Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-09-15
A new LINK IN THE CHAIN
Seal Like That of the Box of
Poisoned Candy.
FOUND IN MRS. BOTKlN'S ROOM
Experts Say She Addressed the
Package.
Chief OF Police Lees of San Francisco Conf
dent He Has Evidence Sufficient TO Con-
vict Her of Killing Mrs. John p. Dunning
and Mrs. j. ID. Deane of Dover.

San Francisco, CAL, Sept. 13.-A
few strings and bits of paper that con-
meet Mrs. Cordelia Botkin With the
poisoning of Mrs. Dunning are now in
the possession OF the police. II has
become known that the seal on the box
of candy sold by George Haas & Son
was found in Mrs. Botkin's room. The
seal was found by A. B. Barnes, mana
ger of the Hotel Victoria, where Mrs.
Botkin had apartments at the time the
poisoned candy was sent to Dover. Mr..
Barnes on last Thursday went to tho
room which had bean occupied by Mrs.
Botkin, but which had been vacant
since her departure. He began pick
ing up articles from the floor. While en-
gagged in this occupation he found
seal, with strings hanging to it, just
as they had been cut from a package.
The seal bore the advertisement OF
George Haas & Son, proprietora Of the
store whore candy similar to the
poisoned stuff sent Mrs. Dunning was
purchased. Mr.. Barnes hastened TO
the office of the chief of police and told
his story, handing over the evidence.
This seal, when found, was lying on
the floor OF the room, out of the range
OF casual glance, as If the purchaser
had caat it aside and then forgotten all
about it.
The seal is what is known as the
quatrefoil design, and is bronze in
color. The strings to which it is fast
ened are of mingled silver and old rose
color. 1t was evident that the strings
and seal had bean cut from a package
purchased from George Haas & Son.
1t was also plain that il the purchaser
had Gesired to send ths package to
some friend there was no reason why
| the advertisement of the store should
have been removed.
Inquiries were mada by the police
with the result that it was learned
| that it III the custom at Haas store
when fancy boxes of candy ara to be
wrapped up carefully TO use the seal.
The woman who purchased candy from
NJ iss Sylvia Heney, one of the sales
women, selectad on July 3lst box OF
more than ordinary grade and requested
that it be not completely filed. as she
wanted to send it to friend and
wished to put in another present
The police believe that Mrs. b otkin
was the purchaser that Miss Heney
and Miss Kate Dittmer have been try.
ing to identify. So far Miss Dittmei
has had only glimpse OF the prisoner.
hut she, ia almsst positive that MrR.
Botkin is the woman to whom sbo sa Is
Miss Eeney sell box Of candy on july
3lst.
Mrs Botkip left her room in tht
Hotel Victoria ON August 4th, the Gny
the package of poisoned candy wa.
mailed, and no one has occupied tha'
room since. A Japanese servant swep
out the apartment every day of her nc
cupancy, and il the seal han heat
dropped on the floor prior to ugus
4th it would have been swept out ant
burned.
This is the basis of the theory nov
advanced by the police that Mrs. Bot
kin purchased the package of candy 0I
July 3lst, kept it hidden in her room
unopened until August 4tb, and thei
, , opened it. thoughtiessly throwing tn
seal and string Oh the floor before mail
ing the box TO Dover.
Chief of Police Lees believes he will
, be able to prove that Mrs. Botkii
wrote the address on the box and not
whom tina original address and the not
! were submitted for comparison wit
acknowledged examples of MrH. hol
! kin's handwriting prenouncs tn
chirography the same.
The hearing on the demand OF tn
Governor of Delaware on GDv. Bud
: for the surrender OF Mrs. Botkin come
up Thursday. Gov. Budd has bee
reading up all of the legal authoritie
= on extradition for the last week an
! will be prepared to pass on the quss
= tion promptly.