The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-05
MRS. B0TKIN ADMITS
She BOUGHT ARSENIC
Says Friend Was With Her When
She Purchased the Poison and
Two Others Saw Her

Attorneys Knight and MCGOWAN, Mrs
Botkin's legal champions, called on her
early yesterday forenoon. Their visits
were of longer duration than usual Both
lawyers emphatically refused to discuss
the purchase of arsenic by their client at
the Owl Drug Store and positively de-
clined to state whether she admitted buy
ing the poison.
Before the watchful newspaper men who
interview every visitor leaving the ma
irons room had arrived at their posts
yesterday one of Mrs. Botkin's closest
friends called and had long chat with
the prisoner. This friend, whose name is
suppressed by request, gives Mrs Bot
kins version of the purchase of the ar
senic on June 1. The friend referred to
said to a Call reporter:
when / arrived at the prison Mrs Bot
kin had read the morning papers and
when / mentioned the significance which
senic at the Owl Drug Store on June 1
she said, with the utmost frankness and
without hesitation:
The police need not worry about that
matter. did buy two ounces of arsenic
on June l from Frank Grey. l used 1t
for the purpose which 1 stated when he
asked me the customary questions pre-
"a 1T will not be necessary for Mr.. GREY
to come here and identify me- 1 frankly
admit made the purchase. Furthermore,
i gave my TlBnI name ana ADDRESS, Does
that indicate that l contemplated sending
the poison over ovV0 miles to kill a woman
/ never saw and never knew, except that
she was the wife of ]. r. Dunning?
Mrs Botkin told me-" said the friend
''the purchase of the arsenic had slipped
from her mind, as it was only slight in
cident, but she appreciates the effect the
discovery will have on her case. She ex-
pressed the deepest regret that she for
got the circumstance. and declared she
would have mentioned it in her statement
hA tee 90 Dali
not been at fault. She then gave me all
the details of the purchase. She said:
81 went to the Owl to get arsenic to
bleach my straw hats. because 1 was ac-
quainted with Frank S. Grey. had
known him for a long time when he was
employed at the Baldwin Pharmacy
Whenever / needed any prescriptions
filed I went to him. I sincerely hope Mr..
Grey remembers all that transpired when
j bought that poison. / was in the store
quite long time and chatted with Inn
questioning me and making the entry in
the poison register his interrogatories
were fnterspersed with all manner of
commonplace remarks.
An important point Mr.. Grey ought
to recall is that / was accompanied by a
friend that afternoon. This morning /
gave the name OF this friend to my attor-
neys, and have already received assur-
ances that my story will be corroboraued
/ told Mr.. Grey l wanted the arsenic to
bleach my straw hats and he said there
that purpose. / replied that 1 had used
arsenic before, and he gave me the poison
without further delay. He wrapped the
package, handed it to me, I paid for it
and left the store.
Z" L went directly home from the Owl,
prepared a solution with the arsenic had
bought and cleansed my hats.
Two reputable witnesses, whose
names are now in the possession of my
attorneys, were in my room and watched
me bleach the hats They will take the
witness stand and substantiate what 1
say or they will make affidavits in adj
vance of evidence, in court If they are re-
Quested to do So
Mrs. Botkin," said her friend, "does
not wish the names Of her witnesses to