The Penn's Grove record., 1900-02-16
MOLINEUI FOUND GUILTY
Jury's Verdict in the Famous Murde,
Case in New York City.
DRAMATIC SCENE IN COURT ROOM

Jury Returned . Verdict Of Guilty Of
Murder in the First Degree Altar
Deiiberating Nearly Eight Hours
Calendar Of the Case "A Long and
Costly Trial-RenderIng the Verdict.
New York cIrr speciaD.-Roiand Burn
ham Molineux was found guilty OF murderin
the first degree in causing the death Of Mrs.
Katharine ]. Adams by means OF poisoned
bromo settler sent TO Harry s. Cornish.
The prisoner took tho announcement CONF
posedly. His father and his two broth e.s
were in court, but his mother and wife
went home at the close OF Recorder COTS
charge. The Courts charge occupied over
four hours.
Tho jury was out for nearly eight hours.
They asked that they be allowed to have
the writing and other exhibits OF the Mol
Ineux case to be used In their deliberations.
Tho exhibits were given to the Jury.
Before agreeing upon a verdict the Jury
again sent { or other writings OF the case.
They asked that the three writings made
by Molineux at the request OF the prosecu-
ton be sent to the jury room. One Of
these writtngsI Is . copy OF the poison pack
age address. Ten minutes after this copy
written by Molineux had been placed in
the hands OF tho jurors the doors were
opened and the jury announced to the
U officer that the verdict was ready.
No time was lost after the jury came In
at 1856. Recorder Goff went at once upon
the bench. and Clerk Brophy asked the
fateful question:
"Gentlemsn. have you agreed upon .
verdict?"
Foreman Martin arose and said: 1--WE
have"
The defendant was asked to rise in his
place.
"Gentiemen Of tho jury. look upon the
defendant. Defendant, look upon the
Jury" said the clerk.
- Roland Molineux glanced boldly at the
foreman, whose next word was to mean so
much to him.
"How say you, gentlemen Of the juryi"
was the clerks next question. Looking
dantlys Matthias L. B. Martin, the fore
man, said:
I'VE ind him guilty Of murder in tho
frst degree"
Molineux gave a queer little jerk, as ii
be felt an electric shock, threw back his
head, but remained standing. HIS face was
q little more flushed, his eyes . little more
steeiy In their expression, his hands thrust
irmer into his trousers pockets, as he
glanced back at the jury.
The clerk went ahead with the dread
work OF ~convicting . man legally Of muir
der and emitting no. necessary step.
you say you End the defendant guilty
Of murder in the first degree?" continued
the clerk.
"We do said the foreman.
And 50 say you all?" asked the clerk.
all nodded.
Mr.. Weeks asked that the jury be polled.
This was done.
The Molineux trial will 60 on record as
the longest yet tried In the history OF
criminal Jurisdiction In New York County.
II lacked but a few days OF three full cal
endar months when the case finally went
to the jury.
Der "A, 1899, and lasted through the re-
mainder OF that month. The taking OF
testimony began on December 4 1898.
Ninety-two witnesses were examined, 212
pieces Of evidence figured as exhibits, and
had the defense not determined against
the necessity OF making a case as many
more witnesses might have figured In
the records Of the case.
The Molineux trial is, in legal parIance,
the case OF the People VS.. Roland Burnham
Molineux. The prisoner was accused Of
lA16s A0t00l1AO 0s duhHlS NY
poison sent through the mails to Harry 8.
Cornish.
Mrs. Adams death occurred at her fat,
81 West Eighty-sixth street, on the morn
ing Of December %, 1898. The arrest OF
Roland B. Molineux was made on February
~, 1899. after q Coroner's inquest which
lasted three weeks. This verdict found
him guilty OF causing The death OF Mrs.
Adams.
Grand Jury OF March, 1888, an indictment
was found. 1t was overturned by the de-
eision OF Justice Pardon @. Williams. The
case was presented again to the May
Grand Jury, which refused to find nm In.
dfctment. Again the District Attorney
presented the case to the Grand Jury OF
the following month and a trial count was
returned.
The story OF the trial followed in almost
an exact fashion that OF the Coroner's In
quest. The two witnesses OF Importance
presented by the prosecution whose testi-
mony was novel and sensational were
Mamie Melando and Rudolph Heiles.
The former told Of her finding the fam
u blue paper with interlaced crescents In
q drawer OF a sideboard in Roland Mol.
neux's oom In Newark, and Heiles testified
that he had caused to be written at the de-
PENDANTS suggestion g letter to Frederick
@. Stearns b CO., asking about the charac-
ter OF Alvin A. Harpster.
But the suddenly announced determine
ton OF the defence not to call any witness
ses to the stand and to rest on the prose-
cution's case on the ground that they had
failed to make 8 case, did surprise every
body. It took the prosecutors breath
away and forced him to the issue. The re-
suit was that his speech showed lack Of
careful preparation.
The charge Of the Recorder was 4 long
one, and made In the most careful and
judicial way. He reviewed the case and
presented it to the jury in its first exhibit.
ton as q perfect whole.
The money spent on the case since its In
ception by the people Is enormous Costly
experts, detective work involving great
outlays and other expenses aggregatfne. 1t
Ii roughly estimated, $100, 600, have been
Incurred for tha reault as stated