The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-02-17

| military tactics, his eyes liked upon the
recorder, apparently as defiant as ever
certainly as much at ease as though In
a favorite club room or at the home
of some social friend, Molineux pro-
tested his innocence, and denounced the
men and the methods by which his con-
vction was procured. His tones were
well modulated, his manner earnest
his words solemn and apparently sim
cere and he raised his voice towards the
close and denounced the prosecuting Of
ficial with dramatic fervor.
According to Barlow S. Weeks, coun-
sci for the defense, the prisoner in
making this statement to the court was
acting of his own volition. When the
young man commenced his address to
the court, the recorder. with motion
of the hand, waved him aside and
asked "Is this by advice Of counsel?"
The counsel for the defence replied
thta it was the request Of the defend
ant and that he believed IT was his
right. The recorder then announced
that he would permit the prisoner to
address the court, although it was an
unusual thing to do.
Moineux Strengthened himself up and
began: Il thank your honor. OF the
crime for which stand convicted and
for still another crime with which 1
am charged, am absolutely end entire
ly innocent. All of the evidence"
The court-''You are not charged with
any other crime
The defendant-"I supposed that I
might refer to it, since the district at
torney did in his opening and closing
argument
The court-"Your counsel has attend
ed to all of that matter"
| The defendant-"Very well, your hon
or. All of the evidence produced here
does not point in the direction of.the
guilt on my part. refer especially to
the evidence of Miss Miller in regard to
the purchase of that silver bottle holder
| she did not sell it to me. Also to the
evidence of Mr. Koch respecting the
letter box hired by somebody in the
name of Harry Cornish-it was not
hired by me. Also to the evidence CIV
en- by Mr.. Kutnow respecting sample
boxes sent around the country by his
firm,, none of which came to me. Nor
did possess at any time any of the in
struments which appear to have been
used in this crime, and 1 never for
moment had murderous motive. AS
for the theories which the prosecution
offers, I do not think should be con-
victed upon their suppositions or the
guesees they may wish to Indulge in. l
cannot conceive, your honor, how any
honest man can believe in the testimo-
ny of Nicholas Hickman, who convict
n !
for sale. Yellow journalism put a price
upon my head. 1t was an invitation to
every blackmailer every perjurer, every
rogue, every man without principle, but
with a price, and to that Invitation Mr..
Hickman responded. The handwriting
experts who have testia4d against me,
your honor, may give their opinion, they
may give their reasons, what they be-
lieve, what they think, but I know that
these hands never put pen to paper to
address that poison package or to write
the disputed letters.
Your honor will not permit us to
make mention Of the great injustice
which is a matter of history, but ex-
perts In handwriting have made mis-
takes before and they have repeated it
here. Your honor, all this is nothing to
what is in my heart at this moment.
Above and beyond everything else, l
denounce and despise the action of the
district attorney in attempting to vllify
and attack the character of the pure
and lovely woman who bears my name.
1t was the act of a blackguard. 1t was
a damnable lie Now, your honor, am
prepared to hear you sentence me. I
am not afraid, because / am not guilty."
What would have happened had AS
sistant District Attorney Osborne been |
in the court room can only be guessed. |
Mr.. Osborne is away on vacation at |
his old home in the south, and the in
terests of the state were to-day repre-
sented by District Attorney Gardiner in
person.
Then the recorder made brief reply |
and passed sentence upon the prisoner
in the following language: "All of the
matters which you have referred to-
have been thoroughly sifted, examined
and presented to jury of twelve men
of as high type Of intelligence and
honesty as any twelve that ever sa. in
the jury box in thia county OF New
York, and your devoted counsel for two
udyS without rest, Will lOSlc anu
reason and acute of argument presented
all these points to the jury and that
jury, dictated by what they believed to
oe conscientious right, found you guilty
on the evidence presented to them and,
30 far as this court is concerned, that
s the last work. The court has but
duty to perform and that is to pro-
lounce sentence upon you as provided
)y the law. And that sentence is that
you, Roland Burnham Molineux, for
murder in the first degree of Katharine
T. Adams, whereof you are convicted
De, and you hereby are sentenced to
he punishment of death and 1t is or
Tered thta within ten days after this
lays session of the court the sheriff of
he county of New York devliver you, {
.ogether with the warrant of this |
ourt to the agent and warden of the
tate prison of the state Of New York
a Sing Sing, where you shall be kept
II solitary confinement until the week
Monday, the 26th day of {
Iarch 1900, and upon some day within |
he week so appointed the said agent I
nd warden of the state prison of the S
tate of New York is commanded to do \
xecution upon you, Roland Burnham I
lolineuX, in the manner ana mode pre- 1
cribed by the laws of the state of New q
'ork' 1
20 l..