New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-06
EXPERTS AID MOLINEUX.



! Tell the jury the conclusion you have reached
! as to its being in disguised hand"
I'm my opinion the writing is in the natural
handwriting of the writer. There some
abnormal features which would indicate at
tempt TO disguise it. but the disguise is so
slight that 1t does not conceal the real writing
/ l am not prepared to say that what looks like
an attempt to disguise may not be the natural
result of writing on the wrapper after it was
about the package"
Mr. Drake said he had compared the disputed
| and the conceded writings, as well as the wrap
per. and had reached the conclusion that there
were too many differences to- justify any one in
asserting that man wrote all. He said he
had made blackboard tests of the slant In the
writings with a graduated straightedge, and
had found the degree of slant TO vary too much
for any one exhibit to be used a standard.
A like argument applied. Mr.. Drake said. to
the awkward inclination the prosecutions ex-
pert had found in all the writings except the
request writings
In Molneux's conceded handwritings. the Wit
ness said. there is a tendency TO fall into
fluent and degenerate unintelligible scrawl.
Some words are clear, he said but il is evident
the writer thought more quickly than his hand
would obey his brain.
Mr. Drake then took up the word club" on
the poison wrapper, and said the letters are
clear and we'll made. The correct shape of the
Topped &C. he said, compared with the g., is
unlike anything he found in any other writings
conceded to be Molineuxs.
Mr. Drake took UP one by one the conceded
writings Of Molineux where the word Club
occurred, and showed where the pictorial effect
of the "b" and the distances OF the letters diff
fered from those on the wrapper and the Bar
net" and Cornish" writings.
NoIfueUy snDaraufIyy Was mt az al NJ
in the expert testimony. and spent the time
reading a newspaper and chatting with hts
father.
Replying TO a question. the witness said II he
found the same pecunarities half dozen times
in sixty specimens Of handwriting he would not
necessarily consider that popularity a habit
He said he found many similarities between the
Cornish" the Barnet and the conceded Moli-
writings especially the pictorial effort, but
analysis of the individual letters showed so
many differences that he was forced TO disre-
gard the differences 10 be drawn from those
Iikenesses. He pointed out to the Jurors the
differences 10 which he referred. The shading
which he found alike in the letter "g'' in one of
Molneux's writings and in the Barnet letter
standard Of comparison. he said he regarded
simply as a coincidence He had been unable
to find the shaded patched letter anywhere
else
AN UNEXPECTED SENSATION
The experts for the prosecution had laid some
stress on those two letters because they found
them patched in the same place and in like de-
grees. Mr.. Drake sprang little sensation when
he said he found tho same popularity in the
handwriting the Endorsement on one OF the
exhibits. Barnet letter II is a break be-
tween the n" and "a" in the word and" and
the expert for the prosecution found the break
ryt,fu in oil
in the conceded ones
Mr.. Osborne conceded that the break showed
In the Endorsement and agreed that ex-Gov-
ernor Black might state on the record that the
Endorsement in question was made by a clerk in
the Office or the Cincinnati patent medicine
Vender from whom the letter was received.
Except for a word OF prompting now and then
by the counsel for the defence. Mr. Drake spoke
IN monologue form. He talked for an hour and
a quarter.
To Nj Osborne in the cross-examination Mr.
Drake said he found many letters in the sixty
odd conceded writings OF Molineux in the case
that resembled very closely some Of the letters
in the disputed writings. The address on the
poison package is in backhand. and was appar-
emily made with stub pen. Counsel asked him
whether. II Molineux had used a stub pen in his
general correspondence the general likeness Of
his writing 10 the disputed writing would not he
increased. Mr.. Drake said II might be so in
creased.
THE FLUENT FIZZLE" THEORY
Does not that fluent hzzle' to which you re-
ferred." Mr.. Osborne asked. show in marked
degree IN the Barnet and Cornish Ietters?'
1T does not strike me that way"
O.-Is not that fluent hzzle'' less apparent when
the writing is done slowly? Al think the alb
sence OF that popularity shows that the writing
done slowly
Q-Is IL not your Judgment that man writing an
address would have some idea in his head where
the writing would end. and would finish that ad-
dress as plainly as he began? Ayes. I think So
to the absence Of the fluent zze' in the address
1T < lflTf fNr of
handwriting that does not appear I'm the wrapper
address.
Mr.. Drake the most eIf-possessed and
conservative OF experts so far called by the de-
fence and the prosecution made little impress
You say" Mr.. Osborne asked. that every
W written by Molineux converged toward the
centre?'
yes. sir
Don't you find that characteristic in the w
In New York in the poison package address,"
u don't think so"
To several Of the questions propounded the
witness said he had not had time TO make an
exhaustive study of the originals OF the exhibits
MI. osborne was most polite Whenever he was
met with such a reply he withdrew his ques-
ton with an apology for having expected too
much from one Of the defence's witnesses
9-In studying disguised handwritins would you
uSSa f9 3be r IN his nf t Trtn is
not reply 10 that question: That would undouhted
~ be the game of the writer" Al think / did
characteristics in Molineux's real and the disgTised
wiring 81 would expect to find some of the
CONTEMPORARIES that had escaped the writer
ONE OPINION WAS RETRACTED.
Mr.. Osborne confronted the witness with the
report he made to the Chicago Woman's Climb
accusing one of its members with the author
ship of an anonymous letter. Later he retracted
that opinion. He wrote his first opinion he told
Mr.. Osborne, after fifteen minutes examination
OF the letter and three letters written for hin,