The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-11-01
| KNOW NOTHING OF
THE CRIME, He SAID
Calm and Smiling Molineux
Takes the Stand.
COOL UNDER CROSS FIRE
He Speaks Frankly of the Haired he Bore TON
ward Cornish and Relates the Circum.
stances CT His Leaving the
Knickerbockar Club.
(By the Associated Press.)

| (By the Associated PreSS.)
| New York, Oct. 31-Roland B. MolineuX
took the witness stand today to testify
in his own defense against the charge of
numbering Mrs. Katherine ]. Adams. In
lreSponse to the questions of his counsel,
| ex- Governor Black, he declared his at
solute innocence of any part in or knOwl-
edge of the crime and categorically de-
MED that he had written the Barnet and
Cornish letters; that he had ever made
cyanide of mercury and that he had
| ever seen the silver bottle in which the
poison was sent until it was exhibited in
| court. He admitted having written and
| signed with his own hands one letter,
asking for a certain patent remedy. on
the famous blue interlaced crescent pa
per, identical with that on which the
Cornish letters were written, and said
| that he procured the paper at the Wal
| dorf Astoria. His bitter differences
| with Cornish, which resulted in his leay
| ing the Knickorbocker Athletic Club,
were related by Molineux without any
| apparent reserve.
The witness sustained unmoved a rig
orous cross examination by Assistant
| District Attorney Osborne, answering
readily all questions as to his past lift,
/ his relations with Cornish and Barnet,
and the efforts he and other members
of the club had made to discover anyone
who had a common enmity to the two
| named. The feature of the cross ex-
| animation was Mr.. Osborne's successful
effort to place before the jury the sub
stance of the testimony given at the
| first trial by Mamie Melando and De-
tectiVe Farrell. but excluded by Justice
| Lambert. This was accomplished by the
| expedient Of framing series of ques-
| tions relative to statements purporting
to have been made by the witnesses
outside of their testimony but pract-
cally covering every essential feature of
| 1t, to which frequent and vehement OBJ
jections were made by Mr.. Black.
Throughout his examination and cross
| examination Molineux preserved an un-
| ruffled and confident demeanor, answering
all questions promptly and even smiling
| occasionally when replying to his own
counsel.
The announcement that a defence
| would be made, none having been under
taken at the first trial, and that Molineux
himself would face his accuser, drew an
| immense throng to the court room.
In the afternoon so great was the
crush that police reserves were called
| out to preserve order and Justice Lam
bert himself had the utmost difficulty
in forcing passage through the crowd
into the court room.
! The prisoners wife was not in court
while he testified. She has not attend
| ed any session of the court at this trial.
As soon as the jury was polled former
Governor Black began his opening ad-
dress. He kept the promise he made
yesterday, and spoke for less than five
minutes. He declared the accused man
innocent of any connection with the
crime, and promised to show to the sat
lstaction of the jury that Molineux never
wrote any of the discriminating letters.
or the address on the poison package.
When he had finished, he called out:
Roland 3. Molineux, take the witness
chair"
Molineux save his age as Sc years.
"hen he was Is years Old he went to
Utah and Mexico. He was cor respondent
IN divorce suit and it was better that
he should leave the city for a while. |
He returned to Ncw York a year later |
MolineuX said he did not approve of
Cornishs management of the bath or OF
the gymnasium. He objected to a man I
IN Cornish's position in the club occupy |
ing room, spending the clubs money !
without having 30 account to anyone |
and also to his use of the clubs sta
tionary to write his insulting opinions |
and threats against an officer of a
friendly club.
did you speak to Cornish about your
feelings?" asked Mr. Black
"Ho knew I had practically said that
if he did not get out Of the club [ would"
replied MolineuX. THE club thought he
was in the right and just before 1 re-
signed 1 met Cornish on The stairs"
What did you say?"
He called me a -, and said / had !,
not succeeded in getting him out. I re-
piled, No, you win. F."
Had YOU any feelings of bitter ami
mostly to him when you left the club?"
II was very angry"
Mr.. Black questioned the defendant as
to his movements on December 2I, 1898,
and Molineux said that he went to New
ark, as usual, that day, to attend to
business, and returned to New York in
the evening.
'Did you buy the bottle holder?'' asked
Mr.. Black
NO" replied Molineux.
did you ever see it?"
No
In the evening he went to the opera
He was not nearer to the general post
office that evening than Cortland street