New-York tribune., 1901-06-20
MOLlNEUX CASE CLOSED.
DECISION TO BE RENDERED AT FALL
TERAf-HII.L AND MILBURN SPEAK.

Buffalo June 19-The fate of Roland b.
Molineux. convicted of murder as the poisoner
oi Mrs. Katherine ]. Adams in New-fork in
December 1898. is in the keeping of the seven
judges Of the Court of Appeals. who for three
days have been listening to the arguments for
and against new trial. The appeal was finally
submitted at 81 o'clock this afternoon, and the
decision will not be announced until some
months hence when the court sits at Albany
for the fall term.
The strange crime. with it's complicated plot
and manifold mystery retains a strong hold
upon popular interest and the crowd that sought
admission 10 the courtroom this morning was
larger and more determined than ever. Excited
men fought for places near the glass DOORS
where they might see the actions II they missed
the words of the closing scenes of the notable
etgument and the bailiffs had TO resort to force
to- restrain them
The principal speaker to-day was former
United states Senator David B. Hill. advocate
of the cause OF the people, who still had three
hours and fifteen minutes of his allotted time
left when court opened at 10 o'clock He spoke
until 1:15 O'Clock and John c. Mlburn. attor-
ney for Moneux was heard for twenty minutes
in concise reply.
HILL TALKS OF MURDER TRUST.
Mr.. Hill was again forceful and eloquent. and
of the alleged guilt OF the accused. He declared
that the question of guilt was the main issue IN
the case and warned the court not to heed a
plea that dealt in technicality and urged objec-
tions 10 acts and rulings that had not substan-
TALLY affected the rights of the accused If the
courts were 10 be thus swerved from the path
way Of duty he suggested that the murderers
might organize trust and all enjoy freedom.
In a dissertation on the law as TO the admis
sion Of testimony as to another crime and the
use of conceded and disputed writing for the pur-
poses OF comparison. he led the court down a
long line of authorities and decisions. all aimed
at sustaining the of the Barnet evidence
and the action : the lower court toward the ex-
hibits of handwriting at the trial In this ad-
mirably told story of the law he made frequent
reference To the famous Tichborne case, in Eng
land. tracing a similarity in the admission of
certain writings TO prove perjury on the part of
the luckless claimant and in the policy Of OBJ
lection and obstruction on the part of the de-
fence.
In his summary he reviewed the points made
by him yesterday and step by step traced out
the main fea atures of the theory of the people.
He reviewed the forged correspondence with the
patent medicine dealers. and proclaimed Moli-
neux the author of the letters. the enemy of
Harry Cornish ard Henry c. Barnet the com
FOUNDER of the rare cyanide of mercury used In
both crimes. and the who mailed the ia tai
potion that killed Mrs. Adams He dwelt upon
the failure of the prisoner to offer defence
and reiterated his assertion that ne had none
to offer
Mr.. MilbuIns reply was largely devoted to an
answer to personal criticism. and particularly to
Mr.. Hills aIlusion to the fact that throughout
all his speech he had not expressed his
personal conviction of the innocence of the man
for whom he pleaded but it's strongest feature
was the indication of three points OF weakness
in the case of the people.
BARNET POISON STORY CALLED HEAR
SAY
He drew attention to the fact that the state
ment that Henry C. Barnet had received poison
rested solely upon the hearSay testimony of DR..
Douglas who that Barnet said the poi
soned Kutnow powder had come to him by mail.
If that fact We're unestablished or broken down
the chain of crcumstantial evidence was parted.
He also directed attention to the facts that
Molineux had not bought the bottle holder and
had not been identified as the man who hired
the Koch letter box. without which ii inn
possible to fix guilt upon him. He again assert
ed that seven-eghths of the record made
up of testimony that entirely incompetent
and inadmissible.
A conspicuous figure during the argument
General Molineux the aged father of the prison
er. whose face told of the strain that the al
ways spirited and at times bitter review Of the
case had been TO him.
There was no comment at the close. and
the attorneys and the spectators left their
chairs Chief Judge Parker called the next case.
Both Mr. Hill and Mr.. Milburn were surround
ed by friends. who profered enthusiastic con-
gratuetions for the speeches
GREEN MOUNTAIN SUMMER HOMES
Bcok of A w Ecclestone S. Passr Agt, 3s5