Evening journal., 1898-08-26
WE HAVE THE POISONER
So said Attorney General White
in an Interview at Dover.
MRS. BOTKIN PLANNEDTHEsoHEMB

MINED TO HAVE THE MAN SHE
LOVED NO MATTER WHAT THE
COST.
Dover, August 26.-For the first
time since the poisoning Of Mrs. Dun
ming and Mrs. Deane, Attorney-Gen-
eral White was to-day willing to talk
Of the sensational affair.
The encouragement said: Il am
positive that we have the poisoner of
Mrs. j. ID. Deane and Mrs. j. P. Dun
ming under arrest in San Francisco,
and she will be brought here within
three weeks to stand trial, which I
have not the least diubt will result
in her conviction. We have the evil
dence against Mrs Botkin that no de-
fence can shatter. The only thing we
now fear is her self-destruction."
WORKINGS OF THE CASE.
MIR. White then went into the details
Of the case and explained how it had
been worked up. 1t appears that Mr..
Pennington watched the mails after
Mrs. Dunning confded to him about
two anonymous letters that she had
received. He intercepted the third let
ter, keeping it from his daughter.
These letters warned Mrs. Dunning
that her husband was leading a dual
life and Mr.. Pennington held the let
ter in his possession until he turned
it over to the attorney-general to make
one of the strong links in the states
evidence.
It was these letters that gave Mr..
Pennington his first suspicious Of foul
play, and he communicated those sus-
picions to Mr. White. An expert pro-
nounced the handwriting in the letters
the same as the note and on the wrap
per of the fatal candy.
Mr.. Dunning identified the handwrit-
ing as that Of Mrs. Botkin, and it was
compared with still another letter. In
the meantime, Mrs. Botkin was watch
ed from last Saturday on. No other
person is accused.
The letters did not give the name Of
the woman on whom Dunning had
been showering his intentions, as the
letters alleged, but spoke of her as an
English woman with whom he was on
good terms. This gave clue as to the
identity Of the woman, for Mrs. Bothn
is an English woman. Her husband ia
also English, and they were married In
England, it is said. 1t took but few in
quiries in San Francisco to tell Of the
movements Of Dunning and to throw
suspicion upon Mrs. Botkin. The in
formation in the hands OF the Della
ware authorities was sent to the po-
lice in San Francisco by the Delaware
officers, and the Western police did ex-
cellent work on the case.
NO DOUBT OF CONVICTION.
Attorney-General White and his able
assistant, Peter L. Cooper, Jr., say that
the case has been finished for the time
being and that they have no doubt Of
a conviction. Mr.. White, who has been
reticent concerning the case since II
was commenced, felt pleased to-day
over the success which had attended
the efforts to locate the murderer. He
felt that there was nothing to hold
back longer.
"On the day after the inquest" said
the attorney general, Il reached Dover
early and at once concluded that a
woman, jealous Of Dunning's happy
home in Delaware. prepared this awful
crime and intended to kill only his wife
and child, as the note inside indicated
} We compared the handwriting with
three anonymous letters sent to Mrs
Dunning, one of which Mr.. Penning
ton had intercepted and found it al
strikingly similar. We Immediately
communicated with the California au
thorities, writing them full details and
our own suspicious. Mr. Cummings ar
= rival and interview only clinched oui
proof. He suspected Mrs. Adalaid'
Botl1in and positively identified th'
handwriting as hers, proving it by
letter in his own pocket. We believ'
Mr.. Dunning held nothing back, an'
that he will vigorously support us IL
this prosecution"
REQUISITTON PAPERS SIGNED.
At 4.40 o'clock yesterday Afternoon
Governor Tunnell signed the requisi
tion papers for Mrs. Botkin, and the.
were forwarded last night to the au
thorities in San Francisco by Wells
Fargo express and were not sent by
. messenger. Attorney-General White
Governor Tunnel, Secretary Of Stat
James II. Hughes and several newspa
per representatives were the only one
d present when the papers were signed
; Attorney-Gensral White immediatel
thereafter said that in the event O
I fight on part Of the California authori
; ties over the requisition of Mrs. Bot
kin. he would send Deputy Attorney
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