The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-12-29

and the Prisoners Counsel Makes u
Brilliant Pies For the Acqulttal OF
His Client.
San Francisco, Dec. 29.-Yesterday
was the most interesting day of the
Botkin case since the trial Of the wo-
man for the murder of Mrs. Dunning
commenced. The proceedings opened
with an argument by Attorney General
| White, Of Delaware, for the prosecu-
ton. Mr.. White addressed the jury
quietly, and proceeded to review the
testimony brought out during the trial.
He called attention to the chain Of
circumstancial evidence against Mrs
Botkin, and said that if the jury be-
lieved the evidence of the witnesses for
the prosecution then Mrs. Botkin must
be convicted of murder in the first de-
gree. Mr.. White dwelt upon the awful
ness of the crime and the unsuspected
defenseless condition of the victims
His argument lasted all through the
morning and during its progress Mrs.
Botkin listened most attentively. As
Mr.. White concluded she leaned her
head on her arms and seemed to be
greatly affected.
At the afternoon session Attorney
George Knight made the argument for
the defense. Mr.. knights reputation
as an orator and ability as a criminal
lawyer attracted an enormous crowd
to the court room. Mr.. Knight talked
for nearly three hours and endeavored
to convince the jury Of the weakness
OF the prosecutions case and the lack
OF motive for committing such a
crime by Mrs. Botkin. Mr.. Knight
urged the jury not to be influenced by
the outcry caused by the recent ac-
quittal of Walter Rosser, the Tennes-
see soldier, who murdered an inoffen-
siVe citizen of San Francisco, and re-
ferred to the Maybrick and Dreyfus
cases as instances Of suffering of in
nocent people because OF public opin-
ion.
Mr.. Knight denounced Dr. Bishop.
the Dover physician. who attended the
poisoned woman, and was most bitter
In his condemnation of the methods Of
the San Francisco police. Mr.. Dunning,
the husband of one Of the murdered
women, also came in for share of the
attorneys vitriolic sentences. Particu-
lar attention was called to the fact
that Mrs. Botkin, the alleged author of
the anonymous letters that were mall
ed in San Francisco in June, was in
Eureka, Cal. all of that month and
could not have possibly mailed the let
ters here. Mrs. Grace Harris, who
Identified Mrs. Botkin as the woman
who purchased the handkerchief which
was found in the box of poisoned candy,
was denounced as an untruthful and
dissolute woman. The testimony of the
candy girls who identified Mrs. Bot
kin as the woman who purchased the
candy was also vigorously attacked
by the lawyer.
In speaking about the alleged pur-
chase of arsenic by Mrs Botkin on
June / Knight sought to show the inn
probability of her keeping the poison
until July 81, when she bought the
candy He did not. however, directly
deny the purchase of arsenic.
Writing Expert Ames. who came here
from New York and testified that Mrs.
Botkin was the author of the anony-
nous letters and also addressed the
wrapper on the candy box, was de-
nounced is coming here and testifying
for the prosecution because he was
paid to testify that way. Mr.. Knight
lay great stress upon the fact that
arsenic found in the candy was In lump
form, whereas Druggist Grey testified
that Mrs. Botkin purchased powdered
arsenic. He also said there was no
legal proof that Mrs. Dunning had died
of arsenical poisoning, An autopsy,
he said, was necessary to prove the
cause of death in any poisoning case
Mr.. Knight contended that the prosecu-
tion had failed TO show a motive Of
Mrs, Botkin's part for the commission
of the crime 1t had been shown dur
ing the trial that Mrs, Botkin had per-
sistently refused TO assist her husband
to procure a divorce, and this showed
that she had no desire to marry Mr..
Dunning.
Mr.. Knight closed with a brilliant
peroration, in which he described Mrs.
Botkin as an innocent, persecuted wo-
man, and he urged the jury to acqult
her of the horrible suspicion that had
rested on her through the Vaccinations
of the police.
Today Attorney MCGOWAN opened his
argument for the defense, and District
Attorney Hosmer will close for the
prosecution. 1t is expected that the
case will be given to the jury tomorrow
morning.