Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-12-17

Tat WAS SENT IN THE BOX TO
MRS. DCNNBNG-SbE ALSO WAS
THE AUTHOR OF ANONYMOUS
LETTERS SENT FROM SAN FRAN
CISCO To MRS. DUNNaNG, TELL
ING HER OF THE ALLEGED MIS-
DEEDS OF THE LATTERS HUS-
BAND-THE DEFENSE SHOWED
IT'S CHAGRIN.
San Francisco, December 1.-THE
| defense in the Botkin murder trial to-
day received the worst setback it has
experienced since the case opened. The
evidence of two of the witnesses ex-
amined to-day was of such a convine-
| ing nature that the chagrin caused by
its introduction was plainly written
upon the faces of the accused woman
and her counsel The evidence clearly
| showed that Mrs. BOtkin wrote the
anonymous letters sent to Mrs. Dun
ming from this city, apprislng Mrs.
Dunning of the alleged misconduct OF
her husband and informing the dead
woman that she had grounds for COM
mencing a suit for divorce; the hand
kerchief which was enclosed in the
box of poisoned candy was proven to
have been purchased in this city by
Mrs. Botkin, another link in the chain
of the prosecution.
The first important witness was Mrs.
Grace Harris, who was employed in
the City of Paris dry goods store, dur
ing May and June of this year. Mrs.
Harris told of the purchase of the
handkerchief and identified the article
which she sold and stated positively
that Mrs. Botkin was the purchaser.
She was certain of the identity of the
woman, for the reason that Mrs. Bot
kin so resembled Mrs. Harris own
mother, that the similarity caused her
to wonder. She was certain OF the
handkerchief because it bore a price
mark which she herself had stamped
upon the article. Cross
! rather strengthened her evidence than
otherwise, and it brought out the fact
that Mrs. Harris took Mrs. BOtkin's
address, which the purchaser gave as
the Victoria Hotel, where she resided
up to the time of her arrest.
Roaff an aged ed. w2 aJl 81 a1a her reSdd -
quaintance with the plaintiff, which
was that of an intimate friend. She
also knew Dunning very well. Mrs.
ROuff said that on one occasion when
she called on Mrs. Botkin at her rooms,
the defendant showed her a handker-
chief, asking her if it was not beau
tiful one for the price.
Mrs. Rouff recognized the handker-
chief sent to Mrs. Cummings daughter
as being exactly like the one Mrs Bot
kin showed her. The witness then
identified Mrs. Botkin's handwriting
in the anonymous letter sent to Mrs.
Dunning Mrs. Rouff was familiar
with Mrs. Botkin's writing and point
ed out its peculiarities. When shown
the note which was enclosed in the box
of candy, Mrs. Rouff states that she
believes it to have been written by
Mrs. Botkin. She discussed the sam
pies of writing shown her with the
ability of an expert. She recognized
the language of the letters as that of
Mrs. Botkin. Witness told of a con-
versation she had with the defendant
on the different poisons and their
qualifications for killing mice Later
Mrs. BOtkin was taken sick, and while
| under treatment, discussed poisons
with her physicians. She thought the
action of strychnine too harsh and
spoke o. arsenic as being mild in its
action and seemed well informed upon
its other symptoms. She told OF an
other visit to her Stockton home. 1t
was made shortly after the perpetra-
ton of the crime. Mrs. Botkin was
greatly excited and talked about
poisons, anonymous .etleis and made
other remarks that puzzle Mrs. RoUfs
| vi OhC OSts'StOI . LOlhlu ldIf.tN W
the witness about bleaching hats AMI
| remarked that she had heard that
arsenic was used for that purpose.
Defendant became agitated when in
formed by Mrs. Rouff that she would
| have to give her name when she pur-
chased the poison. Upon cross-exam
ination Mrs. Rouff intimated that she
| thought Mrs. Botkin's illness at the
| time she asked so many questions Of
the doctors about poisons, was sham.
She stated that at the time Mrs. Bot
| kin visited her after the crime had
been committed, she felt certain of
Mrs. Botkin's guilt in the matter, but
explained her sympathy for her and
+, her care of her during the brief i'll
ness as being iMpelled by Christian
| spirit. Several other witnesses were
called, but nothing of great import
ance was brought out.
| The court adjourned until Monday
! MADE SOME PROGRESS.