The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-08-25


Huyler and MailIard here Both OF these
employed just such boxes in their ousi-
ness, so the search so far has only made
the case more complex
The character of the victims makes
the problem of motive insoluble. Conceive
anybody sending your wife or sister box
Of candy impregnated with deadly poi
son.
II is diabolical!
Until the chemical analysis Of the candy
there were theories of ptomaines or the
generation OF permangnate OF potash
from the gelatine and the bitter almond
fiavoring the candy. But the chemist
proved by his first test that murder had
been done.
Before the coroner's jury DR.. Wolfe. Of
the Delaware Agricultural College. made
this statement:
L received today from DR.. Bishop box
containing a portion of the candy sup
posed TO have been eaten by Mrs. Mary
Elizabeth Dunning and J. D. Deane and
several others, for analysis From de-
scription OF symptoms l suspected the
presence OF arsenic in the candy. My in
vestigation was directed exclusively to
the detection OF that poison as near as
possible. In the application OF the usual
tests l found that my suspicious were
correct, and that the candy contained
a very large quantity Of arsenic, and
found pieces of arsenic as large as peas
a fatal dose is from two or three grains.
and 1 found in three bon bons from ten
TO twelve grains, enough to kill four
persons. It requires prescription to
purchase arsenic, but you could buy
rough on rats with little coIoring which
| is the same"
Slender as the clues are there is like
lihood of the San Francisco detectives
following them. They will probably find
who sent the candy out there. There Is
something in the swift growth of city
| TO metropolitan proportions that gets
into the heads Of its criminals and make
them do their evil work in queer. bizarre,
| Frenchy ways. Maybe the winds that
came in from the old cruizing ground of
| the pirates and gentlemen adventures
| brings the spirit; maybe IL comes on the
warm ocean current from Japan-there
| is something very Oriental in this mys-
| terious poisoning by sweethearts. Possible
! il is the result of the WEAKNESS of the
wilderness or the fact that San Francisco
| is fewer years removed from its law
| less youth than most big cities. What
ever the reason, the fact is there. San
Francisco, with its Durrant case and
Bowers poisoning, it's club dwelling gentle
man who was a desperate highwayman
between whites, and its Chinese high
binder feuds, besides which the Chatfeld-
Mccoy murders seem significant has con
tributed more curious and dreadful chap
ters to the history of crime than any
city in the world in the same time.
Not so strange is it that from San Fran
cisco this box OF well digested death
came.
The Cummings are from San Francisco.
Mr.. ]. P. Dunning was a newspaper
reporter in San Francisco before the hur-
ricane at Samoa that wrecked the Ger
man and American fleets made him a
famous correspondent. In after years
ne was the western manager of the Asso-
ciated Press.
When the death freighted box crossed
the continent and struck his wife and his
wife's sister to death, he was in Porto
Rico managing the war staff for the great
news gathering association. He was sent
for quick.
1t was this mans wife the candy was
sent TO kill; that Mrs. J. D. Deane should
have been murdered with her was acct
dental. The murderess had no care whom
she killed else than thechosen victims.
If somebody tells, or the husband can
guess or the detectives trace the crime
to her and the woman is ever brought
to trial, there will be a prisoner at the
bar of a more remarkable sort than has
faced accusers in the day of any of US.
Such monsters as she are progidies even
in the ranks Of murderers.
San Francisco, Aug. 25.-The police have
begun work in an attempt to discover
who sent the poisoned candy from this
city to the Dunning family in Dover. Del
Facts have been developed showing that
after his wife went east Dunning led a
wild life here. There is no doubt that
he was a frequent visitor to race tracks
where ne squandered his money in bet
ting.
Mrs. A Botkin. of Stockton, who lived
here during Dunning's residence in this
city, and who has been arrested, has
stated that she was on such terms Of
friendship with him that she perused al
Of his correspondence. even the letters
sent him by his wife. Dunning was IN
sore financial straits and his distress over
mis- financial condition affected Mrs. Bot.
kin considerably, and she has had mucS
to say about his anxiety for the future
She spoke freely about his having sus
tanned losses at the races. Those who
knew of the relations between Dunninc
and Mrs. Botkin say that thewoman was
evidently very fond Of him and frequent
ly exhibited great jealousy.
Nine. Thompson. a French teacher, whH
knew Dunning and Mrs Botkin. in talk
ing OF their relations. says:
"One evening Mrs. Botkin invited M
into her rooms TO play cards. and It wa!
on that occasion that first met Mr.
Dunning. Mrs. Botkin frequently invited
me into her room after that 20 take
hand at a game of cards, but as the
, played poker. a game I do not understand
! I never cared TO 90. Mr.. Dunning scenes
to be her most intimate friend. The,
were together a great deal OF che time
They went 10 dinner frequently. I wen
with Mrs. BOtkin 10 the race track once
and Mr.. Dunning met Us out there II
gave Us some tips but after losing a lit
tie money. I stopped betting. Dunnin
and MIS-. Botk.n frequently went TO 70
races.
8 Chief Lees says that ne Sas received n
D. advices from toe eastern police in regar
: 70 the matter. and IS simply undertak
! ing to verify certain reports which cam
20 him II regard 10 DUnnings life an
q associates in this city. Besides the tx
l. mentioned q blonde woman Is now spoke
!. Of n connection with the case and Il .
. this person for whom the police AZ