The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-17
bore up bravely. but showed that he was
passing through fearful ordeal.
GEN. MOLINEUx's STATEMENT.
He Has Faith i'm His Sons Innocence
and Asks PRAYERS of Friends.

and Asks Prayers of Friends.
NEW YORK, Feb 16.-General Edward
Leslie Molneux. father Of Roland b. Mo-
lineux. convicted OF the murder of Mrs.
Katharine ]. Adams. and to-day sentenced
to death. has issued the following state
ment from his home in Brooklyn TO the
newspapers OF the country:
Il do not desire 10 intrude personal af-
fairs on the public. but in view OF the great
number of letters and other communities
tions which / have received, and in view
of the great publicity the district attorney
has seen fit to give 10 personal and irrele-
want details by public interviews in the col
umns of the press while the charges were
pending against my son, 1 feel Justihed,
now that the trial Is ended, In making TINS
statement:
"I may say In advance that 1 have de-
tered from making such statement
earlier solely by the advice of counsel and
my own consideration OF dignity ana Oh
propriety. The views which / now express
/ have always entertained and have been
always ready to declare as soon as 1
could properly do So 1t has been intlmated
in some of the newspapers that a fund
should be raised for assisting the defense
of my son. / should not allow pride 10
prevent me from accepting such assistance
If ii were needed, for the reason that L
should not myself hesitate TO offer II 10 any
person who needed ii; and should never
be ashamed to receive what L should not
be ashamed to offer. But owe no man a
dollar, and I neither need nor desire any
assistance of such a character.
.'I feel and am, amply able in health,
strength and in the courage natural TO a
man to sustain all the burdens tnat Goo
has placed upon me until He Wills otner-
wise I am rich in the firm belief in the
justice of Almighty God. in the devoted
love and comfort of a noble wife, my sons
and their wives all united, all certain IN
the innocence of Roland Burnham MOI,
fofr hot w
in time. 1 need for myself no otner as
sistance and no other comfort or support.
But for my household 1 do need, ana 90
appeal, for the support of the prayers OF
all those of every denomination ana OF
every faith who, like myself, feel tnat my
son is innocent and the victim OF an UNJUST
persecution. / appeal. moreover. TO every
man who is a man to respect the sanctlty
of the grief of my afflicted wife and my
sorely afflicted daughter, my daugnter IN
affection and my daughter-in-law py her
marriage to my son, Blanche Cheseproush
Molineux. In their behalf. my friends, gar
LIANT comrades of the Grand Army OF the
Republic gallant soldiers of the Conted-
eracy, late foes but now friends, as Well as
all others who resent injustice and revere
womanhood, ask you to assist them our
ing nv struggle in the front lines or de-
fense of those, my best earthly blessings.
"As for my sons, trust that they are
brave men, with the strength TO hye anu
die bravely. ] have seen my son hoiahq
asleep as a child by his mothers side; L
have seen him asleep in his cell after the
verdict condemning him to death had peen
pronounced. Who is better able tnan l, NE MS
father, to judge whether that sleep was the
natural sleep of innocence? And i nave
heard his first words, on awakening at the
call of his father by reveille from tnal
sleep after the verdict. How is Biancne ;
How is mother? and before that sad
awakening during all the dreary days or
his confinement, day by day, week by
week. month by month, there has peen al
ways the first loving cry from ms mps ioF OF
cowardly poisoning? Is it possible! Can IL
be? No. know that he is innocent as L
know that l am alive. Like ms
has also had much Of the better and the
kindlier nature of his mother. He de-
generate and vicious person! IL Is I'M
possible and absurd.
although no lawyer, ] have always pe-
lieved that the American bar is the purest
in the world. and still believe, and honor
and respect the bar as such. with tnis De
lief, ii has been impossible for me 10 un-
derstand how a member of that bar, In ad-
dition, a sworn public prosecutor, man
educated in an American college and as
sociating with American men could assauIt;
by vile inSinuationS, woman, the Weuueu
wife of the defendant.
ssMoreoyer where should the mother and
wife of my son have been when he was on
trial for his life? Does not every voice say
that they should have been at his side and
ment? And yet we are told by the authority
presiding over that trial that the presence
of my wife and my daughter was a mat
ter of taste, concerning which men might
| differ 1t is a matter concerning which
| can conceive no difference in opinion, and
believe that in this view L am correct
at have failed i'm this communication III i
have not made plain to all the noble
| hearted men and women living under our
| flag my most warm and hearty thanks for
| their expressions of sympathy and their
| tender of service. Their kindness has In
expressibly touched me. Let me add one
| statement in conclusion: The prosecuting
| officer has stated, in a public interview.
| that I was conscious of the guilt OF my
| son. The assertion is made unequivocally
| and must be answered in like manner. 1t is
| absolutely false and must have been known
| to him to be false when he made II. / can
| conceive of no reason which could have
| actuated such falsehood, except the con-
| sciousness that his own position needed
apology and defense.
| MY son, Roland Burnham Molineux, is
| innocent. know ii, and / ask for no SYM
pathy for him. My only request is that
| may have the heartfelt support OF all those
who believe in noble American woman
| hood as exemplified in those who bear the
family name of