Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-01-05
.CORDELlA BOTKIN CONVICTED.
Jury Rendered a Verdict of
Murder in First Degree.
PENALTY is LIFE IMPRISONMENT
The Closing Scenes of the
Sensational Trial.


San Francisco, Gal, Lee 3O.--Ihe
Jury in the Botkin case has returned
verdict OF murder in the first degree,
with penalty fixed ut life Imprisonment.
Mrs. Cordelia Botkin was charged
with the murder of Mrs. John p. Dun
box OF poisoned candy through the
nails Late this afternoon District
Attorney Hosmer completed his argu.
ment, and Judge Carroll Cook read
bis charge to tile Jury, after which it
retired for deliberations
A settled sadness, has fallen upon
Mrs. Botkin. She is like one in a
nightmare. She shakes her head as one
In dream, and tears stream from her
T eyes, Yesterday her tears dropped
silentlySall day. She fhas been trans,
formed from brisk little xantippe
into melting Niobe. st el
She has been accused of being stony
hearted, but her fintiness has gone.
Those tears are not simulated There
are bands beneath her eyes, and her
whole features have set. in q despairing
mold. She and her two sisters, all
three shrouded IN heayy,nuu.like wells,
sat in q drooping rowland wept silently
through the day.
Mr.. Hosnlef icornniehced rhis closing
argument with the incidents attending
the arrival OF the package of candy ut
the Dover. Del, postohlce. He pic
tured the grief of the parents and
friends of the Pennington and Dunning
families, and concluded with a scath-
ing attack upon the prisoner. He took
up the analysis of the candy by
Chemist Wolf of Dover, Del, and Prof.
Price;of this city, pointing out that
Chemist Wolf had found lump arsenic
and that DIR. Price had discovered the
presence ofipowdered arsenic. The de-
Tense, in argument, asserted that only
lump arsenic had been found.
He attacked Attorney knight, and
characterized his efforts to free his
client as dishonest and despicable.
The attacks of the defence, he said,
had ended in naught, not one witness
having been contradicted. lie Their
took up Mrs. Botkin's testimony anc
showed that in spite Of Mrs. Botkin's
defence to the contrary that the woman
had more than passing regard for Dun
ming; that her life with him was
licentious and depraved. Mr.. Hosmel
said that Dunning would not hay,
gone through what he had unless b,
was certain of the guilt Of Mrs. Bot
kin; that he would not have disclosed
their relations and been exposed to tn,
criticism OF the newspapers and publi'
without iustreason. After tracing tn,
career of Dunning and Mrs. Botkin t,
that point, he said the woman, sick a
heart at the idea of her lover desertin,
her and thristing for his presence, tool
desperate measures. She killed tn
woman who stood i'm her way, hi
charged. He concluded by asking TO
verdict Of murder in the first degree
Alters brief recess. Judge Cook de
livered This charge to the jury. tn
reading Of which occupied more thal
an hour. The jury then retired to de
liberate on the guilt Or innocence Q
the accused woman. ~.
Son Francisco, CAL, Dec. 81. Mrs
BotkinA lawyers do not propose to nc
cepts as final the verdict of the iur
finding, her guilty of the murder c
Mrs, Dunning without making stron
effort to obtain q new trial and, posi-
bly,, reversal of the Judgment.
George A. Knight, the leading attol
\ ney for the defence, says: Our frs
step will be to move for new trial o
the day set for the passing Of sentence
or as soon thereafter as we can |
heard. II the new trial is denied, {
course we shall go to the Supre1r
Court, and at that time will raise til
question Of jurisdiction. This coul
never had, and never can, get iuri
diction to try Mrs. Botkin. 1t is
plain question of law, and l have nj
The slightest doubt Of the Supren
Courts decision on that point. I"
After her arrival at the Branc
county jail, Mrs. Botkin broke dow
completely, and for some time ga
vent to her anguish in sobbing ant
occasionally, shrieking.
It. is stated that the first ballot stot
10 for hanging and two for life impri
onment., The second ballot was ii I
hanging and one for life Imprisonment
But the one stood firm, and, after nut
discussion, the other IL went over
him.