Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1900-01-20

New York, Jan. 1S.-Roland B. Mol
tneuX was positively identified yesterday
| oy Nicholas hickman as the man Wht
had rented letter box from him al
f; .57 West Forty second street under the
name of Fl. G.. Barnet. Hickman said
that he had known MolineuT for al
least five years. and that he had seen hin,
At least $50 times. He said The box was
"ented on May 81. 1898, and that he had
given mail 10 Muline'l% 20 times
When MolineuX hired The private lettel
box, under the name of Il. G. Barnet, wit
ness said that he put down the name
with a double 1T" but the defendant
corrected him, and asked him TO spell
It with one "t.' Witness produced his
memorandum book, containing the name
with the extra 1t" crossed out. and ii
was admitted as evidence. The wit,
ness described Il package containing /,
Kutnow powder box which had been re-
ceived after Molineux stopped calling
for his mail.
During Il severe cross examination,
Mr.. Weeks brought out the fact that Il
newspaper had agreed to pay Hickman
$3.50 II he could identify MulincuX as his
customer He told of a visit which he
made with reporter to the factory in
Newark, where Molneux was employed
and of a positive identification which he
made of the defendant as II. G. Bar
net" The witness said that MolineuX
almost tainted when he called upon him,
and that the defendant left immediately,
saying that he did not want to talk to
newspaper men.
The questions which followed were
asked evidently for the purpose of re-
flecting upon the honesty of the witness.
He said that his conscience commenced
to trouble him about the time of the
coroner's inquest, because he thought
Cornish was gong to be accused of the
murder. and that accordingly he told all
that he knew about the case.
Asked by Mr. Osborne if anyone had
given him a cent or offered him cent
in connection with the case, he replied
in the affirmative. Mr.. Osborne In
CURED whether it was for The identifica-
ton of Molireux, and Hickman an
swered mo" Then Mr.. Osborne in
quired: 1T was the other way, wasn't t
it?"
Yes" was the reply Of the witness
"It was MIR. Walsh"
MIR. Weeks thundered an objection, and
the recorder refused to allow this line of
questioning TO continue.
j. G. Walsh is said to have been in
terested in extradition proceedings
hrouybt Como ,onDthS 1ro fnr the mr.
pose of securing the removal of Hickman
to Tennessee, as an escaped convict.
Hickman proved that he had never been
in Tennessee.
Recorder Goff impressively cross-eX-
amined the witness, questioning him
closely as to whether he had ever been
promised anything or offered any in
aucements TO testify as he had, but the
denial of the witness was clear and en-
phatic. Finally the recorder said:
"You are positive that you have made
no mistake when you say that this de-
fendant Is the man who rented q letter
box of you in the name cf ii. c. Bar
metz"
II am certain. know am right"
was the reply.
The only other witness examined yes
terday was Joseph Koch, also owner Of
a private letter box, alleged to have been
used by the defendant Koch identified
an envelope which contained letter
received by him at his place Of business
for "H Cornish" The letter was from
the Won Mohl company Of Cincinnati,
The witness was ross-eXamined, and
gave detailed description Of the man
who rented the private letter box under
the name of III. Cornish"
Mr.. Weeks inquired whether the man
wore a white alpine hat, and received
an affirmative reply. The significance
of this line of questioning is found in the
fact that Mr. Weeks, in his cross-eX-
animation of Harry Cornish, asked that
witness whether he wore a white alpine
hat in 1898.
Mr.. Weeks drew from the witness the
admission that he had said that the man
who hired the letter box was of the
size and general appearance of Harry
Cornish, except for difference in NOUS
tache.
Mr.. Weeks endeavored to discredit the
witness by showing that he had re-
ceived money from certain newspapers.
Koch said that the money for one paper
story was not to be paid until after he
had testified at the trial.
Mr.. Weeks inquired whether the wit
ness had ever had anything to do with
sending a letter to Genera! MolineuX,
saying that for certain prices facts
could be suppressed. This the witness
denied. Mr.. Weeks then
produced typewriter letter containing
of this nature. but Mr.. Koch
said that he had never seen it.