The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-12-31
FOUND GUILTY.
Verdict of Murder in First De-
gree Returned
Against Mrs. COrdelia BOtkin,
Accused of Poisoning
MRS. JOHN p. DUNNING
By Means of Candy Sent
Through the Mails.
Jury Fixes the Penalty at I'M
pris0nment For Life
MRS. JOHN P. DUNNING

san Francisco, Dec. S1.-Mrs. Cor
della Botzin was last night found guilty
Ct murder in the first degree for caus-
ing sne death Of Mrs. John P Dunning
by sending q box of poisoned candy
20 her temporary home in Dover Del
The condemned murderess will be
SHARED death on the gallows, however
the jury that found her guilty imposing
q penalty OF life imprisonment
The verdict was unexpected. An
acQuittaI was confidently awaited by
the defense while the prosecution fear
ed a disagreement RumOrS hao Deeli
IN circulation to the effect that seVeral
of the jurors strongly favored the oe-
Tense and that their opinions were 100
firr~Tv grounded TO be capable Oh d
change. Although the jury was only
out four hours. more than one OF WhlGn
was devoted to dinner, it IS currently
reported that the verdict was the r.
suit of a compromise. The sex or the
prisoner made such q conclusion SaIlS-
factory to the jurors
Considering the uneXpectedaesS OF tIlS
verdict Mrs BOtkin kept herself Wen
in hand when her fate was announced
Not until the 1urymen and most OF the
suectators had left the court room, dlu
she give evidence Of collapse. Ihen SIle
sank back half faint1ng. buL speeulS
revived when given a glass OF water
The jury retired at 5;55 p. m, out
soon after was taken to dinner IN charge
During the meal hour no reference was
made TO the case by any of the men
in whose hands lay the fate or MIS-
Botkin- on returning to the jury room
the evidence was carefully reviewed
and prolonged discussion followed. 1t
is NOT known how many ballots were
taken before a final agreement was
reached but there are rumOrS that at
first the opinions of the twelve jury
men were not in accord, and that before
uuanimity was arrived at cOmpro-
mise was effected
At just about o'clock word was sent
To Judge Carroll Cook that the jury
was prepared TO make report Court
was Immediately convened and at S;lo
O'Clock. just four hours after the case
had been placed in its hands, the jury
stated through its foreman that an
agreement had been reached, the verdict
being that Mrs Botlxin, accused of kill
Ing Mrs. John P. Dunning, by means
of poisoned candy, sent through the
malls. was guilty OF murder in the first
degree. In accordance with the laws
OF California, which empower the jury
to decide between hanging and i'm
prisonment in such cases, the penalty
was fixed at Imprisonment for life.
While at no time during the trial had
Mrs BOtkin expressed herself an
ticipating such a verdict, she received
il with remarkable calmnesS, exhibit
ing no trace Of emotion, though she sat
close to her sister. Mrs. Roberts, and
seemed to ioOk to her for sympathy.
After the jury had been pOlled in the
usual manner. Judge Cook announced
that sentence would be pronounced on
Saturday. January Z He then remand
ed the prisoner to the custody of the
sheriff, 20 be Imprisoned in the county
jail until called to receive final judg-
ment when she will be transferred to
the state peniteniary-
The court room was cleared when,
just after Mrs BotI1in had announced
TO the deputy sheriff in a clear voice
that she was ready to go with him to
prison. occurred the only sensational
incident Of the evening. The condemned
woman was about to rise, when her
highly strung nerves seemed to relax
and suddenly she fell back into the arms
Of Mrs. Roberts. 1t was thought she
had tainted but in a moment a glass
of water revived her and she resumed
her usual appearance, though the tense
nervous strain was still apparent in the
twitching of her facial muscles and the
quick movement of her hands as her
fingers drummed on the table. In a few
minutes she apparently shook off all
signs Of excitement and quietly accom-
panied the deputy sheriff from the court