Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-09-08
SAYS SHE BOUGHT ARSENIC.
Mrs. Botkin Admits That, on the
Face, Matters Look Dark.

Declares That She Got Inc Poison for tho
Purpose OF Bleaching Straw Hat = Arr
rival OF tho Revised Reputation Papers,
Which Meet Every Objection.
San Francisco, CAL, Sept. lit will
not be necessary for Drug Clerk Frank
Gray to take a look at Mrs. Botkin.
She bas acknowledged buying the
arsenic at tina Owl drug store.
When Grny was clerk in the Bald
win pharmacy she had frequently made
purchases of him, and her face. voice
and manner had become familiar to
him, and therefore his Identification
of her, had be visited the prison.
would have been certain, and abs fore
stsllsd him by being frat to make
statement.
When Mrs. Botkin read the pub
lisbed account about Gray aud Chief
OF Police Lee'H interview with him,
she became nervous, hut not hysterical.
She admitted that on the face Of it
matters looked dark for her, and she
endeavored to explain to her sister,
Miss Brown, and to the police matron
that her purchase had no bearing on
the case for this reasnn, she argued:
ccording to all accounts, the pois-
oned candy was mailed on August 4th
and the purchase OF arsenic by me was
made Go days before tnat date. 1t was
too long u time to carry murder in
ones heart, too long for belief.
:" Had intended to poison Mrs.
Dunning, surely ! would have sent it
on at once. bought the arssuic of
Mr.. Gray to bleach straw hat, and
have two Witnesses who saw me use
the very same arsenic. ] can produce
these witnesses whenever they are 70
quired. ("
There 10 doubt as to the character Of
the poison which was placed in the
chocolates alleged to ,haya been sent by
Mrs. Botkin to Dover. Dispatches
stated that arsunic in crystalized form
was found In the candy. II thia bs
true. than the prosecution can make
little uss of the purchase Of the poison
by Mira. Botkin.
Chemists say that arsenic once pow
oaked without the application Of in.
Botkin knew Of this, aud even il II
arsenic we're not easily obtained by
he. The police contend that ths
arsenic used was not crystallized, but
powdered. 1t is said that the cboco
lates brought to this city by Detective
MeVey cnntainsd powdered arsenic IL
sufficient quantities to kill dosar
men.
! % Ii was powdered arsenic" said De
tective Gibson, emphatically.
A point made by the prosecution
against Mrs. Botkin is her alleged pre-
varicatiun. When questioned by NJ 1871
Livsrnasn at Healdsburg some tint
ago aha denied strenuously that sh,
, had ever bought arsenic or any oths
poison.
The police are gathering evidenc,
CONCERNING Mrs. Botkin's bats with
view to disproving the story as to tn
reason for purchasing arsenic Mira
J Price of the Victoria Hotel, wher
Mrs. Botkin roonled in June. says Mrs
Botkiu'e bats were few In number AMI
not gaudy. In fact. she says she re
members Mrs. Botkin having only mn
. hat. q black straw affair, which ooul
not be bleached.
The revised requisition papers ar
: rived from Delaware yesterday. Wit
: them were afiidayitH from the person
who Witnessed the candy eRting on til
. porch Of the Dunning home In Dover
J. All Of those papers are framed unde
the direction of Chief Of Police Lsei
a and he believes they will meat ersr
e technical objection that eau be raise
o against them. These papers are now !
= the bands of the district attorney, wh
J; will lay them before the governor.
DENIED BY Mr.. DuHSISG.
h Dover, Sept. 5.--Ths statement
"a this mornings Philadelphia Inquir,
a concerning Mrs. II. r. O. Edwards an
asserting her intimacy with j. p. Dui
~ ming was most smphatically dspied t
IN him this morning in the followir
"A words: ~ never heard Of the woman.
of Mr.. Dunning left this morning Il
nj New York, shere he will resume b
/; work with the Associated Press,