The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-03-01
MRS. BoTKIN STlL IN JAIL.
Famous Case Not Yet brought to It's
Second Fri hI.

San Francisco. Cal, Feb. 2S.-The
district attorneys of1cs contemplated
putting Mrs. Cordelia Botkin on trial
for the second time next week for the
alleged murder of a Doy FER. Del, wom-
an, but further delayli lin the famous
case appears inevita BILE. Preparations
to bring the case to trial again have
been in progress for maiy months, but
the death of Chief of Police Lees, who
was active in the first trial, and sew
eral other things have cSmbined to ne
cessitate the long delay. Meanwhile the
Delaware parties interested in the case
have been complaining OF the numerous
postponements, and the Legislature of
that state last week took official action
upon the apparent inactivity of the CAL
ifOrnia authorities in thelmatter.
Mrs. Botkin, who is spending her
fourth year in Jail, has LOST none of her
beauty in prison. She has comfOrta-
BILE quarters in Jail, andli is said to be
happy in the hope that hdr second trial
will result in her aCquittRl.
The arrest and trial of Mrs. Botkin
four years ago attracted national at
tention, owing to the many novel and
interesting features of the case. John
P. Dunning was a newspaper CORE
spondent in San francisco in 1898. His
wife left the city early in the year for
Dover, Del. to visit her father, ex-
Congressman Pennington. Mrs Botkin
was infatuated with DIinning, and
when he left San Francisco for the
East, she is said to have become very
Jealous and made threats against him
self and his wife.
One evening in August, $685.. Harry
Pennington, a grandson of sx-Congress-
man Pennington brought from the post
Office at Dover a dainty box of chocolate
bonbons, addressed to Mrs J. P. Dun
ming. She invited friends to help eat
her sweetmeats, but owing to a pecu-
liar taste and the fact that it caused
a burning sensation in the mouth they
did not eat much of it. Mrs. Dunning
and her sister, Mrs. Deane, became
very sick after eating the candy and
died soon in great agony.
An analysis of the candy showed a
considerable quantity of arsenic in its
composition. The Governor offered IL
reward of $4,000 for the conviction of
the sender of the candy. Enclosed In
the box was friendly note, signed
Mrs. c., and the wrapper was stamp
ed with the San Francisco postmark
An investigation of the life of John
z. Cunning showed his acquaintance
with Mrs. Botkin. who then resided in
Oakland, Cal, which he freely admit
ted. He also accused the woman of the
crime. Much discriminating evidence as
TO the purchase of the candy. the hand
writing of Mrs. Botkin on the box and
In the note. and other facts were ac-
cumulated. Upon the evidence Mrs.
Botkin was arrested. tried and SEN
fenced to prison for life. Through a
law subsequently passed by the State
Legislature of California she was grant
ed new trial.
Mrs. Cummings father, one of the i'm
portant witnesses for the prosecution at
the first trial, is dead, and according to
the California law. his evidence can
not be placed before the jury at the sec
ond trial. Other Delaware witnesses
will come to California to attend the
trial, but there is some doubt as to
whether a second conviction can be Sc
cured