The St. Louis Republic., 1901-06-18
Another Hearing Asked in the Fa-
nous New York Poison
ing Case.
OPENING ARGUMENTS MADE.
Defendants Attorneys Will Attack
the Character Of the Evidence
Upon Which the COnvic-
tion Was Secured.

Buffalo. n. Y. June 1.-THE second plea
FOR the life OF Roland b. Molineux. claimel
10y the law for the mysterious mur Ter ly
mailed poison OF Mrs. Katherine j. Aiams
In New York in December. 1886. began to-
day before the Court Of Appeals. Chief
Judge Parker and Associate Judges vann
Bartlett. Gray. OBrien. Height and Wer-
ner VIII decide the appeal and the respec-
tive arguments are In the hands OF specially
retained counsel.
David n. Hill for the State.
| John G. Milburn represents the defendant
ana former United States Senator David
| Bennett Hill speaks for the people.
The printed record Of the case Is the larg-
est ever submitted In the State in a crimi-
nal case. The argument submitted with
the briefs is short and IL is anticipated that
IL viii be concluded by tomorrow afternoon.
The officers Of the Court. fearing the an
noyance Of large crowd locked the outer
doors OF the Supreme courtroom and ad-
mitted the privileged few by the private en-
trance.
Assistant District Attorney lie Barbieur
or New York. who is assisting Mr.. Hill,
was the FIRST TO appear and after him came
Barlow :. Weeks and George Gordon Bat
tie. who defended Molineux at his trial in
New York With them were General Moli-
neux. the aged father OF the defendant. ard
David N. Carvalho. the handwriting expert
who advised the defense at the trial. After
them came corps Of clerks. carrying law
books and records. Mr.. Hill and Mr.. NIL
burn came last. stopping at the doorway 10
exchange friendly greetings.
Judge Parker asked counsel II an extern
aston beyond the two hours usually allotted
10 an argument was desired. Mr.. Millburn
said he would probably require four hours.
Mr.. Hill nodded his approval and so 1t was
agreed that each side should have four
hours.
Bettle an Important Factor.
Mr.. Milburn began his address for tho
defendant with brief statement Of the
charge and nature Of the appeal. and fol-
lowing 1t with what he called a sketch CT
the chief personnel Of the case. He sketched
the training OF young Molineux as ap ex-
pert paint and color manufacturer, and in
turn told Of his connection with the Knick-
eroocker and New York Athletic clubs. his
marriage to Blanche Cheeseborough, and his
relations with Harry Cornish, manager of
the Knickerbocker Athletic Club Mr. Mil
purn passed on to the receipts Of a bottle,
purporting to contain medicine, and ct n
tended that the prosecution had failed to
cohnect the accused with the sending of /!
The bottle through the mails.
Handwriting Evidence Attacked.
, MT Milburn also attacked the evidence on |
handwriting. and as to the robins egg blue
paper with the crest of interlocked crescen,s |
on which some Of the Cornish letters we're
written he said It was in general use, so /
mat possession OF paper OF this descrip-
non oy the accused had no Significance. The /
absence Of motive for desiring the death Ct 1
Cornish. to whom. as alleged. the poison /
was sent. was commented on by Mr.. MIL
burn.
Mf. Miiburn criticised the District Attor-
ney for bringing into the case the name Gf |
barnett. who died in the Knickerbocker
Athletic clubhouse. and attempting to show
that Barnetts death and Cornish's illness
were caused by mercury poisoning. The
lawyer also blamed the other side for the |
attack on Mrs. Molineux's character. He
'aid II had not been proved that Cornish re-
,eived the alleged poison In his tox 1T /
me club. The prosecution. he said. had
taken up q series of points, advanced two
theories and sought to connect them and
complete case against defendant. Court
LOOK a recess until tomorrow when Mr..
Ailburn will finish his argument.