The San Francisco call., 1904-03-24
ATTORNEY KNIGHT MAKES AN ATTACK
ON THE LATE CHIEF OF POLICE LEES
Asks Questions of
a Sensational
Nature.

Outside Of a couple OF verbal pas
sages between counsel and a sentimen-
tai declaration by Attorney Knight for
the defense that the late Chief Of Po-
lice I w. Lees had deliberately pois-
oned candy and submitted il TO a chem
list for the purpose Of convicting Cor
della Botkin Of the murder of Mrs.
John p. Dunning the hearing or the
famous poisoning case dragged wearlly
yesterday for the most part Mrs Bot
kin is accused Of having sent from this
city a box Of poisoned chocolates to
Mrs Dunning at Dover. Del. and the
latter and her. sister. Mrs. Joshua ID.
Desne. died from partaking of the
candy.
Despite the monotony of the proceed
ings. the usual crowd was. in attend
ance and the number Of women spec
tators was larger than on any previous
day. They came early and filed the
corridors an hour before the courtroom
doors were opened. Enlightened by the
stampede Of the day before, the police
compelled al who wished to enter the
courtroom TO line up along the walls
and then admitted them in single file.
When al the seats had. been occupied
ard the allotted standipg-room space
had been filled TO its capacity the others
seeking admission were turned away.
Al ube time during the morning ses-
sion Mrs. Botkin. gave evidences CT
breaking down. Frank S. Grey. the
pharmacist who claims to have sold
her arsenic on June /. 1898. was recalled
and asked for more definite iderlti-
fication than he gave on the previous
DAY He was extremely deliberate in
his manner and looked closely at the
defendant for two CT three minutes,
which must have seemed hours TO her.
Under The scrutiny her breath came
ia short gasps and her shoulders
tNitched and trembled. She seemed
70 realize that on his answer might
depend her life. She tried bravely TO
return his gaze. but every now and
then her eyes would fab and a spasm
Of shivering would seize her.
DRAMATIC SCENE.
Attorney knight asked his client TO
stand up, and the witness also arose
from his seat Mrs Botkin stood side
ways 10 the witness and hung her head
10 one side. Grey regarded her at
tentively and the entire courtroom
+
Finally il came out clearly:
To the best of my knowledge and
belief that is the woman
When the witness made this declara-
tion the defendant sank back in her
chair. breathing as though having made
a great eXertion.
Superior Judge Mahon Of Sutter
County sat with Judge Cook during
quently consulted by the latter on nu-
merous objections interposed by de-
PENDANTS attorneys TO the questions
asked by District Attorney Byington.
David B. Green. a pharmacist, who
in June. 1898. was employed at the
Star drug store at 1902 Market street,
might have made an important wit
ness had not what he was ready 10
testify TO been curtailed by a ruling
of Judge Cook. He declared that on
June ] he sold to a woman who re-
sembled Mrs. Botkin in general appear
snce two ounces Of lump arsenic On
cross mination Attorney knight
asked him if she had stated for what
purpose il was 10 be used and the wit
ness answered. Yes" Without going
further into the matter. knight sped
u dlADlatA 4UtellDI- bul on Ie0lIecl
examination the District Attorney en-
deavored TO bring out the conversation
between the drug clerk and his Gus
toner
SUSTAINS OBJECTION.
An objection was promptly interposet
and sustained. Judge Cook said that t
the best Of his recollection no answe
had been made by witness to the ques
tion asked by Knight. and that there
fore the door was not open to ifurthe
inquiry. In this the Judges recollection
was at fault, because the witness an
swered plainly Yes" A search Of tn
record was started. but asst threatene
20 occupy considerable time it wa
abandoned. To-day the District Attor
ney will make another attempt I
bring out the conversation. Greel
claims that the purchaser Of the arseni
told him she wished TO use il 70
bleaching purposes, which was tn
same reason given TO Pharmacist Franz