The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-12-17
MRS. DO7EINS PERIL
Damaging Evidence Against the
Alleged Poisoner.
IDENTIFIED BY TWO WITNESSES.
One Woman Declares She Sold Mrs.
Botllin the Sent to Mrs.
Dunning's Daughter and Another
Identifies Her Handwriting.


Identifies Her Handwriting.
San Francisco, Dec. 1.-THE defense
in the Botkin murder trial yesterday
received the worst setback it has ex-
perienced since the case opened. The
evidence of two witnesses examined
was of such a convincing nature that
the chagrn caused by it's introduction
was plainly written upon the faces of
the accused woman and her counsel.
The evidence clearly showed that Mrs.
Botkin wrote the anonymous letters
sent to Mrs. Dunning from this city
apprising Mrs. Dunning of the alleged
misconduct of her husband, and in
forming the dead woman that she had
grounds for commencing a suit for di-
vorce The handkerchief which was
enclosed in the box of poisoned candy
was proven to have been purchased in
this city by Mrs. Botkin, a4Other link
in the chain of the prosecution.
The first important witness was Mrs.
Grace Harris. who was employed in the
City of Paris dry goods store during
May and June of this year. Mrs. Har-
ris told of the purchase of the hand
kerchief, identified the article which
she sold and stated positively that Mrs.
tain of the woman for the reason that
Mrs. BotlSin so resembled Mrs. Harris
own mother that the similarity caused
her to wonder She was certain of the
Handkerchief because 1t bore a price
mark which she herself had stamped
on the article. Cross examination
rather strengthened her evidence than
otherwise, as it brought out the fact
that Mrs. Harris took Mrs. Botkn's
address, which the purchaser gave as
the Victoria hotel, where she resided
up to the time of her arrest.
Mrs. Rouff. an aged woman and
resident Of Stockton, Cal, told of her
acquaintance with the defendant, which
was that of an intimate friend. She
alo knew Dunning very well. Mrs.
Rouff said that on one occasion she
called on Mrs. BOtkin at her rooms
and the defendant showed her a hand
kerchef, asking her if 1t was not a
beautiful one for the price. Mrs. Rouff
recognized the handkerchief sent to
Mrs. Dunnlng's daughter as being ex-
actly like the one Mrs. Botkin showed
her. The witness then identified Mrs.
Botkins handwriting in the anonymous
letter sent to Mrs. Dunning. Mrs.
Rouff was familiar with Mrs. Botkin's
writing and pointed out it's peculiari-
| ties. When shown the note that was
enclosed in the box of candy Mrs. Rouff
| stated that she believed 1t to have been
written by Mrs. Botkin. She discussed
| the samples OF writing shown her with
the ability of an expert. She recog-
nized the language of the letters as
! that of Mrs. Botl1in. Witness told of a
| conversation she had with the defend
ant on the different posons and their
| qualifications for killing mice. Later
| Mrs. Botkin was taken sick, and while
under treatment discussed poisons with
her physicians. She thought the action
of strychnine too harsh and spoke Of
arsenic of being mild in its action, and
seemed well informed upon it's other
| symptoms.
Mrs. Rouff told of another visit of
Mrs. Botllin to her Stockton home 1t
was made shortly after the perpetra-
ton Of the crime. Mrs. Botkin was
greatly excited and talked about poi-
sons, anonymous letters, and made
other remarks that puzzled Mrs. Rouff.
| On one occasion Mrs Botkin talked to
the witness about bleaching hats, and
| remarked that she had heard that
arsenic was used for that purpose.
| Defendant became agitated when in
formed by Mrs. Rouff that she would
have to give her name when she pur-
chased the poison. Upon cross exam
ination Mrs, Rouff intimated that she
thought Mrs. Botkin's illness at the
time she asked so many questions of
the doctors about poisons was a sham.
She stated that at the time Mrs. Bot
kin visited her, after the crime had
been committed, she felt certain of Mrs.
Botkin's guilt in the matter, but ex-
plalned her sympathy for her and her
care of her during her brief Illness as
being impelled by Christian spirit.