The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-03-30
Kytka Testifes as
an Expert in the
Matter.
Says Mrs. Botkin
Addressed Box
of Candy.

The biggest gun OF the prosecution
was fired yesterday in the retrial of
Mrs. Cordelia Botkin for the murder of
Mrs John P. Dunning in August, 1898.
Mrs. Dunning and her sister, Mrs.
Joshua D. Deane. died from the effects
Of eating poisoned candy, which was
sent TO the former at Dover, Delaware.
from this city. and Mrs. Botkin was
accused OF having sent the candy for
the purpose of Kidding Dunning Of his
wife.
In connection with other cfrcum-
stantial evidence that connects the de-
PENDANT with the crime are the address
on the wrapper Of the box of bonbons.
q note contained in it and two anony-
nous letters written to Mrs Dunning
telling her Of the relations existing be-
tween her husband and Mrs, Botkin.
Exemplars OF Mrs. Botkin's hand
writing which are admitted to be genu-
inc have been introduced in evidence
and Theodore Kytks, the handwriting
expert. has made an exhaustive anaIy-
sis and comparison of the various
specimens OF handwriting. He was on
the stand yesterday and gave it as his
unqualified opinion that the hand that
penned the address Of Mrs. John P
Dunning on the wrapper Of the box of
candy, that wrote the note contained
in the box and that indited the two
anonymous letters was the same that
wrote the "Budd" and Price" letters,
so called, which are admittedly the
genuine handwriting Of Mrs. COrdeIia
Botkin.
To illustrate the ground upon which
he based his opinion, Kytka had taken
ffty-six exemplars Of admittedly genu-
inc Botkin chirography and enlarged
them photographically. Beneath these
he placed similar letters or words from
the disputed writings and exhibited
them on a screen about fourteen feet
tall and six feet wide. With a broken
horsewhip for a pointer ne showed the
jury the similitude between the ex-
emplars and the disputed writing in
the formation Of the letters, the
spacing. divisions between certain let
tiers and other characteristic marks
that gave him the basis for his opinion
The enlarged photographs were al
lowed for the purpose of Illustration
only. after a vigorous objection by At
torney knight on behalf of the defense,
and Judge Cook cautioned the jury that
they We're not to be regarded as evil
dence in any way.
DIVERTING FEATURE.
Kytka's discrimination was one Of
the diverting features Of the trial. Dur
ing it there were frequent passages
between the witness and Attorney
knight, and when these reached a eli
max and Assistant District Attorney
Ferral attempted to sit in the game
Judge Cook lost his temper altogether
and threatened to send both attorneys
10 jail and TO impose a fine for con-
tempt on the witness. This threat
brought quiet for a little while, but the
trouble broke out in spots all during
the crOss-eXaminatiOn OF the hand
writing expert.
The usual demand for admittance to
the proceedings kept four policemen
busy regulating the crowd and pre-
venting the courtroom from becoming
insufferably crowded During the after
noon session one woman tainted and
was carried out by a policeman. She
was revived in the corridor with some
difficulty and went home. She gave her
name as Mrs. Evans and her address as
40S Stockton street.
John A. HOsmer, who, in 1898, was
Assistant District Attorney and took a
leading part in the conduct of the first
Botkin trial. was the first witness
II ~, 2 10
so-caIled -Budd" and Price" letters
and some signatures on money orders
csshed by Mrs Botkin, and he testified
that at the first hearing Of the case
Attorney Knight, on behalf of his eli
ent. had admitted these to be in her
handwriting.
Attorney MCGOWAN bitterly fought
the admission of this testimony, main
tanning that no admission of Knights
prejudicial 10 the interests of the de-
PENDANT could be used against her.
Judge Cook took an opposite view and
on the testimony of Hosmer admitted
the writings in evidence as exemplars
Of defendants handwriting. The
"Budd" letter is one written to Gov
ernOr Budd by Mrs. Botkin asking for
assignment as a nurse with the troops
going to the Philippines, and the
Price" letter is one written from
Healdsburg by the defendant to the
landlady Of the Victoria Hotel in this
city.
KNIGHT STARTLES CROWD.
After Hosmer had finished Attorney
knight startled everybody by calling
for John P. Dunning. whom he wished
TO examine further. Dunning appeared
in court in his usual nonchalant man
ner and was questioned closely in re-
gard to his relations TO Mrs. Cordially,
from whom he had testified he Dor
rOwed $500 at one time. He said he had
often accompanied her to the Palace
baths and had drunk with her in cafes.
knight wanted to know what kind of a
bathing suit Mrs. CORDIALLY wore and
whether the swims were taken in day
time or at night It developed that the
bathing suit was of the regulation
style and that swims were INDUCED in
both day and night Dunning admitted
he cov,noffY1ae Maid CovhoTIx-,c I;fa