Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-09-01
SIZE SAYS SHE IS INNOCENT
Mrs. BotkIn Declares She Did
Not Commit Murder.
BEFRlENDED JOHN P. CUNNING
Aided Him to Retrieve His
Fortunes.

A special dispatch from San Frar

A speciHl dispatch frnm San Fran
cisco says:
Mrs. Cordslia Botkin. who 10 10 Jail |
hero awaiting a reQuisition from Dsla-
ware TO answer the charge OF poisoning |
Mrs. John r. Dunning and Mrs. Deane,
yehemently ASSERTS her innocence and
declares that her regard for MIR. Dun
ming was only that OF friend. Mrs.
Botkin yesterday dictated the follow
ing statement:
"Up to the present time havs main
tanned silence by advice OF my hus-
band. who told mo when this awful
suspicion was first brought upon mo
that 10 my hysterical and terrified con.
ditiou talking could do me no gnod, and
that anything might say would un.
douhtedly be distorted anil misIepre-
sentsd and perhaps used to my disad.
vantage. Since then | have obtained
legal counsel and hare been told that
this advice was good Therefore. 1t
has been through no desire to keep |
from the public Information Of my de.
fence in this matter that | have re-
mainad silent undor the most trying
circumstances, but because In humiliR-
tion and terror of being arrested on
suspicion OF having committed the
awful crims. felt that IT was not
safe for ms to speak. Now, however,
my friends to whom hayo given too
history OF my life for years pant. advise
me that ought to at least publicly
assert my innocence. To those who
knuw me and know that am incap-
able of committing any such crime as
has been laid at my door, need Hay
nothing. They will not bslieva word
III Ell Win
think the newspaper reporters have
made out case, against me. only ask
whit should beN granted to every ac-
cused persona suspension OF opinion
until can be heard in court.
II am woman, and almost defence.
loss am prostrnted with grief and
| humiliation. l am filled With horror at
| the position In which am placed. Ia
| 1t unreasonable under these circum-
stances to asi thoHe who do not know
nue. to await henring? III given an
opportunity ! shall prove my limo
| cence, for / nm Innocent before GOd.
| / have told Chief OF Police Lees every
| thing. I have accounted for every mo-
| ment of my life for months past.
have told one of my attorneys. Senator
| MCGOWAN, the whole story OF my life.
| He believes me innocent, and SAYS
need have no fear, ttat harm will come
| to me. | thank heaven that at least
one strong and rasolute man Is pre-
uarei to defend me with all his talent,
influence and power. Newspapers,
which should always espouss the cause
of the innocent, and the authorities OF
this city, who should ever sustain thu
weak and dsfenceless, seem leagued
against me.
81 do not know the wife of John J..
Dunning and bare'nn feeling against
her. am not and never have been 10
love with Mr.. Dunning. befriendoh
him when he was in trouble. and that
is all. My son was very fond of him.
and both OF us helieve that he IL a true
gentleman, and that nons Of the things
he is reported to have told the Della
ware officers against ms are true.
~ am incapahlu Of committing any
such crime aa this. My relations with
MIR. Dunning were only those OF a
friend. never wrote him lows letters,
nor has he written me such letters.
Chief Lees has all my lettora, including
those written by my husband for years
past. They contain nothing which
shows me in any other than a proper
light. What more can Hayf
II deny everything. Can it be pos
sible that | AM to be convicted by
newspapers OF a crime OF which ! am
innocent, simply because was 30 un-
fortunate az 10 enjoy tue acquaintance
of John p. Dunning AND to help him
in his financial troubies2 What posi-
blu motive could have for poisoning
his wifeY He has told me that she was
lovely woman and that he thought
more of her than no could tell. re
y spectsd him. for that. ! was not 70
sponsible for his troubles / only did
|, for him what other friends did for him
willis he resided in San Francisco. l
aided him 10 my weak and humble way
to retrieve his fortunes.
~ have said all this not because
, expect to be believed for know every
hand ia raised against helpless woman
in my position, hut because l Gun nc
longer restrain my emotions. In time
, know 1 sf1all come out OF this ordeal
unscathed. | am confident that God
, will never permit an innocunt womur
to suffer, and / have faith 10 Him.
a have read about innonsnt persons hav.
i inc been convicted upon oircumstantia
evidence which afterward turnBd Out
, to be misleading and untrue, and the
/ / thought that may become victim o.
such a thing fills me with horror ane
; tlismay. But | shall try to bear up ant
, meet mapfully whatever fate shall have
! in store for me, conscious in my hear
J that / am innocsnt and that truth Will
!. in the end vindicate me.
y The grand Jury mot last night ant
q heard the testimony of several VIII
. nesses in the Botkin casa. This ha
a been done at the instance vi the police
Mira. Iiotkin's attorneys, when tn
) sxtradition proceedings come up, VII
!, argue that she should be tried IN thl
Stats. II the court should 10 deolo
then Chief Lees would have to hripl
the cass before the grand jury OF els
|. drop it. SO be is anticipating event
!, TO save Iime II the prisoner goes g
Delaware the Indictment here would D.
+ quashed.
!, IIealdHburg yesterday morning in com
d pauy with Mrs. A. Rnouf, who until 70
l. GENTLY, was in the employ of Mrs. Bat
n kin az nurse. The oificer went to the
a county to subpoena Mrs. Raouf to ap
j. pear as witness before tho grand iur.
II last night In answer to question
IL put by the chief Of police, Mrs. Raou
Q said: II have nothing to say and viii
n certainly not Talk until am compello'
Q to. When appear before the gram
. jury shall Rnswer such questions q
q are put to me. but shall volunteer n
9 information.
Is Chisf Lees and the detoctive fore
o believe that Mrs Botkin has mad
j. Mrs. Roauf confidnnt. Detectiv
+ Wren saya he had talk the other da
O with Mrs. Raouf, during which Hho 10
ia fall q siguifiuant remark.