbocker Athletic Club. had been tes-
tifyng to the differences between Cornish and
J Molineux. which ended in the latter resignng
from the club. a wave OF suppressed excitement
passed over the court. There eager
! craning forward OF necks as he walked rapidly
from his around the jury box TO the wit
ness chair Interest In the case which has
tagged considerably since the long drawn out
! testimony OF the handwriting experts, became
keyed up TO the highest pitch. and it was
/ quickly noised around the building that Cornish
was on the stand. So many people sought ad-
mission TO the court within the next ten MIN
|
for seats that the Recorder threatened TO have
the doors locked
Cornish was obviously nervous when he took
the stand but soon recovered his self possession
and answered Osbornes questions with dis
tinctness that carried his voice to all parts OF
the court When he first seated himself In the
chair Cornish glared steadily for few seconds
at the defendant, but after that he rarely
glanced in Moineux's direction. Molineux,
however kept his eyes fixed on Cornish and
! frequently smiled in a half sneerng manner at
some OF the witnesses replies.
Probably OF as much Importance as Cornsh's
| opening testimony In the developments OF the
! day was the attempt of the prosecution to
! place before the jury the suggestion that Moli-
neux was also responsible for the death Of Hen
ry c. Barnet. Mr.. Weeks fought stoutly against
any mention being permitted of the Barnet
| case inasmuch as the defendant was not on
trial for numbering Barnet Although at the
/ outset the ruling went in Mr.. Weeks's favor,
! finally Mr. Osborne gained his point by resort
| ing to the ingenious argument that II nec-
essary in order TO prove that Cornish was suf-
/ fering from cyanide of mercury poisoning when
| he was examined by DR.. Wendell c. Phillips
| that the symptoms Of Barnet's illness should
! also be described The Recorder decided that
| these symptoms might be referred 10. but that
! Barnet's name should not be used. Thereupon
! Mr. Osborne, instead Of referring to Barnet d.
| rectly by name. asked DR. Phillips, who also
| attended Barnet. II the symptoms displayed by
| Cornish were similar 10 those exhibited by A.
/ B." II was in the knowledge OF every one. OF
course that DIR. Phillips in reciting the suffer
ings of "A b." was speaking OF Barnet. and
the legal sophstry OF the subterfuge was fire.
uuently emphasized when Mr. Osborne would
! oh 7 hacy
the Courts pardon should have said A. b."
II was shown In effect that Barnet was poi
soned by cyanide OF mercury, as was Mrs.
! Adams Just year ago yesterday. that the pol
son in both cases was sent mixed in headache
powder and that Cornish became seriously Ill
by taking some of the bromo seltZer that Mrs.
! Adams swallowed.
When the trial resumed yesterday morn
ing John f. Tyrrell was put upon the stand
again. and identified number OF exhibits as
being In Cornishs handwriting In cross-ex-
animation Mr.. Weeks asked the witness II he
was prepared to swear that no one but the de-
fendant could possibly have written Exhibit A.
the poison package address. Mr. Tyrrell fenced
with the question. and when the question was
differently framed he would only reply that
nobody had a copyright upon popularity.
HANDWRITING TESTIMONY ENDED.
That was the end OF the handwriting expert
testimony and then Dr. Wendell c. Phillips was
called. He began by telling Mr. Osborne that
ne had very little experience In poison cases.
and when Mr.. Osborne asked him to state just
what that experience was Mr.. Weeks objected.
1t would involve the mention OF Barnet's name.
upon whom Dr. Phillips attended. The objection
was overruled and then DR.. Phillips was asked
II his experience in previous enabled him
to form an opinion to the ailment Of Cornish.
Mr.. Weeks was on his feet again in an instant
with a stream OF objections. After arguments