The San Francisco call., 1904-03-25

familiar, having received twenty-five
or thirty letters from her She de-
scribed the handwriting as very Eng
lish." She identified the note contained
in the box of poisoned candy as being
the writing of Mrs. Botkin, more espe-
cially the signature, Mrs. c." This
latter she was particularly positive
about, because the c was framed in
quotation marks which We're set dag
onally, the first at the top of the letter
and the second at the bottom. She said
this was an invariable custom Of Mrs
Botkin. Another specimen was a note
to Dunning written on the bottom of
letter addressed to Mrs. Ruoff, which
read, Would that | could see you. my
love" The witness claimed to have
seen Mrs. BotlIin write this, and it was
admitted as an exemplar of the defend
ants handwriting.
LETTERS NOT ADMITTED.
Two anonymous letters addressed to
Mrs. Dunning at Dover and postmarked
San Francisco We're also recognized by
the witness as in Mrs. Botkin's hand
writing, but when the prosecution
sought TO introduce them in evidence
as eXemDlars Judge Cook refused to
admit them. This was an unexpected
setback for the prosecution, and Dis
trict Attorney Byington was plainly
defendants handwriting were likewise
rejected, but some of them may get in
al future time by additional proof.
The anonymous letters, which are
supposed to have been written by Mrs
Botkin, inform Mrs. Dunning of the re-
lations existing between her husband
and the defendant. In one Mrs Botkin
is described as IAN interesting and
pretty woman" interesting to a de-
gree. "a lady by birth and education"
1t states that the pair are leading a
quiet bohemian life" and abjures Mrs
Dunning to break with her husband
entirely as he is no longer worthy of
her regard. The letter is signed Your
friend" The other explains that the
financial embarrassments of your
husband during the winter were not
due to his speculations on the race
track but because he was showering
his gold on IAN English lady who is de-
cidedly good-looking and interesting"
When Mrs. Botkin came to the Stock
ton home of Mrs. Ruoff on August 1S.
after the story of her alleged crime
had been printed in the press she
threw her arms around the nurses neck
and besought shelter in the name of
her sister Fanny For Fanny's sake"
said the witness, II will care for YOU"
According TO Mrs. Ruoff. Mrs Botkin
promptly went off into Mysteries after
asking her to send for DIR. Stone.
ATTACKS HER CHARACTER.
Attorney Knight took the witness
in hand for cross-examination with
large outburst of sound and after a
tremendous commotion among coun-
sci he finally was ordered by Judge
Cook to modulate his tones.
Mrs. Botkin came to you on Aug
ust 1S. 1898, did she not, and you took
her in?" he asked.
Il did said the witness.
Yes. you took her in. You're par
ticularly interested in this case, aren't
you?''
mot particularly. I'm a witness
and l came here to tell the truth, the
whole truth and nothing but the
TRUTH
Didn't you come into the court
room with John P. Dunning when the
jury was being selected and sit here
and tell the District Attorney what
jurors to select?"
mo, sir. The District Attorney
asked me a question and 1 answered
it."
Didn't you tell the District Attor-
ney to excuse Mr.. Mossford because
he was an Englishman and might vote
to acquit?"
Il never said anything about. Mr.
Mossford."
What was the cause of the trou-
BILE between YOU and Mrs. Botkin p"
There is no trouble. / have no un-
friendliness for her.
Wasn't it because she spoke to you
about being discharged from the
Stockton Insane Asylum for cruelty
to patient?'
mo. sir; we never spoke about
that
You were discharged as an attend
ant at the insane asylum for cruelty
to Gods insane. were you not ?"
mo, sir: / was discharged because
had trouble with the laundress.''
You say that you admitted Dun
ming to the Mcclure home clandes-
timely on two occasions and kept the
secret?"
Yes SIR
"At that time you were a member
of Rev. Mr.. McClure's church and an
inmate of a Christian home and still
made yourself party to this unholy
liaison2"
II didn't know that there was any
thing wrong with them.''
How large was that house?"
1T was a two-story frame build