The age-herald., 1900-02-07
ARGUMENT BEGUN THE M0LINEUK CASE Defense Surprises Court by Off,
 fering No Evidence. MIR. WEEKS SCORES EXPERTS His Speech to'the Jury Tended to Show That Cornish Was Guilty of
 the Crime and Not
 Molineux
MIR. WEEKS SCORES EXPERTS


 New York, February 6.-counseI for .Ro- land B. Molineux, charged with murdertng Mrs. Kate J. Adams by poison sent to Har- ny Cornish in December, 1898, took a bold and unexpected step today, announcing that the defense would submit no evidence.
 Last night Barlow s. Weeks, counsel for Mol.neux, stated that the defense would consume less time than the prosecution, but it had been the general expectation that many witnesses would be called, in cluding Handwriting Expert Carvalho and a number of persons who would attack the character of Harry Cornish.
 In three notable poison trials of this city, lurose of Carlisle Harris. Meyer and Mrs. Fleming, the defense called no witnesses Harris and Meyer were convicted and exc cuted and Mrs. Fleming went free MT. Weeks began his summing up today and had not finished when court adjourned. He spoke with great earnestness, and the jury listened to him intently. He told of his long personal friendship with MolineuS, and he attacked Harry Cornish bitterly The tenor of his argument was that the proofs pointed more strongly to Cornish as the murderer than Molineux. Molineux's father, mother and wife, were in court, as was Cornish, who visibly nervous.
 Molneux seemed cool and collected. Only one person could have had the silver hold er said MT. Weeks. "Only one person had those particular articles contained in the box. If they could have proved to you that they had been in his possession, then you would not have been long in making up your mind But there is absolutely, positive and undisputable eveidence that the man who bought that silver bottle holder was not the defendant"
 Discussed the Experts
 Mir. Weeks then discussed the experts. He said
 ..Is it reasonable to believe that twelve sensible jurors will send this man to fis death on testimony of these experts? By these experts in handwriting they expect to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendants hand wrote exhibit A, and on this testimony they ask you to send thls young man to hiS death-
 ~ -''Belcause this great city of New York has unlimited wealth, has a boundless treasury, is it right and just that they should bring on an army of handwriting experts from California to Maine, carry ing them in palace cars, feeding them at the Waldorf-As toria, paying tlAem exorUi tant fees, brought on to drown this young in an avalanche of expert testimony?
 And they expect you to believe this tesitGnony, and upon that take mans life. Remember, there must be no com promise; you must believe, or not. Either .---S young man is entitled to be restored to his wife and family, give up every drop of his lifes blood to the electric chair. He is guilty or not guilty. It is death or freedom.
 ''No testimony has been produced to elnoV that this defendant mailed this package or was in the vicinity of the postoffice att 3:oV o'clock on December 23, 1898, the day this package was mailed.
 "But," said MT. Weeks, pausing an 6n- stant and poisGng Ghds hand in the air while his eyes swept over the jury, Harry s. Cornish was at the postoffice at exactly the time the package was mailed, and on that day.
 ''Tl1alt silver bottle holder was bought by a man who said that he wanted dt for a aady's dresser and matched the silver on 6hat dresser. There is mot a syllable of evidence or scintilla of proof that that package ever came through Ithe mails ex- eept MT. Cornish. Has he told the truth? 1'hat is Important; no one proves the re- ceaipt; no pestman proves the delivery ex- cept Cornish.
 Word by word Mir. Weeks went over Cornish's Testimony, and strove to hm- press on the jury the suspicion that Cor riSh might lhave been guilty. He dflated on the suspicion circumstances.
 Mrs. Adams took dose of medicine and dfed Mir Cornish took a dose, or said he old, on an empty stomach, and wandered around aH day with mo evil effect ,"
 Mr Weeks asked for en edtournment ,,n t4 uomorrow, his voice having failed The jury wil be locked up Tonight in the As tor house. MT. Weeks address will con sume all of tomorrow.