The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-11
Mrs. Botkin Visited
Her August 8.
BUT THAT WAS ABOUT ALL
GOVERNOR BUDD SETS TUESDAY
FOR THE HEARING.
He Will Hold an Open Session at the
Palace Hotel-Gathering Up
the Last Threads of
the Case.

Another witness has broken into"
the case against Mrs. Cordelia Botkin.
and the record of the new evidence was
filed yesterday with the numerous
other statements that Chief Lees has
been preparing for the consideration of
Governor Budd.
The new affidavit is not the corpulent
document that the prosecution had
hoped it would be, nor does the story
it tells strengthen to the extent that
was expected the case of the pros
ecution against the prisoner.
1t recites, in fact, that on the after
noon of August 8, Mrs. Cordelia Botkin
called upon Mrs. J. NJ. Carter at her
apartments at the Hotel Wentworth on
Bush street. OF the conversation that
ensued Mrs. Carter retained no clear
remembrance except that Mrs. Botkin
announced upon taking leave that on
the next day she expected to leave for
Healdsburg, and babe her friend good
by.
Though it had been the custom of
Mrs. Carter and Mrs. Botkin to ex-
change visits from time to time, Mrs.
Carter could recall no occasion upon
Which she had accompanied Mrs. Bot
kin upon any of her numerous shopping
tours. She was positive that she had
not done so during the month of July
Upon this point and with regard to
the general conversation, Mrs. Carter
was rigidly questioned but not all the
adeptness of her inquisitors elected one
compromising word, nor uncovered one
positive, valuable fact.
That Mrs. Carter should go the way
of the half dozen other of their star
witnesses was a body blow to the pros
ecution. Since it was discovered that
the handkerchief that covered the
deadly chocolates had been purchased
at the City of Paris the best energies
of the Chief and of Detectives Gibson
and McVey have been expended in
combined effort to trace the course Of
Mrs. Botkin through some one of her
more recent shopping tours.
There were witnesses in plenty
among the clerks of the City of Paris
who knew Mrs. Botkin and who had.
on divers occasions, waited upon her
wants or cashed the numerous postal
notes that she was in the habit Of
bringing to the store for that purpose.
But no one of them could recall the
names or faces of the friends who are
known to have accompanied her, nor
could one be found to fix a date nor
the goods she purchased The one con-
meeting link that from the beginning
has set at naught their best efforts was
evidently not to be found in the CITY
of Paris.
Chief Lees, however, persisted in his
search, though through other channels.
and a day or so ago in some way. just
how he declines to say, discovered the
missing link in Mrs. Carter.
She was hailed forthwith into the
presence of the inc ldsition and there. in
words, demonstrated that as the link
in a very few minutes and very few
she was a non-success.
For the present Chief Lees will give
no more time or energy in a hunt
for fresh evidence The case will
go before Governor Budd on Tues
day as it now stands. The subse-
quent campaign of the prosecu-
ton Will be decided by his action upon
the reQuisition