Evening journal., 1904-04-05
SCORES TELLING
POINT IN TRIAL
Shown Alleged Poisoned
Candy Was Never Marked
by Coroner Walls
LOOSE THREAD MAY SAVE WOMAN
Deposition by Former Delaware OFF,
oial Aids Defense Greatly in Break
ing Prosecutions Chain Of Evidence.
Dispute Cause Of Death.

San Francisco. Cal. April 5.-The
crucial point in the trial of Mrs. Cor
della Botlxin was reached yesterday.
when the defense sought to break the
chain of evidence fastened about the
accused woman by showing that the
prosecution had failed to establish the
true cause of the deaths OF her al
legged victims.
To accomplish this important object,
on which hinges largely Mrs. Botkln's
fate, a deposition by William David
Walls, who was coroner Of Kent county,
Del, in 1898, at the time Mrs. Dun
ming and Mrs. Deane died was intro
duced. Walls affidavit was as much In
the line Of vindication for the accused
woman as an official who had presided
over the inquest could extend, consider
ing that the jury had rendered a YER
dict that the death of both women was
due to arsenical poisoning. To this end
the interrqgatories of the defense We're
admirably framed.
Walls. who is now a resident of Jer-
sey City, N. j., testified that he volun-
tarily went to DIR. Bishop on the day
following the death Of Mrs. Dunning
and suggested that in view Of the fact
that there was a great deal of talk re-
garding the cause of both the deaths of
Mrs. Dunning and Mrs. Deane, il might
be advisable to hold an inquest.
DR.. Bishop replied according to Walls.
that he had not fully concluded whether
or not the deaths were due to ptomaine
or arsenical poisoning He admitted
that he had neglected to treat either OF
the patients for the latter trouble until
/ it was too late to prevent lethal abb
sorption Of the poison by their systems
/ NEVER marked candy box.
\ On the following Monday. Walls testl-
fed, DR.. Bishop informed him that he
deemed an inquest unnecessary. Walls
said he at once furnished either Dr
Bishop or Undertaken Lenrehan, who
had charge of the bodies, with a list OF
jurors with the request that the list
be submitted to Mr.. Pennington, father
Of the dead women, and that il Mr.
Pennington was satisfied with II thu
jury would be summoned Mr.. Penning
ton acquiesced and the jury We've,
the bodies Immediately.
The next day Walls testified he me
DR.. Bishop. who informed him that
box Of candy partaken of by Mrs. Dun
ming and Mrs. Deane had been foun,
by Chemist Wolfe, Of the Delawarl
state University, to have been full o.
arsenic. This, Walls said. was the frs
direct mention of the candy made {,
him. Later Tuesday evening he calle,
at the Pennington home with Charles
Morris, one of the Jurors and cashier
Of the Farmers Bank, of Dover Pen
nington produced the candy alleged [,
have been received by Mrs Dunnin,
the week before and turned it over I,
= the custody of Morris.
At any time before, during or afte
: the inquest was the box Of candy, al
legged to have contained poison, ever fl
e your official custody. or marked by yol
in any way for identihcation?" wa
asked of Walls
Never" was Walls reply. II saw
the box of candy on the table durint
the inquest, but did not handle it no
! mark it for identification"
The jury will probably get the case ol
Thursday.