Evening journal., 1898-12-29
MRS. BOTKIN'S ORDEAL
Arguments Have Begun in
the Famous Trial.
DBIAwAREs ATTORNEY SPEAKS

THE JURY IAlFREsSED MFRS. Rot
KIN FolRcDBLY - ATTORNEY
GEORGE KNIGHT Makes A CEN
ERlAL DENUNCrATGON OF ALL
WITNESSES WHO TEsTuFIED
FOR TINE DEFENSE.
San Francisco. CAL, Dec. 29.-Yester-
day w0s the most interesting I'M the
history OF the trial Of Mrs. COrdelaa
Bogkin for the murder OF Mrs. John
Preston Dunning, OF Dover Del.
The proceedings opened with an ar
gument by Attorneys General White,
OF Delaware. for the prosecution. Mr..
White addressed the jury quietly, ana
proceeded to review the testimony
brought out during the trial. He cali
ed akten.iOn TO the chain or circum-
stanial evidence against Mrs. Botkln,
and said that II the jury believed the
evidence cf the witnesses for the prose
cution, then Mrs. Botkin must be con-
victed OF murder In the first degree.
Mr. White diweit upon the awfulness
OF the crime and the unsuspecting, de-
lfenseiess condition of the victims. HIS
argument lasted all through the morn
ling, and during its progress Mrs. Bot
kin listened most attentively AS Nh.
White concluded she leaned her head
on her arms and seemed to be gravely
laffected.
AT the afternoon session ATTORNEY
George Knigh5 made the argument fo1
the defense. Mr.. Knighes reputation
as an orator and ability as a criminaa
lawyer attracted an enormous crown
10 the court room. Mr.. knight talked
: for nearly three hours and endeavored
TO convince the jury OF the weakness
of the prosecugona case and the lack
of motive for committing such a
crime by Mrs. Botkln. Mt. Knight
urged the jury NOT to be influenced by
the outcry caused by the recent ac-
quittal OF Walter Rosser. the Tennes,
see soidlar who murdered an inoffen
, eive citizen OF SIAN Francisco. and re
ferred to the MaybTick and Dreyfus
cases as instances OF suffering OF inno-
cent people because OF public opinion.
Mr. Knight denounced DR.. Bishop
the Dover physician. who attended the
. poisoned women and was most blttel
5 in his condemnation OF the methods OF
the San Francisco police. Mr.. Dunnine
thehusband Of one Of the murderedwo-
lInfII NIEO NAilE III llI u huAIt OA AHN
! attorneys vitrioNc sentences. Pauticu.
Y lar attention was called to the fact thai
Mrs. Botlzin. the alleged author OF th'
anonymous letters chat were mailed II
u san Francisco In June. was in Eureka
e CAL. al of tha. month and could mo-
l. have possibly maiied the letters here
4 Mrs Grace Harris. who identified Mrs
ID BOtkfn as the woman who purchases
(, the handkerchief found In the box o
Ie poisoned candy was denounced as al
q untruthful and dissoluue woman. Th'
" testimony OF the candy girls, who iden
T. titled Mrs. Botlkin as the woman whit
% purchased the candy. was also vigor
ousiy at.hcked by the lawyer.
In speaking about the alleged pur
chase Of arsenic by Mrs. Botldn Oh
=, June /, Knight sought to show the i'm
~ probability OF her keeping the pOisoi
- until July 81. when she bought Oh
. candy He did not, however, directl
b deny the purchase OF arsenic.
y Writing Expert Ames. who cam
/ here from New York and testified tina
m Mrs. BOtkin was the author OF tn
n anonymous Letters, and also addresee
the wrapper on the candy box, wa
a. denounced as coming here and testify
ls ing for the prosecution because he wa
re paid to testify THAT way. Mr. Knigh
e lay great stress upon the fact tina
rs arsenic found In the candy was I
q lump form, whereas Druggist Gre
r testified that Mrs. Botldn purchase
Or powdered arsenic. He also said ther
re was no legal proof that Mrs. Dunnin
40 had died of arsenical poisoning. A
Il autopsy he said, was necessary
prove the cause OF death in any DO
:. soning case.
" Mr.. Knigh cOntended that the proe'
cution had failed to show a motive O
Mrs. Bctkin's part for the commiseio
IS. OF the crime. 1t had been shown dur
e. ing the trial that Mrs. Botlzin ha
ri, persistently refused to assist her hui
ei band TO procure a divorce, and tn
ak showed THAT she had no desire
nn marry Mr.. Dunning.
nd Mr. Knight closed with a bri.liai
Ne perOration, in which he described Mr.
an Botkin as an Innocent. prosecuted w
~ man. and he urged the jury to acqu
ne her Of the horrible suspicion that he
re rested on her through the machinatic
"a of the police.
hc Attorney MeGowen will make an a
n gument for the defense to-day, an
Distrlct Attorney HCsmer will cloi
forthe prosecution. II Is 'xpects
,is that the case Will be given to the jul
TOMORROW morning