The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-02-11
DEATH PENALTY
FOR MOLINEUX
JURY PRONOUNCEs HIM GUILTY OF
FIRST DEGREE MURDER IN
POISONING CASE
DRAMATIC SCENE IN COURT
PRISONER LOSES NONE OF THE IN.
DIFFERENT BEARING HE HAS
SHOWN THROUGHOUT
FATHER rs DEEPLY AFFECTED

Recorder Coz Makes an Execution
and Grants Request of Attorney
Weeks That GEN. MoIfneux Be
Permitted to Visit His son-spec-
tators in the Court Room Give
Cheers for Prisoner and Cornish.
| NEW YORK, Feb. 1O.-After deliberat-
ing seven and one-half hours the jury re-
turned verdict Of guilty of murder In
the flrst degree against Roland B. Moli-
neux, charged with the murder of Mrs.
Katherine ]. Adams, by poison, on Dec.
q, 1S9S
Barlow 8. Weeks, counsel for the de-
fense. made the usual motion, and Re-
corder Goff adjourned court until Feb
| l6. when he said he would hear the mo
| ton and sentence the prisoner.
The jury went out at 315 D. m. The
crowd watched the door through which
they had left the court IN silent ex-
pectancy 1t was almost two hours be-
fore there was any noise. The solemnfty
| of the occasion had affected court at
tendants and spectators alike.
The jury came in shortly after o'clock
to obtain specimens of handwriting, and
at 1890 they came in for instructions.
Fifteen minutes later there was no doubt
the jury had agreed. Court officers
shouted for silence. Doors were locked
and the gray-haired clerk of the court
took his seat below the recorders desk
Gen. Moiineux sat in his chair, a CLASSY
look in his eyes, and his hands folded ON
the table in front of him, trembling q
little. Then there was hush The
jurors walked to their chairs through a
double row of court officials. There was
dead silence AS soon. as they had
| taken their seats a deputy sheriff
brought Molineux from the prison.
There was no sign of apprehension on
| the young mans face. his step was light
and springy, and he smiled as If he had
not care in the world Then he looked
| for a, moment straight at the recorders
bench, and then he whispered to Mr.
Weeks who waS showing signs of
nervousness. Then the recorder entered.
The jurors names were called off THEN
the clerk said:
''Gentlemen of the jury, have you
| agreed on verdict?"
I'VE have replied Foreman Martin.
THE gentlemen will please rise The
defendant will rise
Gen. Molineux sat with his hands
clasped in front of him ON the table.
His face never changed as the clerk
asked again:
What is your verdict?"
FATAL WORDS
1--WE find the defendant guilty of inur.
Ger in the first degree
AS the words were spoken the bell In
the fire house near by struck II o'clock.
1t sounded like the tolling of church
bell for the dead. Molineux hardly
moved. His neck stiffened little, and
he slaughtered his neck Gen. Molineux
reached his hand to his sons shoulder.
and pressed it hard. Molineux placed his
own hand on his fathers shoulder. ana
stood without further movement, while
his counsel asked that the jury be polled.
Each ilryman agreed with the verdict as
rendered by the foreman, then the re-
corder asked if counsel had any request
TO make.
1t will be necessary to make some for
NAL motion, said, Mr.. Weeks
The time has already been extended
and We can extend it no further for the
purpose" said the recorder ''I will
| hear motions and sentence the prisoner
| Friday next. The court is adjourned
until Feb 16. Remove the defendant"
| Molneux shook hands with his father
and brother Leslie and followed the
| deputy sheriff to prison.
| AS he left his seat Gen. Molineux said
to his son: Keep up. your nerve" and
the prisoner replied with a smile: Yes;
don't be afraid
+ Molineux's mother and his wife could
not bear the strain of long waiting for
the verdict and had left the court room
| shortly after the jury went out
| Mr.. Weeks asked on behalf of Gen.
Molneux that the latter be allowed
to visit his son, and the recorder made
an exception in this case and granted
| the request.
| Foreman Martin said the jury had
| agreed among themselves to absolutely
refrain from discussing any of the pro-
ceedings in the jury room.
CHEERS FOR MOLINEUx.
| A tremendous crowd awaited In the
court room and around the building until
after the verdict was returned. When
Molineux came out some one called for
''Three cheers for Molineux,'' and a re-
markable demonstration of cheering en-
sued Many women were In the crowd
and took up the cheering. The demon
stration seemed to please Molineux. for
he smiled and bowed, and on account of
the great crowd that surrounded him he
had to smile and bow number of times,
as the cheering continued. There were
cries for Cornish also, but the cheers
for Molineux overcame those for Cor
nish. Assistant Attorney Osborne said:
81 am confidentthe verdict will stand.
With as perfect a case as that afforded
me by the police department, there could
be no other result
Barlow S.. Weeks, Molineux's counsel,
would say nothing. Harry Cornish said;
81 do not see how twelve men could
hear the evidence and render any other
verdict L cannot say anything else,
about the verdict, and, furthermore, Will
not
The news of the verdict was received
at the Knickerbocker and other clubs
with great surprise. Many club men