The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-12-23
MRS B0TKIN
TESTIFIES
She Says She Had Be-
friended Dunning as
She Would Her
Own Son.

San Francisco, Dec. 22.-Nrs. Botkin
told he's story In part this afternoon. II
came like flood OF wo DIS. yet II was not
Il ppan,ly told nor marked by eigns OF ex-
algerattDn. Concerning tho details Of the
story OF her relations with Dunnlng, she
differs from the other witnesses rs to the
vital facls touching this inquiry Into che
murder Of Mrs. Dunning. but as to the
| minor detn IL and surroundings OF their
! friendship she does not vary from the wit
uessss Tor the prosecution.
Apart from her denial that she bought
J either the candy or the hanukerohiefs sent
In the box 70 Mrs. banning, the defense
| WIS mostly abb. Not one. but two, and
perhaps three albis.
An attempt to provo ono OF these, by DR.,
George yrull, was not very successful
| 1t .Olaleu to tho Afternoon OF July 81. when
the box Of candy subsequently POISONED
was, according to the evidence, purchased
| ut store In this city.
DR. Tyrell said he had OH that afternoon
between 8 ana o'clock, attended Mrs
Bolkin for headache, and he remained
| the time more closcly, nor had he
mads nn entry In his books OF tho vlsit,
/ although he Kept bouks in which I'LL his
business was recorded. He explained he
had forgotten to make his t.y. but os.
lieved lie could find tho day because no had
conducted an operation that morning,
AnO her ulihi was moro successful IL
WINS proved and admitted that Mrs. Botkin
spent the mouth OF JHue, 1897. lin ia UNI
boldL County, more than two hundred
miles north OF San Francisco. Now, ono
OF the IA onyin0us letters attributed to
Mrs Botkin and received by Mrs. Dun.
ming was postmarked In San Francisco
on june Is, 1897, a. the time when Mrs.
Botkin was two hundred miles away
However, the District Attorney on GROSS
examination ELECTED that an open mail
sack vas usually placed on the stenme be-
fore leaving Eureka, Humboldt county,
San Franci-co, and that letters might bs
deposited In the sack by people OF Eureka
Such letters arriving in san Francisco
would be postmarked for that ci y. Mrs,
BotIin was staying in Eureka ut that
time.
Mrs Bntkin's story was told almost
wi hout prompting or question from her
counsel aud II ran like this:
have resided in San Francisco ton or
twelve years. My husband lives in Stock.
ton. have known MIR. Cunning about
five years first mel him one day In
Guluen Gate Park. l was setting on
bench vi h nu SO, Mrs. Ruotf, and he came
along with Il disabled bicycle He mado
casual remark and then introduced him.
self. The next time ! met him on the
street, and we alked ulong toyelhe Tor
shot dis ance. Shortly after that went
10 o ,kand to live with my sister"
''I,ii vou see Mr.. Dunning there'
Yes, no visited me twice and he was adj
init I'd b. h times to tho house by Mrs
Ruff. In II short time l was back again
in san Francisco and then my son beverly
joined me We lived ut 9!7 Gcary street
for II year. During that year Mr. Dun
ming was at tho hou'ea great deal, ana
took u 70 IN there after while lie WAS
ut tpa time IN great financial difficulties,
and was IN fear Of tho hand of tho law,
NV hosi,i allty Sheltered him Willingly
and kindly
"Af.er the year spent in that house |
lived ~ no place in particular for some
months, and WA, trava.ieg constantly
Il made II tripto humboldt county In
juno last year. went to live at tho VIC
,ora Hot,!, his city. in April last. On
July ~, left to 80 to mako my periodical
visits To my husband. Ga my way looa
n severe cold nnd was very sick at Mrs.
Runff' house. They sent for Or. Stone as
! was fearful ofpneuinonia He gave ME
morphine calomel and yalerian. l was
not accu ,toned " such strong medicines
and questioned tho doctor rs to their
effects Iu that way discussion about
pUisOus arose.
II was feeling very bad next day iu my
HChtlt uUu WI Itput Il w 1sh Si'So
WAS anything bnL u we'll woman, On
Sunday, July 81 about two O'clock teic.
phuned Tor DIR. Tyreli anu he came to my
room about 5 o'clock. lie stayed there
from half tn three quarters OF an hour, l
was suffering from u bad headache and
did NOT leave tho room at any time that
day except to 60 to he telephone
did you 90 on that day to Haas's can
Gy st,re and buy Il box Of candyf'
n IN mt nathan nm that nor mr. any
other day was mover In the ssop In my
life"
Mrs. Botkin paused for moment In the
fool of rapid words and inquired: ''ShalI
| 20 cn?"
Rhsuming she said:
"a left the Victoria Hotel on August 4
to visit my sister, Mrs Mcclure having
stayed there for two days and then read
about the affairs IN the papers,
1.-THE affair" referred 10 the poisoning Of
Mrs Dunning. Proceeding, Mrs. Botkln
said:
Il told my sister that 1t was o great
shock 10 me, as / was we'll acquainted with
Mir. Dunning She asked mo how, and /
told her. On tho following day Miss LIZ
ze Livernash called at the house and said
she had been sent to interview mo for the
Examiner. l told her l knew nothing
about this affair bui what / had read in
tho papers She left and returned that
same af ernoon. told her how ha d pro.
tccted Mr.. Cunning l brought his let
tiers down TO her and gave them to her. l
told her wanted everything known TO the
public"
Are lheso the letters that have been put
In evidencep'
Yes, sir; every one Of them I gave to
Miss L,vernnsh. l told her how Mr. Dun
ming had suffered greab reverses; that no
had Used funds that did not belong to him
and regretted 1t most sincerely. The fol-
d lowing day Mis- Livernash returned and
told me that Was under strong suspicion
of having caused the death of this woman.
! was uwfuiIy shocket. l felt deadly sick.
1relnai led unconscious for hours. l did
not send for u doctor, AS my sister docs
not believe in doctors l made up my
mind to go to my husband in Stockton.
and mex day l started, accompanied by
Mis-, Livern4sh, rs l did not fee! strong
enough 10 make the Journey alone
81 wired to my husband to meet mo at
tho depot, and he did SO. As soon as no
saw mo Ito asked me who the woman with
mo WAS l told him and ho said he would
not confer with me until she was sent
away. ! said: Excuse me; she has been
very kind TO me" Then told my hus-
band should expect him to stand by Inc
and state why ho had lived in Stockton
and in San Francisco
"Who supported you in San Francisco"
My husband sent me money. Also I
was pu chasing agent for ladies In the
country. charging commission OH the
purchases p"
did you buy this ha' dkerchicfp" asked
counsel. holding the one sent In the box Of
candy.
Il did not"
"Did You have any parcel sent to the
Victoria Hotel III the month OF Jnne from
tEs City o! Pari, stOre?"
las well as can remember I did not
have any purcell semitic tho Victoria Ho.
tel from tho City of Paris or from any
other store IN tho city,
"Do you know Mrs Seeley?"
II have n very distinct recollection Of
Mr.. Se.ley," said Mrs Botkin with the
slightest shade Of aspefity. SHE took a
room Mt tho house No. 027 Gerry street
when we were living there, and she be.
came infatuated with my sou"
"rhore WINS bad blood between your"
70 "Yo,, there WIS bad blood between US on
account Of foolishness. Tho affair was
marked that tho boy would make a
mistake"
"Dld Mrs. Seeley moet Dunning thereP"
Yns, sho met him frequently, she ac-
copied tho warmest and kindest hospital
ity that one woman can give another. l
had her there because thought that per-
hans he might keen nv boy out OF worse