The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-03-07
A CHARGE OF FEARFUL GRAVITY

Since his conviction, more than ever be-
fore the Roland b. Molineux case has at
tracted public attention. That the con-
demned man now awaiting. in calm, al
most stolcal. mood the electric chair is
guilty OF the murder OF Mrs Adams, as
charged In the Indictment upon which a
jury Of his peers SO pronounced him, few
men can be found 10 doubt. True. the
evidence was cireumstantial. but 1t was
welded in the hot forge OF steady in
duiry link by link. until the chain was as
complete as Justice or retrihution would
have II. The pathetic plea 70 the public
from the honest pen Of the brave old
father. General Molneux, upon whose
proud old name there had never rested a
solitary stain and whose career amongst
bis fellows. IN private nor in public
sphere. has not once been touched with
dishonor. 50 appealed TO the sympathios
Of his countrymen that there were none
20 severe as not to hope, against reason,
that the son. cold blooded, collected and
furious only when his wifo's name fell
under assault. might yet prove himself
guiltless With this sympathy for The
old father, proud and heroic still in the
public heart. now comes the plea OF
Blanche MolineuX, the wife of the man
sitting under the menace of elcctrocution
In his felon's cell at Sing Sing, TO quicken
it to further life. A little while age
Winlfred Black newspaper woman OF
reputation, told the country that Blanche
Moineux. when she was Blanche Cheese
borough. sang like an angel in church
choir OF Sundays and then went home to
the over-furnished apartments of wild
owed sister to bask in the perfume OF
costly flowers and sip frappe wines
Blanche Molneux's plea, extorted from
lips hitherto silent, is to protect her
name from the assaults. not OF a man
but Of woman. She declares with al
emphasis which invites conviction that
Winifred Blacks story is "atroeiousl,
false" In part and whole. She lived. sh,
avows. with a married sister and her hus.
band and children in quiet New Yorl
boarding house until she WAS taken 4
wife by Roland b. MolIneux. Which tell,
the truth? winifred Black or Blaneh,
Molineuxg Both can not speak the truth
That much is obvious. II Winifred BIacl
has built up her story OF lnslnuatioi
against this unhappy woman, out OF tn,
vile hotsam and ietsam OF scandal. Their
is no punishment within finite conception
which can provide adequate penalty. II
again Blanche Molineux with the shame
less effrontery OF an audaclous guilt has
IN her own defense. stated untruths tn
fact must be Of easy ascertainment. Tn
second assumption. in this view, is Ger
tainly unreasonable, II not almost incrod
ibie, The first, when one considers wo
mans incomprehenslbie savagery nm
cruelty to woman Is at least possible
Anyhow. the burden OF proof rests upo
Winifred Black, She can not charge wit
the authority of indictment nor back Ii
her charge with the authority OF cour
Winifred Black has laid upon planeh
Molineux stain graver than can attac
to a loyal wife by the eiectrocu
tion Of her husband for the crime OF
murder in which diabqllsm seems TO ha,
expended It's cunning. Let her prov
that II WAS put there by tho pen Of trutl
or stand convicted before the America
public Of crime no less brutal and nent
ish than that for which Roland b. Mol
neux stands condemned,
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hsiton steps Nm alongside Of Itasca. an
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