Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-09-07
R. B. MOL|NEUX
CALLED INSANE
BY PHYSICIANS
Chemist, Once Convicted of
Murder, Terrorizes Long ISL
and Town.

NEW YORK, Sept 7.-Roland b.
Molineux, whose conviction of the
murder of Mrs. Katherine j. Adams
III 1899 and acquittal in 1902 formed in
many respects one of the most famous
criminal cases the New York courts
have had to deal with, was pro-
nounced insane yesterday by two
Brooklyn physicians and was formally
committed as a violent patient to the
Kings Park Asylum today.
Molineux was arrested at Babylon,
l.. l., early yesterday after his APP
pearance on the streets there in a
bathrobe and an old hat. He con-
Quoted himself so queerly that pedes-
TRANS became alarmed and Chief
Devin had him locked up After DIR.
w. j. Cruikshank and DIR. Arthur G.
Brush, both of Brooklyn, had exam
ined Molineux at the request of men,
bers of his family, the following
statement was issued from the home
of his father, General Edward L.
Molineux, lit Fort Greene place,
Brooklyn:
1.-TWO Brooklyn physicians examin-
ed Roland today and it is expected
that tomorrow he will be sent to an
asylum. 1t is impossible to say
his present illness is tempo
rary or permanent"
Molineux has not been we'll since
the production of his play, THE Man
on November IL, of last year.
1t was only a few days before this
play was produced by David Belasco
at the Criterion Theatre that Mol
Ineux was married ror the second
time. The bride was Miss Margaret
connell, his secretary, who had
worked with him on THE Man In
side" They were married at the City
Hall, saying there was no time to
waste, as the brldegroom's mother
who was very ill at her home, wished
o have the ceremony performed. She
lived until the following February.
Molineux's first wife, who was
Blanche Chesebrough, obtained di-
Jorce from him in 1903 after he had
been acquitted. His arrest for the
murder of Mrs. Adams came only six
weeks after he was married to Miss
He is now rorty-eigit
iears old. Il
street, with her son and
laughter, and Harry s. Cornish, a
cousin of her late husband, died on
December rs. 1898, few minutes after
The had swallowed something from |
/ bottle labelled bromo settler. Cor
fish had received the bottle through |
he mail several days before at the |
Athletic Club, where |
lie was the manager. |
MolineuX had been a member of |
hat club and had had trouble with |
Cornish. The detectives finally de- |
,ided that he had sent the poisoned |
Promo settler, hoping that Cornish |
would use it. Letters which 1t was |
aid Molineux had written to drug
were produced. He was a |
chemist by profession Very briefly, |
hat was the case against Molineux |
when he was arrested.
The grand jury indicted him in
darch, 1899. The original indictment
vas dismissed and a second grand
ury dismissed the charge. Some
nonths later third grand jury found
n indictment charging murder and
IolineuX went to trial.
In Febraury,. 1900, he was found
utility of murder and was sentenced
o the electric chair. He was taken
o a cell in the death house at Sing
ing and remained in that death
ouse for practically two years His
ase was appealed. Another trial was
rdered and the man was finally
ound not guilty after three years of
Through it all he seemed to retain
lis nerve. There was so much sympa-
ny for him at his second trial that he
yah cheered and cheered when he |
t last walked from the Criminal |
,ourts Building free man.
Because of several local ends, the |
Molineaux trials aroused much in |
crest In Newark. Mr.. Molineaux at |
the time of his arrest was employed |
n this city as chemist for a local |
that manufactured color |
supplies. He was also widely known |
here. 1t was at a Broad street |
jewelry store that the famous silver
case that figured in the trial was
bought. Efforts We're made to show
that the defendant was the person
who bought the silver case in New
ark
The prosecution also attempted to
show that Molineaux Wore a wig and
purchased a hat at another Broad
street store shortly before the pur-
chase of the silver box. The silver
box, 1t was proven, contained the
headache medicine that held the
poison which killed Mrs. Adams. The
poisoned medicine in the silver case
had been mailed to Harry Cornish.
Cornish also was we'll known In
Newark.