Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-05-31


afternoon in questioning the officers Of
Branch Jail No. 2 concerning the al
legged absence of Mrs. 1BotiSin from, that
Institution on Sunday morning, Arril
ed. Afiidavits of the most positive
character tend to show that Judge
Cook was mistaken in saying that he
saw the celebrated prisoner riding on
Guerrero street car that morning.
The mistake, however, has given Mrs.
Botkin new hope, which she Is fondly
oherishing, and which, she contends,
must ultimately lead to her liberation.
Sheriff Lackmann, in company with
Attorney Herrin and Notary D. @.
Pratt, arrived at the Jail about o'clock
and immediately summoned the officials
/. before him. Mrs. Botkin was also
brought in, and, after some hesitaDcy,
signed an affidavit directly contradict
ing the statement of Judge Cock. After
mentioning two occasions when she left
the Jail upon the authority of the
sheriff, the affidavit continues: "She
was not outside the Branch County
Jail on the 22d Of April, 1900, or upon
any other day; that she was not upon
the Guerrero street car, or upon any
not see Judge Carroll Cook upon that
d aays <Alhhufitb " biio bdulc oubbb
were made by Mrs. Mary Conlan, as
sistant matron /. F. kincaid, super
intendent; William Nixon, assistant
superintendent; Mrs. Rose @. Kincaid,
matron, and John Gillespie, gate.
keeper. With this array of evidence
Sheriff Lackmann states that there is
absolutely no truth in the story. Mrs.
Botkin supplements her affidavit with
the statement that she would not go
out on the streets of San francisco If
permitted to do SO. The very sight of
the place and people is distasteful to
her, while she abhors the democratic
street car. She is delighted that her
case has taken this turn and hopes
that it will serve to liberate her when
her appeal is argued before the Supreme
Court. In her comfortable apartments
Z Mrs. Botkin received Chronicle re-.
porter very graoiously. She appears to
be in perfect health, there being not
the slightest trace OF i'll effects from
long confinement.
In speaking of Judge Cooks mistake,
she eaid: Nothing can be further from
the truth than the statement made by
my trial judge. to wit, that l was
wandering around over the city In a
cable car two weeks ago to-day. As a
AioetoA VI ldCNt udft
never PASSED through the portals of
this prison but twice in this year.
Once under decided protest as court
witness and again to visit dentist,
after several long months of suffering.
Both times / was under Capt. Kincaid' g
careful surveillance and was driven in
his private turnout. | can assure the
judge and the people who are holding
temporary jurisdiction over my freedom
that it is furtherest from my desires
to leave this Dastile until the monstrous
wrong maintained against my innocence
is righted; and am sure that every
lover of Justice, every man that hates
conspiracy and Inscriptions dealing,
will rejoice at my freedom. | am sim.
ply resting in the belief that this great
wrong will be undone, so fur as human
courts of equity can do il. But the
East with its pains and nangs, cannot
be undone.
Il am strongly of the opinion that
for the second time the mind and
vision of Judge Cook were sadly dis.
torted, and it is now evident that he II
not inclined to make use of the oppor
tunities that lie in his power to mett
out Justice. from the fact that nothing
can be farther from the truth thar
the statement that he has SO blindly
made. However, it is only an OCULAR
demonstration Of the way in which my
life was sworn away by most astound
ing network Of manufactured evidence
Look at the testimony of the candy
chemists and dry goods clerks. Theil
version of my identity has as mucl
foundation as Judge Cooks recen
statement. This sort of evidence ha.
enoompassed and almost destroyed thu
life of an Innocent victim"
tits understood that the attorneys 70
Mrs. Botkin will attempt, by diminu
tion Of the record, to get the fact of Judg
Cooks mistake before the Suprem
Court when the case comes up for argu
ment. Such a proceeding has been al
lowed in cases where prisoner j
proved innocent by the confession o
third party. Whether the presen
facts are sufficient 10 warrant such
preceding will have to be determine,
by the court.
A rumor was In circulation yesterda
to the effect that it is quite usual TO
female prisoners to be given an outin
on the car lines. 1t came from al
obscure source and could not be trace,
to any responsible person. A forme
inmate OF the Jail is reported to hav
made the statement that Minnie Adams
Mrs. Rotkin and Ruby Raymond. afte
coirupting the guards with money, ha
been allowed to visit neiehboring road
houses and occasionally go down as ia
sas Market street. Sheriff Lackman
characterizes the rumor as absurd.
Attorney Heggerty is authority fo
the statement that Mrs. Botkin has
double in the mother-in law OF Harr
Murphy. Those who are acquainte
with her, however, state that there
no resemblance whatever.
JAIL SCANDAL STILL GROWS.
san Francisco Chronicle, May Is.
An Investigation into the alIege
presence Of Mrs. Cordelia Botkin, th
convicted murderess of Mrs. John I
Dunning, with male companion in
street car on Guerrero street on Sur
day, April 22d, will be instituted at /
o'clock today by Judge Carroll Cool
the only person who, so far as known {
present, observed the woman on tht
occasion, and who reported his dil
covery to Sheriff John Laokmann q
the same day. The management an
conditions that have existed for SON
/, time past at Branch County Jail :
whore Mrs. Botkin is supposed to /
closely confined, will be made the sui
jects OF searching inquiry.
According to Tho statements of a
taches Of the jail during the administer
tion prior TO Sheriff Laokmann, Mr.
~ Botkin was not only permitted to roal
at will throughout the Jail buildir
and garden, as was currently reporte
OF the time, but bad her own swe,
will so far as to be allowed to go dow