New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-09
CRUSH AT THE SUMMING UP
MOLINEUX LOOKS FOR ACQUITTAL AND
HAS INVITED FRIENDS TO
FINAL. SESSION


Great have been the crowds of people clam
oring for admission to the second trial of Roland
B. MOneux. now nearly closed in the Criminal
Branch of the Supreme Court a greater crowd
is expected TO gather in the Criminal Courts
Building tomorrow morning when Ex-Governor
Black. of counsel for the defence begins his
address to the jury. Hundreds of letters have
been sent to the offices of the counsel asking
for passes 10 the courtroom tomorrow morning.
Only few such requests have been granted.
Most of the letters have been thrown into the
wastepaper baskets because the writers evil
IDENTIFY were moved only by morbid curiosity in
seeking means TO witness the closing scenes Of
the murder trial
MolineuX is confident of acquitta that he
has asked permission for several Of his friends
to be present in the courtroom when the testi-
nony is summed up for the defence. Seats for
such persons will be reserved, and if the case
goes TO the jury tomorrow MOlineux's friends
VIII remain with him in the courtroom while
the jury is celebrating upon a verdict Mol
ineuX's Wife it said yesterday probably
would not go into the courtroom until after the
jury had gone out. but she probably would he
beside her husband in time to hear the verdict
announced General Molineux who has been
at his sons side all through the trial will hear
the final arguments and the charge Of Justice
Lambert and will wait for the verdict conf
IDENTIFY expecting take his son away a free
man.
Ex-Governor Black and Assistant District At
torney Osborne have promised to make their
addresses TO the jury short that Justice Lam
bert can give the case to the Jury TO morrow
evening. Each has said that three hours will
he sufficient for him in summing up the evil
dence. Justice Lambert has moved the trial
along with so much dispatch and saving of time
that he is expected to take not much more than
an hour in his charge to the jury. His rulings
during the trial have been so impartial that
both the defence and the prosecution expect the
utmost fairness in his speech.
MOlineuxs defence in the present trial has
been so strong that many of his friends have ex-
pressed surprise that similar defence was not
made at the former trial Some OF them said
yesterday that the defence had established two
facts that made his conviction impossible. One
fact was that he did not buy the bottleholder al
the store in Newark where it purchased,
and the other that he did not mail the
poison package at the General PostoffiCe in this
city. Two unimpeached witnesses have sworn
that the man who bought the bottlehoIder in
Newark a who had a red beard. and in
other ways differed in appearance from Moli-
neuX. who has black hair and has kept his face
clean shaver. Mrs. Stephenson has sworn that
il not Molineux but Harry 5. Cornish him
self. whom she saw in the General Postoffice
mailing a package addressed to Cornish at the
poison package was mailed. Professor Vulte. Of
Columbia University, has sworn that MoltneuX
was in his company in the upper part of the city
all the same afternoon.
In the face of such testimony, MoiineuX's
friends say. II is impossible for the jury TO find
that MolineuX sent TO Cornish the poison which
he gave to Mrs. Adams late in December 1898
believing it was bromO- settler. and thus caused
her death. They say, too. that the handwrit-
ing experts called by the defence have demol-
ished the alleged proof of the prosecution that
MolineuX wrote the address upon the poison
package. and they say that Molineuxs testi-
mony in his defence sufficient 10
tablish his innocence
Keepers in the Tombs. where Molineux has
spent many months Of waiting declared yes
terday that they were Of the prisoners
acquittal MolineuX has been "A model prisoner
even when he was under sentence OF death. and
the keepers have learned 10 like him and sym
pathze with him. Some OF them thought he
was guilty when he convicted at the first
trial. but they have all changed their minds
since the witnesses for the defence were heard
They said yesterday that they were sure he was
innocent and that they were getting ready 10
bid goodby to him with real pleasure They
recalled the dismal parting AT the time MOli-
neuX was taken 10 Sing Sing Prison, when they
were sorry for him even when they thought his
conviction had been just. They said he never
had given the slightest trouble as a prisoner
but always was obedient and gentlemanly