The San Francisco call., 1904-03-18
BOTKIN PANEL
CROWS BY ONE
William N. O'Connor, Cap
italiSt, Is Accepted as a
Juror in the Murder Trial
A NEW VENIRE ORDERED
Eastern Witnesses Visit the
District Attorneys Office.
Defendant Is Nervous

Out Of forty-three talesmen exam
ined in Judge Cooks court yesterday
on the retrial of Cordelia Botkin.
charged with the murder of Mrs. Eliz-
abeth Dunning by sending her from
this city to Dover, Del, a box of
poisoned candy of which she partook
and from the effects of which she oied
only one man answered satisfactorily
the interrogatories propounded by Dis
trict Attorney Byington and George Il.
knight, attorney for the defendant.
He is William NJ. O'Connor, a capital
list, and resides at the st. Duns san
Hotel on the corner of Van Ness ave-
nue. and Sutter street
He was in Alaska at the time Of the
first trial and consequently ignorant OF
the proceedings at that time Since
then he has read nothing further Of
the case beyond the fact that witnesses
on behalf of the prosecution were ex-
pected to arrive from the East. Attor-
ney Knight, who has been opposing
counsel in some litigation in which
O'Connor. was involved, asked him
pointedly whether or not he harbcred
any resentment against him on that
account, to which the talesman replied
in the negative.
Il spirited discussion was held be-
tween Mrs Botkin and Attorney
knight and MCGOWAN as to the ad-
visibility of accepting O'Connor as a
juror. Mrs. Botkin seemed to favor
him and at length, to the relief of all
the officers of the court, the defense an
nounced its willingness to allow O'Con-
nor to act as one of the panel. He is
the tenth juror chosen so far
TWO PEREMPTORIES.
Only two others escaped challenges
for cause and dismissals. One was ].
Z. Collins, who conducts a grocery store
at 221 Point Lobos avenue. He an
swered all questions satisfactorily and
was passed, but for some reason was
peremptorily challenged by the prose-
cution. The other was Benjamin q.
Eldridge of 1924 Broderick street, who
started out with an opinion, but con-
cluded he could discard it and return
verdict strictly in accordance with
the evidence as adduced at the trial
Attorney Knight was skeptical and
used up one of his st-diminishins
peremptories in dismissing the tales
man. At present the defense has four
peremptories left and the prosecution
five.
The venire was exhausted during the
afternoon session and another one was
issued for one hundred talesmen. Dis
trict Attorney Byington made the sug-
gestion that the Sheriff be empowered
TO go out and select the talesmen with
out the formality of drawing the names
from the box as in that way he could
summon them more quickly and the
examination could be continued during
the afternoon. Judge Cook looked
favorably on the suggestion, but At
torney Knight would have none of it,
During the discussion something of 3
tilt ensued between Byington and
knight. Knight said that drawing
from the box was the regular method
of summoning talesmen and he insisted
that it be continued
Judge Cook ended the discussion by
ordering the box brought in and from
it one hundred names were drawn
They were given to the Sheriff and are
returnable at 10:30 o'clock this morn
ing.