Omaha daily bee., 1899-02-24
CORNISH VOICES SUSPICIOUS
Reasons Why He Believes Molineaux Sent
him Bottles of Poison,
ALLEGES CLUB MAN is HIS BITTER ENEMY
cites Possible Reasons why the Club
man should Have Desired to
Take His Life for
Revenge.

Take His Life for
Revenge.
NEW YORK, Feb. 23.-Harry Cornish, on
the witness stand at the Adams inquest to-
day, accused Roland b. Molineaux of send
ing him the poisoned bromo settler. His
story. was that he thought Molineaux had
sent him the poison because he was the only
man who had shown great enmity toward
him; that he had lied about him and perse-
cuted him; that he had lied about others in
the club; that there was enmity between
Barnet and Molineaux and that the latter
had started stories about members of tie
Knickerbocker Athletic club.
Witness stated that Molineaux, being in a
rival club, was Jealous of him. He de-
clared that the coroner must search the
athletic clubs of New York City for the muir
derer of Mrs. Adams. He accused Molineaux
of having sent Kutnow powders to Barnet.
He testified that Mrs. Molineaux's state
ment that she had never been in Barnet's
room alone was false. He knew of a per-
son who had seen Mrs. Molineaux and Bar
net drinking wine in the latter's room when
no person was present.
Witness stated that Molineaux was his
bitter enemy and the only man he knew of
who could have a motive for wishing to
take his life. Cornish was very earnest in
testifying and contradicted much that he
had said when he was first examined by the
coroner.
Cornish was asked several times to give
the names of men who had told the stories
that he repeated about Molineaux. He said
that he could not remember them all, but
he had no doubt these men would come for
ward and substantiate his story as soon as
they heard he had told it.
Motive for killing Mrs. Adams.
The first witness called today was
Harry G.. Cornish. The first question asked
him was, "Do you think you can show any
motive for the killing of Mrs. Adams?"
Yes replied Cornish, and then he went
on to tell the story of the events which led
up to the quarrel with Molineaux. The
statement was interspersed with derogatory
remarks regarding Molineaux. Much was
based upon things Cornish had heard other
people say. Cornish denied that the state
ment produced as his by the police was
correct.
at sounded" said Cornish, like Cap
tain McCluskey's recollection of my con-
versation. l was and am most anxious to
find out who sent the poisson. l believe 1t
was intended to kill me. l believe the po-
lice will admit that / helped them consider
ably.
AT first continued Cornish, 81 could
| not think that l had any enemy who had
it in for me enough to want to kill me.
1 have had squabbles will every man in
the business. The quarrel with Mr.. Weeks
was such a squabble and the statement
and the letter showing that l would get
even with Weeks meant in an athletic
way. There was an athletic rivalry be-
tu,an 4la ip1,arIpn1y md Maui Vnrlt
| Athletic clubs.
'"The handwriting was shown to me, but
not the signatures, but If we could have had
before us a letter from Molineaux written to
me and compared 1t with the clipping from
a newspaper anyone would have sworn that
the same man wrote both. After that
1t came over me like a flood or by intuition
and I said: That's the man who sent the
stuff to Barnet"
Continuing, Cornish said: Then
Molineaux marrying SO suddenly created
some suspicion in my mind, especially when
l heard that he was married to Miss Cheese
boro, who, members Of the club told me
was very intimate with Barnet.
Cornish denied Molineaux's statement that
Barnet's room was quarantined previous to
his death. "Molineaux could have entered
at any time he might have seen ft," said
| Cornish, and he would have done so II he
had been the intimate friend of Barnet as he
now pretends he was"
Cornish asserted that Of all of those who
were called to Captain McClusky's office and
there asked to write their names, the only
one who refused was MolineauX.
"Mr. Osborn" said Cornish. addressing
the assistant district attorney, there is no
doubt that you have got to look into the
Knickerbocker club for the poisoner. That
argp nc ha,n Ipnu,n that IIorp.to II,
worked for F. X. Stearns & Co. Of Detroit,
and he must have known that l know it
also. There are, as l said before, but one or
two persons who knew this. One was myself
and the other was Molineaux. Harpster, If
l am properly informed, never told any
body else about it, and 1t was not known
until this case came up"
Cornish denied that the two books he Is
credited with having written showed any
evidence that he knew something about
chemistry.
Mr.. Osborn then began a cross-examina-
ton. He wanted to know why Cornish had
Immediately concluded upon Mrs. Adams
death that this case was similar to Bar
nets, when he did not even suspect that
poison had been sent to Barnet. Cornish
was perplexed. He could not explain it.
He admitted debating a statement for the
newspapers on January 4. Mr.. Osborn con-
tinued questioning and Cornish grew con-
fused. He said he could not tell exactly
when he got the bromo settler bottle. at
was a matter of detail, and not important
He could not tell whether it arrived on the
Friday afternoon, Saturday morning or Sat-
urday afternoon mail.
Cornish admitted that all his testimony
regarding the time he received the bottle
was a matter of guess"
Mr.. Osborne read at length from Cornish's
testimony of his doings on the morning Of
Mrs. Adams death, asking him many ques-
tions regarding his sickness, seeming to
throw doubt on Cornish's symptoms.
Finally Cornish said: Il certainly had no
intention to deceive"
Osborne drew attention to Cornish's fail
ure to make mention of his visit that day
to Mr.. Yocum, his chemist friend. Sup
pressions and inaccuracies were then pointed
out by Osborne in the various statements
made by Cornish. Cornish seemed to think
the matter a joke.
Not Seriously Poisoned.
DR.. l.. A. Coffin, who attended Cornish
when he was taken i'll after Mrs. Adams
death, was called.
Coffin said that Cornish at that time was
not in a critical condition. He did not
treat Cornish for poisoning. He related va
rious conversations which took place be-
tween Cornish and himself, but the only i'm
portant point brought out was that Cornish