The herald., 1898-12-23
MRS. BOTklN'S OfFfNSE
BEGINS WITH HER DOCTOR ON
THE STAND
The Defendant Testifies in Her Own
Behalf, Denying Everything As
serted by the Prosecution

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 22.-The defense
of Mrs. Cordelia Botkin foT the murder OF
Mrs. John p. Dunning commenced today
but the progress made in breaking down the
case of the prosecution was very slight.
DR.. George NJ Tyrell was the principal
witness for the defense today. DIR. Tyreli'
however, was 20 uncertain in his testimony
and contradicted himself SO often that he
did the defense but little good. He testified
that he visited Mrs. Botkin on Sunday al
ternoon, July 81, between the hours OF
and o'clock, and treated her for headache'
This is the time and date sworn to by Misses
Henri and Ditmarr Of Haas candy store
when they sold Mrs. Botkin a box OF choco-
late bonbons. DR.. Tyrell, for some reason,
made no entry in his visiting book and rem
dered no bill for services to Mrs. Botkin.
He could not specify the time of his visit
better than between 8 and o'clock in the
afternoon" When questioned regarding
arsenical poisoning the attorney for the
prosecution made it very clear that DR.. Iyr-
ell knew little, if anything, of arsenic.
Thomas j. Ford of the San Francisco
postoffice testified that the package OF
candy was not packed according to rules,
and that it was remarkable that the box
should have reached Delaware in good or
der. He identified the postmarks on the
anonymous letter as being those of the San
Francisco office and described the methods
employed in the caring for letter mails.
John p. Dunning was recalled by permis-
sion and asked if he had told Mrs. Botkin
that his wife and daughter had taken ur
their residence in Dover, Del. He replied
that he had mentioned the fact severa
times.
w. L. Roberts of Humboldt county, q
brother-in-law of the accused, stated thai
Mrs. Botkin had been in the vicinity of Eu
reka, Cal, from the I'd of June until tho
end of the month. The prosecution admit
ted this residence 1t will be remembered
that one of the anonymous letters was datee
about the middle of June, but the prosecu
ton will prove that a mail bag was placed
on the wharf at Eureka on steamer day!
and that letters were dropped in it and MOI
| postmarked until the steamer reached thi.
| city.
DR.. w. +. McNutt testified that the onl.
reliable way to prove arsenical poison was
by an autopsy.
| John p. Warrington, floor manager of the
| City OF Paris store, where the handkerchief
sent Mrs. Dunning's little daughter wa.
alleged to have been bought, testified as te
the methods used in transferring purchases
from one department to another and the de
livery of goods, but nothing important was
brought out
Mrs. Botkin was called to the stand at {
late hour this afternoon. She told of he1
acquaintance with Dunninp DENYING many
of his statements. She also denied much oi
the testimony of Miss Lizzie Livernash, a
reporter, who testified to the hysterical con
dition of Mrs. Botkin when informed ol
Mrs. Dunning's death, and of several in
eliminating admissions made by Mrs. Bot
kin in interviews with her. She denied
ever having purchased candy from Haas ol
that she ever purchased handkerchief o.
the City of Paris store. She will continue
her testimony tomorrow.