Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-11-13
Jury Was Only Thirteen Minutes
in Reaching a Verdict of
Acquittal.
OUTBREAK OF APPLAUSE
But Judge Would Not Allow the De-
mopstration in Court Molineux
Showed No Emotion But His
Father Was Nearly Overcome
Moves Out Of the Tombs.

ileuN was SCI at liberty tO-uHy alteT SpeIu-
Ing nearly four years in prison and being
once condemned to death and twice placed
on trial for his life for the murder of Mrs.
Katharine ]. Adams.
Thirteen minutes sufficed for the jury
to reach a verdict of acquittal at the close
of trial that has lasted four weeks, the
first trial which resulted in Molineux's
conviction and sentence having been pro-
longed for about three months
The verdict, which was confidently an
ticipated, was greeted with an instantly
suppressed outbreak of applause. Justice
Lambert having delivered a stern admoni-
ton that no demonstration would be per
mitted
Moineux, who was brought into court
as soon as it was known that the jury
had agreed, was apparently as unconcern-
ed as lie has been throughout the trial
and gave no evidence of emotion when the
words that established his innocence were
pronounced His aged father General
MolineuX, was deeply affected and could
with difficulty respond to the greetings Of
| friends who pressed forward to ofer their
congratula tons.
| Immediately after the rendering Of the
verdict the prisoner was formally dis
charged from custody and left the court
room with his father and counsel. on
passing out of the building they were
cheered by great crowd that gathered In
anticipation OF the acquittal. After re-
moving his effects from the Tombs. Moli-
neux went to his fathers home in Brook
| Ign, where hs was again cheered by a
large crowd.
In his charge to the jury Judge Lam
! bert summed up the admitted facts in the
case. the sending of the package from the
I .frNf hn
knickerbocker Athletic club, and the ad-
ministration of the drug to Mrs. Adams
! by Cornish, who received it ut the club
at is necessary he said. for the State
to prove that the defendant sent this
package, that it was received by Cornish
and innocently administered to Mrs. Ad-
ans before you can find this defendant
guilty. 1t is for you to say if the necessary
evidence has been submitted"
Coming to the consideration of the bottle
holder in which the poison was sent jus
tice Lambert said that Miss Miller and
HUFF agreed that MolneuX was not the
purchaser. The prosecution claims" said
he, that the occurrence as related by
Mr.. Huff of the purchase of the bottle
holder Is improbable. The defendant
claims that whatever view you may take
of its probability. it is a fact that he
and Miss Miller corroborate each other.
Miss Miller told you there was but the
one holder in that store"
The justice went in detail into the trou-
BILE at the knickerbocker Athletic club
and MolineuX's complaint that Cornish
was disrespectful and disobedient and
touched on the contention of the prosecu-
ton that Molineux- motives for killing
! Cornish were the result of those troubles.
Justice Lambert took up the mailing of
the poison package at the general post Of
fee and said the inference was good that
it was mailed between and j O'Clock ..
m. on December 23 1898 and remarked
that no evidence had been submitted as to
the time it was received at the club
The justice repeated his admoniton tC
the jury to weigh all the evidence present.
ed to them and to return the verdict die
tated by their consciences. At the close
of the charge Mr.. Black said he had nc
requests to make. The assistant district
attorney had several.
II ask your honor to charge" he said
that there Is no evidence as to the time
the poison package was mailed"
II have explained that to the jury" the
court said.
Il ask you to charge that there is ne
evidence that Cornish went to his mai
box at the club on the evening of Decem
Der %,
Certainly" said the court. II have
spoken of that"
Il ask your honor to charge that the
prosecution has claimed from the frs
that the defendant obtained or procured
to be obtained the bottle holder"
The jury will be guided by the evi
dencc' ruled the court.
'Ihey can guess at anything like that
That has been the contention Of the prose
cution," Mr.. Osborne urged.
II have already told the jury they mus
not guess at the intention of the prosecu
ton. That Is a statement l make volun
taily and for which you are not t
blame"
II hope am within my rights, Th,
evidence shows -"
Never mind the evidence now" rulet
the court. IF you have more requests 4
make. make them"
Mr.. Osborne had nothing more to sa,
and Justice Lambert asked Ex-Governor
Black If he had anything to say agans
MIR. Osborne's proposition that the jur!
take the handwriting exhibits to theil
room
Il think" Mr.. Black said, that tina
would be giving undue prominence to thu
handwriting evidence.
you object them" queried the court
THAT settles it. The Jurors cannot hav,
the exhibits"
The jury retired at 3:l5.
| Thirteen minutes after word was
brought to the court room that a verdict
had been reached. Court officers sent
hurriedly for Justice Lambert. who was
not to be found in his chambers. 1t was
3.S when the notice was received and II
was 3:45 when Justice Lambert took his
seat. Molineux, who had been brought
into court on the first notice from tn,
jury room, sat calm and confident as ever
Barlow s. Weeks OF his counsel, leaned
across the rail and whispered to him
IT'S all right. The time tells us that"
81 never doubted it," Molineux replied
The old general was far moro agtated
than his son and II WAS evident that the
suspense told upon him. AS soon as JUS
tice Lambert took his seat he notified the
audience that there must be no demon
stration and then instructed the clerk Ia
put the question to the jury
Not guilty" said the foreman in reply
to the formal inquiry, and Molineux. who
had been standing to receive the verdict,
sank back in his chair
There was a burst of applause, but It
was speedily Quelled by the court Of
fcers. Justice Lambert ordered the court
cleared and told the jurors to remain In
their seats until II was cleared. When
counsel on each side had congratulated
each other and the jury had thanked The
court, Justice Lambert ordered the for
NAL discharge OF Molinsux. A c~n"l Il
at least 1,oOO followed, cheering ~e..oga
Mollneux and his son as they left the
court room with .Iessrs Olcott and
Weeks Ex-Goverrcr Black. who reach
ca the sidewalk some 1--WE minutes later
received an eve. greater ovation. Genera
MolineuX when asked for an expression
of opinion on the verdict wrote and signed
for all his reporter friends, thu following
The struggle Ia over. The BEETLE done
and might has lost but right has won"