The San Francisco call., 1899-01-02
OVerWrought Nerves
Have Given Way.
"A MAD BURST OF PASSION
SHE ATTACKS ALL CONNECTED
WITH THE CASE.
Every Loophole in the Law Will Be
Taken Advantage Of in an
Attempt to Free the
Woman.

The overwrought nerves OF Mrs. Cor
della Botkin have at last given way un-
der the strain to which they have been
subjected during the past four months
Contrary to the information first given
out by her attendants, the condemned
womafr>sollapsed completely after reach
ing the branch jail on Friday night. She
was delirious, and in her mad rawlings at
tackled everybody even remotely connect
ed with the case in which she has been
the central figure. The vehemence of her
actions and of her denunciations left her
a limp and weak figure of distress.
She had not recovered from this yester-
day, and she remained in her bed all day
Her sisters, who have not left her side
since the verdict of the jury was rendered,
ministered carefully to her wants, antici-
pating her wishes and endeavoring to dis
tract her attention as much as possible
from the events of the past few days.
During the afternoon Senator Frank
MCGOWAN, who was associated with
George Knight in the defense of the
woman, called at the jail and spent some
time with his client. Mrs. Botkin entered
into a general discussion of the case in
all its phases, and was interested in
learning of the steps to be taken looking
toward securing her freedom. Her attor
neys have already outlined their plan of
campaign, the first move in which Will be
made on Saturday next. That is the time
fixed by Judge Carroll Cook for the pass
ing of sentence, and a motion for a new
trial will then be made. 1t is seldom d
trial Judge grants this application, so the
Supreme Court Will then be appealed to
for relief. When the case goes to the
highest tribunal every question the at
torneys can raise in connection with 1t
will be presented for decision. These will
include not only the questions which have
developed during the course of the trial
but will also include the matter of the
jurisdiction of California courts in pass
ing upon the celebrated case. The attor-
neyS for Mrs. Botkln express no fear as
TO what the outcome Of their appeal will
be-they expect their client to be granted
her freedom.
The attorneys for the defense have been
casting about for reasons that would ex-
plain away the verdict and have found an
other fact to add TO those already adduced.
There were an unusual number of Jews
on the jury, and the friends Of the pris-
oner took this as d good omen, as the
men of that race are known to frown
down anything that looks like oppres-
sion. They thought this characteristic
would be a point in favor of their
client, but there is another trait in the
Jewish character even more strongly
marked, and that is the high value they
place on commercial honor.
1t was on this rock the defense was
wrecked. Their principal witness, pro-
teSSional man, had recently repudiated a
bill which he owed one of the jurors, and
when the others were informed of this
they at once cast out his testimony and
gave no further heed to it. Next to the
relied upon by the defense to create that
reasonable doubt which they thought
would save Mrs. Botkin from being
branded murderesS.