New-York tribune., 1899-02-23
INQUEST RESUMED TODAY
CONDUCT OF THE ADAMS CASE CRIT.
CIsED BY MANY
DISTRICT ATTORNEYS OFFICE BLAMED po,
WASTING TIME-H. 8. CORNISH MAY
AGAIN TAKE THE STAND

WASTING TIME-H 8. CORNISH MAY
AGAIN TAKE THE STAND
Just who Will be the first witness called N.
day in the Adams poisoning inquest is a cues.
tion which will not be settled until the Coroner,
Jury convenes at 1870 o'clock this morning All
sorts Of rumors TO important witnesses were
afoat yesterday, but the "subject-to-changer
line has been stereOtyped and placed In the Dis.
trict-Attorney's Office programme in such a way
that IT is impossible 10 guess who will take the
principal parts in what now has the appearance
OF a farcica investigation OF a tragedy
According TO reports from the District-At-
torney's office. the inquest to-day is 10 be fun
OF sensations. as Harry s. Cornish is billed 10 20
on the stand again and tell all he knows Of the
poisoning and the happenings leading up 10 Il:
ard Miss Emma Miller, Of Newark. is to follow
him. Miss Miller sold the ch-holder which
was used in the poison plot and is supposed to
be able TO identify the man who bought f. Mr.
Cornish has been wrought up over the tesn-
mony so far submitted that he wants another
opportunity TO go the stand and tell "au he
knows"
Each day he has asked permission 10 return
TO the stand. and each day he has received a
promise of opportunity TO testify. only to
have the opportunity postponed at the close Of
ments to this change Of programme are to bs
considered Of value. they show that something
is wrong in the District-Attorney's office He
alleges that there is a fight on there in which
several subordinates hope 10 oust friend OF
his in the Office, and that they playing the
case accordingly" This talk Of Mr.. Cornish and
the careful following Of the testimony by the
public have caused no little criticism Of the Dis
trict-Attorney's office.
The declaration made by Recorder GofY that
there We're at least twenty five murder cases
which were in the hands Of the Dstrict-Attoney
and had not been prepared for trial. although
some Of them We're over a year old. added fuel
to this criticism. and a result both lawyers
and laymen are vigorously discussing the pres
ent situation. Just how the work Of the Dis
trict-AttOrney's Office in the Adams inquest ap-
peals TO the public best be Judged from what
man Of the same political affiliations the
District-Attorney. and who is prominent in his
party said TO a Tribune reporter yesterday In
speaking Of the inquest
Like many other people" he said 81 have
watched the Adams case closely. and have read
every line published about IL. IL is OF
those peculiar criminal mysteries which interest
nearly every person When Colonel Gardiner
gave out his statement before the inquest that
he knew the poisoner and that an arrest would
be made before the inquest ended / was
confident that he held the solution OF the mys-
terry in his hands, and anxiousy awaited hi
next move. ! have closely followed the test-
mony far. and must say that II is not up 70
the standard promised by the District-Attorney
I'm fact believe that the most important wit
nesses who might now be called would be the
entire staff Of the District-Attorney office
do not mean by this that any OF the attaches
Of that office are guilty OF the crime, but | DO
believe that II the people Of New York County
had an opportunity to cross-examine those con-
nected with the Dstrict-Atorney's office some
light might be thrown on the case, and that
IA tba ~ No
and why the is being conducted In the
peculiar way II is The people Of the county
have o pay the expense Of this inquest and
should judge that this was no small Item, con-
sidering the fact that so many experts have
been employed for weeks on the case. The re-
suits do not seem 70 warrant the expense"
Along the line 'of these remarks IT might be
said that the Police Department is not yet work.
ing I'm harmony with the District Attorneys Of
fee which took charge Of the case in 80 sum-
mary manner. IL Is common talk at tho
Criminal Courts Building that the reason for the
extraordinary delay in opening the hrst DAY
session OF the inquest caused by the Police
Denartment The inquest 10 begin at lo;oD
a m but il was not until after noon that the
taking OF testimony began ana tns was
brought about by the Detective Bureaus not
submitting it's report OF examination or WIZ
nesses until a few minutes before the inquest
opened Then Captain McClusky sent TO the
District-Attorney's office the typewriter state.
nents OF all witnesses he had examined. and
it is solely on these statements that the Dstric'
Attorneys office is now working 80
II these statements are followed up there WIZ
ne at least twenty more witnesses called anu
This will mean another weeks session OF the
Coroners Jury. .
A red bearded" man arrested on TUESDAY
night by detectives, and this gave rise 10 story
that the man who purchased the rnatcH- hoiusI
In Newark had been taken into CUSTODY. III
no,ice court Yesterday thst man proved 70 be
onIv n common criminal, and another sensation
in the was shattered