The San Francisco call., 1904-03-10
SECOND FIGHT
FOR HER LIFE
Mrs. COrdelia BOtkin's New
Trial Will Begin To-Day
With Securing of Jury
PROSECUTIONS CONFIDENT
Eastern Witnesses to Testify
Against Woman Accused
Of Murder by Poisoning

The work OF impaneling q jury for
the second trial OF Mrs. Cordelia Bot
kin OF the charge OF murder will be
commenced IN Judge Cooks court this
morning. Il Is expected that at least
TWO 6avs VIII be occupied in examin-
ing the talesmen and that the taking
of testimony viii not begin till either
Monday OF Tuesday. BY that time
Assistant Bond and Warrant Clerk
Kennedy viii have returned with the
witnesses from Delaware.
The case has excited as much, II
not more. interest than any other in
the annals of crime in this State. Mrs
Botkin had been infatuated with John
P. Dunning OF the Associated Press
and Il Is claimed that she sent
box of poisoned candy 70 Dunnings
wife. Mrs Mary Elizabeth Dunning,
who was az the tine living with her
parents, Mr and Mrs. John B. Pen
nington. at Dover. Del
KILLS TWO WOMEN.
The box of candy. consisting Of
mixed chocolates. reached Dover on
the evening OF August 2. 1885. II was
raken from the Postofice by Harry
Pennington, e boy, and delivered TO
Mrs Dunning. 10 whom IL was ad-
dressed. In the box besides the candy,
vas handkerchief and note on
which was written in pencil: with
love 70 yourself and baby. Mrs. c."
Mrs Dunning. her sister, Mrs. Leila
Deane. and her little daughter, the
boy. Harry Pennington. and two lady
friends Miss 1fllington and Miss
Bateuan. ate q the candy and all
turned sick, Mr.. Deane dying on
August Il and Mrs. Dunning the fol-
lowing day.
What was left OF .the candy was
anaIyzed by Professor Wolf and he
found that II contained arsenic. The
raudwriring on the wrapper round
the box struck John B. Penning-
ton as resembling the handwriting
~ anonymous letters that Mrs. Dun
ming had received from California.
casting reflections on her husband and
urging her 10 obtain a divorce from
him. and with these letters and the
box ~ candy. the wrapper and the
handkerchief. Detective McVey came
no this city. he handed the articles
20 The late Chief Lees
MRS. BOTKIN INDICTED.
Mrs. Botkin was arrested and was
indicted By the Grand Jury IN Novem-
ber and her trial commenced before a
JURY II Judge Cooks court on Decem-
ber s Besides the witnesses from
Delaware there were local witnesses
who testified 10 Mrs BOtkin having
purchased arsenic at the Owl and Star
drugstores, that she had purchased a
BOX Of mixed chocolates at the store
T George Haas & Co. on Market
street and 2 handkerchief similar 10
The one in the box from the City OF
Paris dry goods store. There were
many other witnesses Of more or less
Importance. including handwriting ex-
perts. She was convicted on December
90 q murder IN the first degree. with
-he penalty of imprisonment for life.
she APPEALED 70 the Supreme Court
and was granted a new trial on the
ground of the judges error in charg-
ing the jury on the question Of circum-
stantisl evidence. An appeal was also
taken 70 the Supreme Court Of the
United States on the question OF Juris-
diction, but Il was decided adversely
90 the appellant.
Since the former trial John B. Pen
ningtou and Chief Lees have Joined
the great majority. but District At
rorney Byington considers that he has
r complete chain'of circumstantiaI evi-
dence left, even though ex-Postmaster
Gooden and Miss Bateman should not
come from Dover.