The San Francisco call., 1898-08-22
HER NAME IS MRS. SHELBY
MURDERED WoMAN's HUSBAND
 TELLS OF OTHERS.
He Wrote Loving Letters to HIS Wife and Mrs Botkin While
 He Was at the Seat of War.

in fDover, Del, by Whlch Ihedh@ w - suspecting women were fouily inui N, uei eu
 Late last night Call reporter learned the name of the mysterious blonde woman who was one of Dunning's intimate com nanions She is Mrs. Seeley, widow who formerly lived In Chicago. one was
 at one time a very warm friend or Mrs' w. A. Botkin, another of Dunnlng pooH 1 companions. Mrs. Susan M. Moore, who was the land 1adv at No 927 Geary street when Dun- ming and Mrs. Botkin boarded there, gives some interesting information concerning Mrs. Seeley.
 .Thts Mrs. Seeley came very frequently to my house to play cards with MT. Duli- ming and Mrs Botkin, said she yesierz day "She was a pretty woman ana looheu quite young although Mrs. Botkln after ward told me she was about 3I. aCcl- dentally met Mrs. Seeley one eVenlns s
 when going Into Mrs. Botk1n room Wied ,I d a pitcher Of water. Mrs. Botkin s son ana MT Cunning were there. After Mrs. gee, ley had been introduced to me sne ldlheu
 a few minutes and told me that she came
 from Chicago and was out on the coast .;t,,e to
 spend a winter and to have soou tune.
 She was a blonde, with light brown halI and blue eyes. She was tastefully dresseu and seemed to have money. do not know
 where she lived. but she came 10 Vlslt Mrs. Botkin quite often; 1 thlnk she was
 originally friend of Mrs. Botkin.
 Later on the two women had violent quarrel over something and never made
 up. They did not speak, Then came
 something queer Mrs. Seeley tried to marry Mrs Botzin's son, who was only 23. Mrs. Botkin said to me that 1t was only for spite. The son went to Stock ton last year and Mrs: Seeley followed him. It was announced that they were to be married. Mrs. Botkin hurried after them and the marriage did not take place. The way that l understood it was broken off was that Mrs. Seeley found that young Botkin had no money. That was what she was after, think. Since then I do not know what became of her.
 But l tell you she was altogether too lively! Why one night I had to go up to the door of the room where they were having card party and tell them to be quiet. as the other roomers were com, plaining. They-Mrs. Seeley, Cunning and Mrs. Botkin--were laughing at the top of their voices. Mrs. Seeley was amusing them by climbing up on the shoulders of and then leaping off upon the fioori The floor shook and boarder down stairs, MT. Craft, told me he was afraid the chandelier would come down on his head"
 Was Cunning mixed up in the quar- rel?" was asked.
 "I don't know what it was all about. and his lady friends used to drink large quantities of whisky. They would leave whisky bottles scattered around In their rooms after card party. They drank to excess. l was glad when they went away. They never could have remained in my house if I had not needed the room rent. Mrs Botkin had a room on the same floor with Mir Cunning and they were much together. They went out frequently to- gether. In the evening with Mrs. Seeley they enjoyed themselves usually in Mrs. came, so far as I knew. Nor were there any other men, except occasionally Mrs. Botkin's son. Once in a while they would invite Mime. Thompson, music teacher. who roomed across the hall, to partici- pate in their card games. She was per feet lady and never took part Tn any of their boisterous doings. She was only in there with them once or twice. One day went into the room and saw a photo graph of MT. Dunnings little girl and I said to him, It's too bad that you have ily.' The time that Mrs. Botkin remained with me was about three months. After MT. Dunning left Mrs. Botkin said that she didn't care to stay longer, and soon track of her after that. was too glad to have them leave"
 Cunning travelled the primrose way at a lively pace after his wife went East about two years ago. He played the races. drank heavily, associated with women and finally lost his position. Dur friends and acquaintances frequently saw him at the races and elsewhere with a short, middle-aged woman. who Is de- scribed as an English brunette; She was apparently about 40 years old, and was not a familiar figure around town.
 Mrs. w A. Botl8in, married woman living apart from her husband, fits the above description. She Is known to have been very close friend of Dunning. They roomed at the same house and frequently visited the racetrack together: Mrs. Bot kin has been living in Healdsburg with her sister for some time. Last week, when she learned of the murder of Mrs. Dun ming, she went to stockton, where her husband resides. Whether or not she mas any knowledge of the tragedy Is not yet known.
 Prior to his wife's departure for her home about two years ago Dunning chief vices were drinking and gambling His wife endeavored by every means In her power to reclaim him, but succeeded only to a limited extent in checking ms spend his evenings at home by inviting friends to dinner and to play cards. IL Is not known that he had any demoral1z- ing alliances at that time; ne was slmply .laIs a victim of appetite ana the gaming craze was strong within him.
 Freed from all restraint by the depart ure of his wife he soon fonnd h ties fa,n Mnifn t such degree that he allowed his manor ata to read his wife's letters.
 The theory, of the murder e,, wnicn h seems hns associated with. who was lnfatuateo with 1 Cunning, learning that he had reformed and was about to return to ms eaifs Wifs intending to murder her, hoping subse- quently to wed the object of her affection
 The only information the police have on the double murder is that which has been published in the city newspapers
 'So far I have received no word rom the police authorities of Dover regarding the Cunning poisoning case. said Chief Lees yesterday. "They have not sent me the wrapper that was around the candy, letters or anything else.
 Have you not detailed an officer to look into the case?N
 we have. nothing to work on except what has appeared In the newspapers. did have an officer investigate stories of Dunning's escapades. the interviews with friends of MT and Mrs. Dunning which appeared in The Call and other papers, and found the statements in the main cor rect. It strikes me, however, that Mrs. w. A. Botkin, who was so well acquainted with Dunning according to her own re- ported admissions, ought to be able to tell good deal about this case.p
 Mrs. Harry c. Good of ffS5 Ellis street, who was one of Mrs. Dunnings most in- innate friends in this city, said yesterday: 'Mr. Cunning and his wife had disa- greement of some sort about two years ago. The Cummings were very intimate with our family and usually spent two evenings each week at our house. Some times they took their Sunday dinners with us. When Mrs Dunning west East in the fall two years ago, 1t was the. un- derstanding that she would return about Christmas. She told me she would be boa ~, 1z loxy oC