The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1899-01-05
MRS. BOTKlN GOES FOR LIFE.
The Jury, After Few Hours Dslibsrations
hsturns . Verdict Of Murder in the
Firsr Degree.

first Degree
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec Sl.-Rather to
the general surprise of those who have
followed the Botkin trial and to the
entire dismay Of the defendant and
her attorneys, Mrs. Cordelia Botkin
was Friday night found guilty of muir
der In the frst degree for causing the
death of Mrs. John p. Dunning By
sending . box Of poisoned candy to
her temporary home in Dover, Del
The condemned murderess will be
spared the ignominous death on the
gsllows, however, the jury that found
her guilty imposing also the penalty
Of life imprisonment. The verdict
wss unexpected. An acquittal was
confidently awaited by the defense,
while the prosecution feared disa.
greement. Rumors had been in circu.
lation that several of the jurors strong.
" favored the defense, and that their
opinions were too firmly grounded to
be capable Of change. Although the
jury was only out four hours, more
than one Of which was devoted to q
dinner, II was currently reported Fri.
day night that the verdict was the re-
suit of compromise. The sex of the
prisoner made such conclusion satis-
factory to the jurors.
Considering the unexpectedness Of
the verdict, Mrs. Botkin kept herself
we'll in hand when her fate was an.
nounced. Not until the jurymen and
most of the spectators had left the
court room did she give evidence Of
collapse. Then she sank back half
fainting. but speedily recovered when
given glass of water.
The jury retired at 5:55 p. M, but
soon after was taken to dinner in
charge of a deputy from the sheriffs
Office. During the meal hour no refer.
ence was made to the case by any of
the men in whose hands lay the fate Of
Mrs. Botkin.
On returning to the jury room tho
evidence was carefully gone over and
prolonged discussion followed. It 10
not known how many ballots were
taken before . anal agreement was
reached, but there are rumors that at
arst the opinions Of tho IL jurymen
were not in accord and that before
unanimity was arrived at . compro-
mise was effected.
At just about o'clock word was sent
to Judge Carroll Cook that the jury
was prepared to make a report. Court
was Immediately convened, and at o:l5
o'clock, just four hours after the case
had been placed in its hands, the jury
stated, through its foreman, that an
agreement had been reached, the YER
dict being that Mrs. Botlsin, accused Of
killing Mrs. John P. Dunning by
means of poisoned candy, sent through
the mails, was guilty Of murder in the
frst degree. In accordance with the
laws Of California, which empowers
the jury to decide between hanging
and imprisonment in such cases, the
penalty was fixed at imprisonment fol-
life.
| While at no time during the trial had
Mrs. Botkin expressed herself as antici'
pating such . verdict, she received II
with remarkable calmness, exhibiting
no trace Of emotion. though she sal
close to her sister, Mrs. Roberts, and
seemed to look to her for sympathy
After tho jury had been polled in the
usual manner, Judge Cook announced
that sentence would be pronounced on
Saturday, January Z. He then re'
msnded her to the custody Of the sher'
iR to be imprisoned in the branch
county jail until called to receive sem
tence, when she will be transferred te
| the state peniteutiary.