The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-14
MRS. B0TKIN TURNS ON HER T0RMENT0RS

paper. Hundreds like 1t are sold every
week, naturally finding their way ulti-
mately to the dust bin. Yet the Chronicle
would take this string and Herewith hang
MIS-. Botkin. The necessity for this is not
plain: That paper already had her, guilty
condemned and only awaiting the for
manly OF a judicial approval of it's YER
qlct. 1t had her guilty because somebody
had bought a 25-cent handkerchief, be-
cause pretty clerk thinks perhaps she
sold box of candy; because in many
respects Mrs. Botkin has not been above
reproach; because the prisoner, confined
harassed and subject to the bounding of
gossipmongers does not maintain an as
pect invariably sunny. And, after all,
the reported finding of the string was
Nevertheless, the intricate story woven
by the police is one of thrilling interest
II they can establish its verify in detail
the chain will be complete and strong In
every link. People do not seem to reflect
upon the magnitude of this task. but. on
the contrary, to regard as accomplished
to be proved that Mrs. Botkin bought the
candy or had knowledge of It; that she
ever saw the -andkerchief; that she
wrote the superscription on the box or
sent the anonymous letters. In fact,
every allegation remains still to be estab-
passed under cloud from which she can
never emerge. With pitiless exactitude
her character has been portrayed the
CLOAK or responsibility has been torn from
her, her secrets laid bare. To be an out
cast will be her punishment for evil asso-
cIatlons and Migrant disregard of sacred
canons, the rights and dignity of Wife
nood. There is a wide difference between
Delng Wanton and being able to plan
ana dno carry out horrible, motiveless muir
ger. Yet the conclusion seems 20 have
been jumped to that because she was one
she did the other. : - 'N''e
;, There is a Mrs Edwards, who may
thank her lucky stars that she did not fail
mo h 1he hands of the. police before they
had decided to place the crime upon Mrs
B3otkin. Mrs. Edwards sustained associa-
lions with Cumming. She sold candy, She
wrote letters, she knew all his family az
talrs Her reputation, possibly. was not of
the best. Altogether there is so far as the
tial case against Mrs. Edwards now than
against MRS Botkin. Yet the former
| even escapes suspicion.
Inc story to be entire must begin hack
at the time the Botkins lived in passable
accord na0 ana Dunning was hard working
been incidentally brought out. 1t is not
VITAL, perhaps, but in 1t is a theme for the
merest accident Cumming and Mrs Rotixin
pecame friends. Soon there were drinkine
r Dou,s, Gays is at the races or at wayside
East to become a correspondent On the
neIo OF battle or brave the perils Of the
off the relation e Whic from on Dunning broke
At THIS point certainty is at an end and
the other links In the chain have not been
tested for soundness. oeii
According to the detective o,,aoa.,
Mrs. Botkin bought poison June ''e and
about about month later was raving over the
tha,e IS OF arsenic: The last day of July
HANDKERCHIEF; August mailing the pac cle
t6 Then +t followed , In quick succession
round of existence in prison. Now is The
nearing, when rumor must assume ne
soIidity Of truth or be dissipated.
Throughout the days since her arrest
Mrs Botkin has deported herself with the
utmost GOODNESS. An effort has been made
to turn this against her. Had she been