Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1902-11-01
MOLINEUX TRIAL
OPENED UP TODAY
First Witness For Defence
Was Accused Man.
IMMENSE CROWD AT COURT.
Ex-senator Black Spoke Less Than
Five Minutes, Declaring the Accused
Man Innocent of any Connection
With the Crime.

New York, Oct. 31-The defense
opened today in the trial of Roland B.
Molineux, charged with the murder Of
Mrs Katherine J. Adams, and soon
after the opening of court, former
Governor Frank S. Black announced
that the first witness for the defense
would be the accused man. This
marked a departure from the course
of Molineux's lawyers at the first trial.
The crowd which thronged the Grim
inal court building today probably was
the largest ever seen there. The reg
ular police force on hand was not
large nough to control the situation
and extra police were sent from near
by stations to aid in preserving order.
Men and women were forced out OF
the building in large numbers, but
notwithstandin 200 persons more than
could be seated managed to get into
the trial room and considerable con.
fusion resulted. When Molineux was
brought into court it was found that
someone had removed his customary
chair, and also that OF his father, and
both had to stand until chairs were
borrowed from another court room.
AS soon as the jury was polled, for.
mer Governor Black began his opening
address. He kept the promise he
made yesterday, and spoke for less
than five minutes. He declared the
accused man innocent of any connec.
tion with the crime, and promised to
show to the satisfaction of the jury
that Molineux never wrote any of the
incriminating letters, or the address
on the poison package When he fin.
ished, he called out:
Roland B. Molineux, take the wit.
ness chair!"
Replying to the first question of mis-
lawyer, Molineux gave his age at 33
years, told the date of his arrest and
the length of time he was in the Tombs
and in Sing Sing prison.
He said he took a course in chemis-
try in Cooper Union after he left
school. When he was 16 years old
he went to Utah and Mexico. He
was correspondent in a divorce suit,
and it was thought better that he
should leave the city for awhile. He re.
turned to New York a year later ana
got employment in his fathers firm,
Devoe, Reynolds & Co., paints and col.
ors. He continued with the firm un.
til he went to Newark as superinten.
dent of the color factory of Morris,
! Herman e. Co. He was member
of the Knickerbocker Athletic club
for two years, resigned in 1897 when
he went to the New York Athletic
club. Hewas member of the gov.
erning board of the Knickerbocker
club.
Molineux said he did not approve CT
Cornish's management of the booths or
of the gymnasium. He complained
about the horizontal barr he had 10
use, but cornish did not carry out his
directions. He made formal complaint
about Cornish because he thought Cor.
nish had spoken disrespectfully about
Mr. Weeks, the president of the New
York Athletic club Molineux said
he presented this matter to the author.
ities Of the Knickerbocker club, Vut
| no official action was taken on this
complaint. Witness spoke to Cornish
directly about the matter once Or
| twice.
Former Governor Black then an.
pouncad the close Of his direct exam.
| inat1on