The San Francisco call., 1898-12-15
T HE prosecution of Mrs. Cor
 della Botkin has now reached

HE prosecution or MrS. Cor
 della Botkin has now reached
 8 critical stage. For the first time since the hearing of testi- mony began the name of the ac- cused woman was used yesterday un- der dramatic circumstances. One wit ness testified positively that Mrs. Botkin purchased arsenic at the Owl drug store on June l. Another de- clared her belief that the defendant had bought the box of candy that was subsequently, poisoned. Every effort of the defense to break the effect of this evidence was without avail.
 The attorney for Mrs. Botkin at- tempted to threaten and to browbeat, but his attack was without effect. The defense found some consolation in the fact that third witness for the State failed in what the prosecu- tion evidently expected him to do. He also had sold arsenic about June l, but he could not swear that he had sold it to Mrs. Botkin. When pressed for definite answer he said there was doubt enough in his mind for him to declare that he did not sell the drug to Mrs. Botkin.
 The case for the prosecution is now nearing it's close. Efforts will be made to trace the handkerchief found with the candy to Mrs. Botkin. Ex- perts on handwriting will swear that the accused woman wrote the ad- dresses on the box of candy, and then John P. Cunning will take the wit ness stand to show that Mrs. Bot kin had a motive for murder. The proceedings yesterday were of a very sensational character.
 There was very little to indicate In the preliminary proceedings yesterday in the trial of Mrs. Cordeha Botkin that the nest exciting day of the case was to ensue. Before the last witness of the day had been relieved, however, the accused woman had been more SC riously than before placed on the de- fensive. The attorneys for the prose- cution and the defense had clashed and wrangled. Judge Cook had sharply reprimanded one of them and had threatened to clear the courtroom of the hundreds of curious andmorbid people who occupy every available seat, throng the galleries crowd the aisles and encroach even upon the inclosure Tn which sits the Judge. Incident after incident of excitement crowded one upon the other during the day. and for the first time Mrs. Botkin displayed unmistakable signs of the fear that is within her.
 The prosecution has now begun it's direct case against the accused woman. Until yesterday the officers of State were concerned by necessity to prove the fact of the Dover murders. This has been done as far as the prosecutors are able to do 1t. The case has turned from that of the State of the murders to the specific accusation of the woman charged.
 When court convened the audience expected th John P. Cunning. husband of one of the murdered women, would be placed upon the stand to tell the disgraceful story of his relationship to Mrs. Botkin, to swear that she wrote the address on the death package and to establish with his recital a motive for the alleged crime of the woman The audience was disappointed. The prosecution intends to hold John P Dunning for it's last witness, who will 20 upon the stand after Mrs. Botkir has been connected with the murders as far as the evidence of the State vii permit.
 Thomas Price was the first witness ot the day MT. Price is the local chemist and was needed by the prosecution tc complete it's proof that there was stil arsenic in the poisoned candies after the Dela ware officials had turned the box over to the police authorities oi this city. MT. Price was equal to the occasion. He testified that he had made a chemical analysis of some oi the poisoned candy and had found ar eenic The results of his investigation were identical with those of Dr. T. R. Wolf, and George Knight. who knows the wisdom of leaving shrewd wit nasses alone, devoted practically nc time to cross examination. Dr. Wolf ,r,as then recalled for few minor ques- +ions and with his testimony the State closed one of the great departments of it's case.
 In closing one department and open ing another the prosecutors did so in a clever transition. Both Price and Dr. T. R. Wolf had testified that arsenic is never used for the purpose of bleach ing. The next witness on the stand swore that he had sold arsenic to Mrs Botkin because the woman assured him that she wished to use the poisonous