The record-union., 1898-12-30

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 29.-The an
nouncement that to-day would prob
ably be the last day for arguments in
the Botkin case attracted an immense
throng to Judge Cooks courtroom to-
day The police held the crowds in
check with difficulty, and for hours af-
ter the commencement of the argument
for the defense by Attorney Frank Nc
Gowan, the corridors were filled with
a curious, morbid crowd, anxious to
catch a few words of the scathing ar
raignment of the police and the meth
DDS of the prosecution. which it had
been whispered about would be the
main feature of 4,-GIowan's address.
Nor were the rumors without founda-
tion. MCGOWAN hauled the police over
the Goals royalty; he charged the pros
ecution with all kinds of infamy in the
handling of it's case, and he roasted
several Of the witnesses to a crisp
He went over the case from beginning
to end, and said that the defense had
not made a technical fight; that it had
not bickered over the admission of ev-
idence, and had kept nothing back. He
attributed directly opposite methods to
the prosecution. He said that were his
client guilty she would have attempted
TO hide everything hurtful to her cause.
He admonished the jury regarding
circumstantial evidence, and asserted
that evidence must be resolved in favor
of the defendant. He enumerated many
cases of circumstantial evidence, and
limited upon the dishonesty of prosecu-
tors in many cases to secure convictions
on such evidence.
MCGOWAN attacked Attorney General
Whites argument. He accused the
Delaware attorney of appealing to the
sympathies of the jury. He said that
Mr.. White had miSrepresented, espe-
cially with regard to the arrival of the
box of candy at the Delaware Post
office. MCGOWAN said that it's arrival
had not been proven, and that an en-
pdoye of the Dover Postoffice might
have placed the package in the bag as
easily as not
Referring to the anonymous letters.
Mr.. MCGOWAN said that they had not
been traced to Mrs. Botkin, and that
she had no reason for writing them.
The identifcations of Mrs. Botkin by
several of the witnesses for the prose
cution, continued Mr. MCGOWAN. were
nimsy and unreliable, and that action
in such cases must be carefully con-
sidered.
Mr. MCGOWAN said that no motive
mad been proven; that the contention of
the prosecution that Mrs. Botkin was
enamored of Dunning had not been
proven by the facts in the case; in
TACT, the opposite held good. MCGOWAN
entered bitter attack upon Dunning.
Mr.. MCGOWAN reserved the subject of
arsenical poisoning for the concluding
feature of his argument. He held that
arsenical poisoning had not been prov
ed, and even if it had, the attending
physicians had stated that lump
arsenic had been used. whereas the
drug clerk from whom Mrs Botkin mr.
chased arsenic, entered the purchase
upon the poison book of the druggist.
specifying powdered arsenic. Every
point throughout the case. declared Me-
Gowan, was shrouded in doubt. and he
urged the jury not to bring in a ver-
dict opposed to the facts ad1uced bv
the defense.
Assistant District Attorney Hosmnr
VIII make the closing argument for tbe
prosecution tomorrow. Owing to tba
New Years holidays. the case will then
go over until next Tuesday. when
Judge Cook will deliver his instructions
to the jury,