The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-11-01
M0LINEUx MADE
A GOOD WITNESS
Alleged Murderer of Mrs. Adams
Testifies in His Own Behalf.
UNMoVED BY THE ATTORNEYS
PROSECUTION SURPRISED BY
ACTION oF THE DEFENSE.


In Molineux took the witness stand
today 20 testify in his own de-
4 Tense against the charge of murdernig
! Mrs Katherine J. Adams. IN response
TO the questions OF his counsel, ex-
Governor Black, he declared his abso-
lutte Innocence Of any part or knowl-
+ edge Of the crime, and categoricaIIy de-
MED that he had written the Barnet
and Cornish letters, that he had ever
made cyanide of mercury. or that he
lad ever seen the silver bottle holder
IN which the poison was sent until it
WIS exhibited in court. He admitted
having written and signed with his
own hand one letter asking for COM
potent remedy on the famous blue in
terlaced crescent paper, Identical with
that On which the Cornish letters were
written, and said that he procured the
paper at the Waldorf-Astoria. Bis bit
. ter differences with Cornish. which re-
! suited in his leaving the Knickerbock-
er athletic club, were related by Mol
ihSuN without any apparent reserve.
Inc witness sustained unmoved a
rigorous ross-examination by Assist
ant District Attorney Osborne, answer
snB readliy all questions as to his past
lie, his relations with Cornish and
1Sarnet, and the efforts he and other
members of the club had made to dis
rover any one who had a common en-
unity 10 the two named.
osborne's Finesse.
The feature of the cross-exsmination
was Mr.. Osborne's successful effort to
place before the jury the essential
substance of the testimony given ar
1 the first trial by Mamie Melando and
Detective Farrell but excluded by ms
tice Lambert. This was accomplished
Dy the experiment of framing a series
OF questions relative to statements pur-
porting to have been made nv the wit
nesses outside of their testimony. but
practically covering every essential
feature OF It, 70 which frequent and
Nehement objections were made by Mr.
Black Throughout his examination
and cross examination MOlineux pre-
served an unruffied and confident de-
Inearnor, answering all questions
promptly, and even smiling occasion
ally when replying to his own counsel.
The announcement that q defense
would be made, none having been -lIn-
dertaken at the first trial, and that
Moiineux himself would face his ac-
cuSer, drew an immense throng to the
court room. In the afternoon so great
was the crush that the police reserves
were called out to preserve order and
Justice Lambert himself hal the ut-
most difficulty in forcing a passage
Through the crowd into the court.
The Days Proceedings.
The defense opened today in the
: trial of Roland 3. Molineux. charged
with the murder of Mrs. Katherine J.
Adams, the first witness being the ac-
cused man This marked a depart11re
from the course of Molineux's LAWYERS
s at the first trial. when the defense Of
Tered no evidence at all
The crowd which thronged the Grim
sinal court building today was prob
ABLY the largest ever seen there. and
extra policemen we're sent from nearby
stations to aid in preserving order.
In his opening address, which Occu-
spied less than five minutes. former
Governor Frank S. Black declared the
accused man innocent OF any cOnnec-
ton with the crime and promised to
Ssbow to the satisfaction of the Jury
that MoiineUX never wrote any Of the
Discriminating letters or the address on
1.-THE poison package. When he had fin
Iished he called OUT.
Molineux on the Stand
Roland B. Molineux, take he Wit
Replying to the first question of his
lawyer, MolinedE gave his age as IS
years. He said he took a course in
4 chemistry in Cooper Union. When is
years old he went to Utah and Mex-
poo He was correspondent in a divorce
suit and it was thought better that he
1shculd leave the city for a while. He
returned to New York a year later
and got employment III his fathers
firm, Devoe, Reynolds & Co. pajnts
land eolors. Subsequently he went to
Newark as superintendent of the color
FACTORY Of Morris. Herman &, Co. He
was a member of the Knickerbocker
Athletlc club Tor two years, resigning
IN 1897, when he went to the New York
Athletic club. He was member of
tine governing board Of the Knictxer-
Booker club. Molineux said he did not
.approve OF Cornish's management of
the bath Of the gymnasium. He made
complaint against Cornish because he
Thought Corr ISL had spoken disrespect-
fully about Mr.. Weeks, the president
'of the New York Athletic club. but the
authorities Of the Knickerbocker club
took no official action on this COM
paint. The witness spoke to Cornish
directly about the matter once e
twice.
Row With Cornish.
did you speak to Cornish about
lyour feeEngs?" asked Mr.. Black.
He knew I had practically said that
~ he did not get out of the club.
|would." replied Molineux The club
tnought ne was IN the right. and Just 1
before 7 resigned I met Cornish on
The stairs"
What did you say2'
sTIe called me a and said
II had not succeeded IN getting him
out. I replied: NO, you win -
Had you any feelings of bitter ami
Imosity toward him when you left the
Fclub?"
Il was very angry"
Mr. Black questioned the defendant |
as to his movements on Dec. 81, 1885, |
and Molineux said that he went to
Newark, as usual. that day, to attend !
to business and returned to New York
Ia tne evening.
did you buy the bottle hoIder?' |
asked Mr.. Black.
mo" replied Molineux.
did you ever see it2"
mo"
on Dec. % he went to Columbia col |
lege and he thought it probable that |
he called at the New York Office of |
hrs firm. as was his custom to do al
most every day He was not nearer /
TO the general postOfiice that day than |
Cortland street, four blocks away. The |
poison package was mailed ct the gen.
eral postoffice.'
Did Not Mail the Package.
did you mail the poison package?n |