The sun., 1898-12-18
Startling Developments Promised
When He Takes the Witness
Stand Tomorrow.
PRISONER GROWING NERVOUS
The Most Damaging Evidence Against
Mrs. COrdelia BOtkin SO Far
Was That of Mrs. Almira
ROuff, Very Init.
mate Friend.

Cordelia Botkin will be made, it is said,
when John P. Dunning, whose wife and
sister-in-law were murdered with poi
soned candy at Dover, Del.-the crime
of which Mrs. Botkin is accused-takes
the stand for the prosecution when the
trial is resumed on Monday.
The prosecution will seek to establish
by Mr.. Dunning's evidence that Mrs.
Botkin at one time contemplated poison
ing him-when she feared that he was
about to rejoin his family.
Dunning had manifested a desire to
break away from the associations he had
formed in this city, it is said, and there
had been some talk to the effect that he
might be reconciled to his family. This
greatly affected Mrs. Botkin, who con-
fessed to him that she intended to kill
him. She told him some months later
the purpose had left her, but she had in
tended to put him out of the world. She
didn't say that she had planned to poi
son him, but her words left no doubt as
to her deadly intent. She was deter
mined that he should not leave her. Her
courage failed her, however, and bis life
was saved.
: The most damaging testimony given
during the famous trial 90 far has been
that Of Mrs. Almira Ruoff, an intimate
friend of Mrs. Botkin.
While on the stand for the prosecution,
Lawyer Hosmer showed the witness
specimens of the accused woman's hand
writing. She identified them. The law
yer then showed Mrs. Ruoff the anony-
NOUS letters which were sent to Mrs.
Dunning from San Francisco. After
careful scrutiny of the letters, Mrs.
Ruoff said:
"They were written by Mrs. Botkin.
The handwriting is disguised, but it con-
tains many of her characteristics. For
instance, the IT. and s. are heavily
lined, and formed in her peculiar way,
and dashes appear in the place OF
periods"
The note sent to Dover in the box of
candy was shown to Mrs. Ruoff. She
said it had apparently been written by
Mrs. Botkin.
'The quotation marks in the note,"'
said she, "are just like the peculiar ones
she always used" .-....
"How about this?' and Lawyer Hos
mer showed the witness the wrapper
OF the candy box sent to Mrs. Dunning.
II think it is also in Mrs. Botkin's
handwriting, The letters of the word
'Dunning' closely resemble her writ
ing"
Mrs. Ruoff then described the visit of
Mrs. Botkin to the formers house in
Stockton on July 28.
II was surprised that she should come
at that time" said Mrs. Ruoff, because
| r al he,r n fo, do hafpra %bot
l would shortly visit her in the city.
She was in nervous state when she ar
rived. Almost the first thing she said to
me was that she had come to see her
husband, and incidentally to get some
information abort poisons.
"She asked me about arsenic and
strychnine and their respective effects.
She then asked about the mailing of
packages and what the postage rate on
small packages was gave her as much
, information as could. Mrs. Botkin
said: 4 want to send package North
told her to have 1t registered, but she
said she would not do so, as that would
involve the signing Of her name. She
J said, furthermore, that the package she
intended to mail weighed a pound.
, Then she asked me if 1 thought one
!; in trouble should tell everything to her
, attorneys. told her that it would be
best for such person to do so. Mrs.
Botkin left my house in the afternoon.
She said she was going to see The
Governor as s.e called her husband.
When she returned she told me she had
seen The Governor had entered his
home, and thus cut him off from a d.
; vorce for one year. -...
"She was nervous and complained of
being i'll. She demanded that doceor
be called at once. While the physician
was attending her she asked him num-
ber Of questions about poisont particu-
, larly arsenic. nv ..--
"After the physicians departure Mrs.
Botkin said to me: Something tells
me that my association with Dunning
will yet be very close She left for San
, Francisco the next morning.
, "She returned to my place on August
, 10. l had already read of the suspicious
! attached to her name, and was, Of
course, surprised at her arrival. She
noticed my alarm, and the first question
she asked was: ... .,...
Have you read the papers" When
, I replied that l had, she inquired ex,
!, citedly if believe what they contained.
l replied, why should ~ whereupon
she said, as if greatly relieved. That is
: so, why should you?
II then asked Mrs. Botkin why she
had come to me, and she answered that
her sister, Mrs. Mcclure, had sent her,
with the request that l shelter her, for
: the sake of old associations. Her appeal
overcame me, and l gave her lodgings.
"Soon after her i:aI, Mrs. Botkin
again pretended to be i'll, and summoned
a physician. She asked him again about
arsenic. Later in the day she told me
that Mrs. Dunning had received num-
ber of anonymous letters shortly before
her death. / asked her how she knew
that. She replied that Dunning had sent
them to her for investigation, and that
she had returned them to him."
MuniCiual COurt Cases.