THE GREAT AMERICAN POISON MYSTERY
ONE of the most carefully planned murders by means of poison in modern
times was investigated at the trial of Roland B. Molineux, who was
charged with causing the death of Mrs. Catherine J. Adams in New York
in 1899.
On November 10, 1898, a Mr. Henry C. Barnett, a produce booker, who was
a member of the Knickerbocker Athletic Club, one of the most prominent
social organizations in New York, received by post at the club a sample
box of Kutnow's Powder. He was in the habit of taking this and similar
preparations for simple ailments, and soon after receiving the box he
took a dose of its contents. He became ill immediately afterwards,
and was thought to be suffering from diphtheria. That he had a slight
attack of this disease there is little doubt, as the fact was proved
from a bacteriological examination made by his medical attendant. He
left his bed earlier than the doctor advised, and died presumably of
heart failure.
The contents of the box, however, were examined, which led to the
discovery that the powder had been tampered with and mixed with cyanide
of mercury; and although Mr. Barnett had died from natural causes, it
seemed clear an attempt had been made to poison him by some one who
knew he was in the habit of taking this powder. The investigation,
however, does not appear to have been carried farther.
The next chapter in the story occurred in connection with a Mr.
Harry Cornish, who occupied the position of physical director to the
Knickerbocker Athletic Club.
A day or two before Christmas in the same year, a packet directed to
him was delivered by post at his address. It contained a box, in which,
on opening, he found at one end a silver article for holding matches
or toothpicks; at the other end was a bottle labelled "Emerson's
Bromo-seltzer," and between the two was packed some soft tissue paper.
Mr. Cornish was at first under the impression that some one had sent
him the packet as a present. After removing the articles from the box,
he threw it and the wrapper into his wastepaper basket, but on second
thoughts he cut the address from the wrapper and kept it.
The bottle, labelled "Bromo-seltzer," which is a saline preparation
well known in America, was sealed over the top and bore the usual
revenue stamp. After tearing off the outside wrapper, Mr. Cornish
placed the bottle and the silver holder on his desk.
On the following Sunday he remarked to his aunt, a Mrs. Catherine
Adams, that he had received a present. Mrs. Adams and her daughter Mrs.
Rogers joked him about it, saying he must have some admirer, and was
afraid to bring his present home, as the sender's name was probably
upon it. So on Tuesday night Mr. Cornish took the bottle and the silver
holder home with him, and presented them to Mrs. Rogers, saying they
were no use to him and she might have them.
The next morning Mrs. Adams complained of a headache, and her daughter
suggested a dose of the Bromo-seltzer. Mr. Cornish was present, and
mixed a teaspoonful of the preparation from the bottle with a glass
of water, and gave it to his aunt. After drinking it she at once
exclaimed, "My, how bitter that is!"
"Why, that's all right!" said Mr. Cornish, as he took a drink from the
glass.
A few moments afterwards Mrs. Adams collapsed, and died within a short
time. Mr. Cornish was seized with violent vomiting, which doubtless
saved his life, and he recovered.
A post-mortem examination revealed the fact that Mrs. Adams had died
from cyanide poisoning; and on the bottle of Bromo-seltzer being
analysed the contents were found to have been mixed with cyanide of
mercury.
For a long time the affair seemed a complete mystery, and the police
investigations appeared likely to be fruitless. Then the particulars of
the death of Mr. Barnett, who was Chairman of the House Committee of
the Knickerbocker Club, were brought to light; and connecting them with
the fact that Mr. Cornish was also a prominent member of the club, and
had received the bottle of Bromo-seltzer by post in the same manner, it
seemed highly probable that both the poisoned packets which contained
cyanide of mercury, had been sent by the same hand.
Further examination proved that the bottle used was not a genuine
Bromo-seltzer one, and that the label had been removed from a genuine
bottle and carefully pasted on that sent to Mr. Cornish.
A firm of druggists in Cincinnati then came forward and stated, that
as far back as May 31, 1898, they had received a written application
signed "H. C. Barnett" for a sample box of pills, and another similar
application on December 21, 1898, which was signed "H. Cornish."
Both these applications were found to be in the same handwriting,
which was also strikingly similar to the address on the packet sent
to Mr. Cornish, which he had fortunately kept. The address given
by the applicant who called himself "H. C. Barnett," was 257, West
Forty-second Street; New York, a place where private letter-boxes are
rented for callers. The address given by the applicant signing himself
"H. Cornish," was a similar place at 1,620, Broadway, in the same
city. From these facts it seemed evident that an attempt had been made
to poison both Barnett and Cornish by some one who knew them, and
the poisoner had concealed his identity by employing the names of his
intended victims.
The nature of the poison used, cyanide of mercury, was also a slight
clue, as it is a substance which is not used in medicine and must in
all probability have been specially prepared for the purpose, by some
one with a good knowledge of chemistry.
At the coroner's inquest, which began on February 9, 1899, certain
facts were elicited that tended to bring suspicion on Roland B.
Molineux, who was also a member of the Knickerbocker Club and well
acquainted with Barnett and Cornish. He was also known to have
quarrelled with the latter. At the close of the inquest Molineux was
arrested, and removed to the Tombs prison.
Owing to legal technicalities in the original indictment, which charged
him with the murder of both Mr. Barnett and Mrs. Adams, he was twice
liberated, and then for the third time arrested.
The trial of Molineux for the murder of Mrs. Adams was a memorable one,
and lasted nearly three months. It began on November 14, 1899, at the
Central Criminal Court, New York, and was not concluded till February
11, 1900.
The evidence was entirely circumstantial. Most of the experts in
handwriting who were examined declared that the address on the packet
sent to Mr. Cornish was in Molineux's writing, and that he had also
written both applications to the druggists in Cincinnati. Further,
Molineux was engaged as a chemist to a colour factory in which cyanide
of mercury was used, which would enable him either to make or procure
that special poison, from which only three other fatal cases had been
recorded.
No witnesses were called for the defence, and the jury found Roland B.
Molineux guilty of "murder in the first degree," which, according to
American law, is murder with premeditation.