Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-01-19
M0LINEUx TRIAL.
Prosecution Announces Will
Close Its Case, Today.
Court Will Allow No More Handwrit-
ing Experts to Be- Called.
Mr.. Osborne PersistentIy Works in fac.s Re-
garding Barnets Death

New York. Jan. 18.-Assistant Dis
trfct Attorney Osborne announced, to-
DAY, that the prosecution tomorrow,
would close its case against Roland r.
MolineuX, charged with the murder of
Mrs. Katherine j. Adams. The pros
ecution. today, introduced two more
handwriting experts who testified brief
~ that the handwriting of the Cornish
and Barnet letters and of the poison
package address was identical with
that Of Molineux. Recorded Goff ruled
that the prosecution would not be per
mitted to call any more handwriting
experts and one of the jurors expressed
his WEAKNESS OF expert testimony.
The most important witness. today
related to the poisoning Of II. {. Bar
net and while Mr.. Osborne was always
chOked off by the court when he asked
his witness questions that connected
Mulineux with the Barnet case. stiI
the prosecution effectively scored Thus
when Edmund Barnet. brother Of "A .
G Barnet, was testifying. exhibit A. the
poison package wrapper. was shown TO
the witness and Mr. Osborne asked:
Did you ever see that handwriting
before"
Yes"
.Where?"
Among my brothers effects
The court ruled out the questions and
answers.
Mr. Osborne, ii appeared later. was
seeking To prove that previous to Bar
nets receiving the poison powder.
which it is alleged caused his death,
ha had nj he medicine
through the mail, presumably from
the defendant.
James 5. Hudson. a salesman for
merry associated with Ii. q. Barnet,
testified that late in the summer of
1898. shortly before Barnet's death
Barnet received by mail a package
about IL inches long and high. in 4
light colored wrapper. Witness con
tinued: - saw Mir. Barnet open the
package. | saw him take out the con-
tents. As recoliect it there WAS some
cotton. Il smaller box inside and in it
were some pink or red capsules.
do you remember what he said@.'
Objected to.
re put tie pellets N his hand. exam
inca them. then put them in the box ana
then put tin whole thing BACK i'll his
pocket"
How does all this become relevant"
asked the recorder
'I'H show" said Osborne, THAT Barnet
received things anonymously through the
mails ana that this defendant bought
such remedies as have just been described
in the name OF II. u. Barnet"
Edmund Barnet was recalled and was
asked: Did you find anything such AS
was described by Mr. Hudson
Yes
what was it,
"A small white box containing II pink
pills ana also box containing a salvc
labelled 'Cllthos. five days treatment
What about the capsules?
They We're filled with white powder.
DR. Robert BooCock. Il Hnmeopathi
physician Of 40 years experience, testified
that small doses Of cyanide Of mercury
often repeated would produce all The
symptoms If diphthrria. Witness was
very positive in his statements ana tht
searching CrusS-cXamfnatip only result
"a in emphasizing his testimony. Barnet,
it will be remembered. WAS treated for
dipht hcria ana his phXlslo ian still insists
that diphtherid was the cause of death,
in spite of the discovery Of mercury ~
BaIncts body after death.
other witnesses today, were Vincent
G. Hammill. president Of a private rem
edy agency. who treated by mail the bo-
gus ii. &. Barnet. alleged by the prose
cution to be MplinruX. for impotency.
with the so-called Barnet. and VIM. 9.
IngliS, Il newspaper reporter, who idcn-
titled "A new Barnet" letter to a West
ern medical house asking for prcscrip-
ton. The handwriting is identical with
that of the other Barnet" letters.