The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1898-12-31
ARo. nOrKlN UulLlY
OF Au der IN the First D gee

pt hu der IA tht tlTst y gee.
she We keued lss- @
San Francisco. Dec 9o-Rather to the
general surprise OF those who have fol-
lowed the Botkin trial. and to the entire
dismay OF the defendant and her att
,oueys. Mrs. Corieia Botan was toe
night found guilty Of murder iu The first
degree for causing the death OF Mrs John
T. Duuniug by sending a box OF poisoned
candy to her temporary home in Dover,
Dd. The condemned murderess will Doe
spared am ignominious death ON the gal-
lows. however. the jury that found her
guilty Imposing also the penalty of life
Imprisonment
The verdict W. unexpected. Acquitnl
was confidently aited by the defense
while the prosecution feared a Disagree
mcut Rumors had been I'm circulation
to the effect that several of the jurors
strongly favored the defense and that
their opinions were too strongly ground
ed to DE capable OF q change Although
the jury was only ont four hours more
chan one OF which was devoted to dinner.
90 is currently reported tonight that the
verdict was the result of a compromise
| The sex of the prisoner made such com
cluslon satisfactory to the jurors
Considering the uueNpectedness of the
verdict. Mrs Botun kept herself well in
hand when her fate was announced. Not
untu the iarypmen and most OF the spec-
at1rs had left the court room, dd sho
give evidence OF collapse
| Then she sunk back half fainuuE. but
! speedily revived when given a glass 90
water.
( The jury retired at 555 p M. but soon
! after was taken 90 dinner in charge of
| q deputy from the sherins office During
! The meal no reference was made Go the
case by any one of the men iu whose
| hands lay the fate Of Mrs. Botkn ON
| returning TO the jury room the evidence
was carefully reviewed and general
discussion followed. 10 is not known how
many ba.lota were taken before a final
agreement was reached, but there are
rumors that at first the opinions of the
! twelve men were not In accord and that
before unanmity was arrived a compro-
misc was Effected
AT about nine O'Clock word was sent
to Judge Carroll Cook that the jury was
prepared to make a report. Court was im-
mediately convened. and at 915. the jury
through its foreman stated that an ag-
reement had been reached and that the
verdict being that Mrs. Botkin. accused
of killing Mrs. John Z. Dunning. by
means OF poisoned candy sent through
the malls was guilty of murder in the FIRST
degree. i'm accordance with the laws OF
California. which empower the jury TO
decide between hanging and imprison-
ment in such cases. the penalty was fixed
at Imprisonment for life
While at no time during the trial had
Mrs Botkin expressed herself as antlc-
raung such verdict, she received
with remarkable calmness. exhibiting no
trace OF emotion though she sat close
Co her sister, Mrs. Roberts and seemed
90 look TO her for sympathy
After the jury had been poled, ia lgc
Cook announced that sentence would be
pronounced on Saturday, January T. tIc
then remanded the prisoner 70 the GUS
todl fthe sheriff 20 be imprisoned In
The branch county Jail until called 10 re-
csive final Judgment. when she wiH be
transferred 90 the state penitcntiary
FINALLY WEAKENED
The court room was cleared when. just
after Mrs. Botkn had announced I'm o
clear voice that she was ready 10 go with
tho sheriff to prison. occurred the oniy
sensational incident Of the evening The
condemned woman was about to rise
when her highly strung nerves seemed TO
relax and suddenly she fen back into .he
arms OF Mrs Roberts. 1t was Thought
she had tainted but in a moment a glass
of wafer revived her and she resumed her
usual appearance, though the tense per-
y0us strain was sim apparent in the
twitching OF her facial muscles ana the
quick movement OF her hands "a her fu-
gers drummcd on the table Ia few
minutes she apparently shook of an
sibns uf excitement and quietly accom-
panied the deputy sheriff from the court
room.