Subscribers enjoy higher page view limit, downloads, and exclusive features.
Forecast mede at San Fran ‘cisco for thirty hours emding at midnight March 31, 1904: San Francisco and vieinity— Fair Thureday; fresh northerly wind. G. H. WILLSON, Local Forecaster, Temporarily in Charge. VOLUME 129 SAN -z FRANCISCO, THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 1904. JICOB GOETJEN, BOTKIN CASE JUROR, SAYS EFFORT WAS NADE T0 BRIBE HIML BUT POLIGE DISCAEDIT STORY AND DECLARE IT 15 AN ALGOHOLIC VAGARY The police utterly discredit the story told by Jacob Goetjen, the juror in the Botkin case who claims he was.approached with an offer of a bribe. Alcoholic demgntia is flatly ascribef:l as the cause for his remarkable statem.en‘t. Apparently during the trial Goetjen was composed, but when he was taken to the Palace Hotel last night he developed such pronounced symptoms of dipsomaniacal aberrations that the other jurors‘ became a]armedi They told the Sheriff's deputies of Goetjen’s condition and a physician was summoned. At that time Sheriff Curtis came into the hotel and remained until he had ascertained that the condition of the juror was not serious. All the officials concerned refused to be interviewed in regard to Goetjen's condition, stating that the facts of the matter would appear in court this morning. - — ¢ el Ay e AT K o bl o L N = - - + 3 — /’f Supetior Judge Cook Makes Statement. - | | WITTMAN BAYS SN NS SUSPICIONS = | | Sterf Dowaie & 0 Deciw f ey - 4 — ‘ | . v '3 NDER the showing made to me I believe that the indiscre- | | i perivaad, ; 8 (13 HE dismissal J;: :1': I“;_:“’_'“ ::‘::‘ ’:’Zh:'"r:::: ,‘“:""‘:‘: ; tions of one of the jurors engaged in the trial of this case | ¢ HE juror, Jacob Goetjen by name, follcsyéd me into th ¢ main office of the Chief of Po- work for the She: £ 2 P 3 | in discussing in any way the issues involved will disqualify | s ¥ i : summoned more than 330 talesmen. Their memorics had been | Shis yhmet. T 'witls 46 wiadé that theve 15 mothlhg 16 the Maformtion lice on Tuesday evening and informed me that he had heen approached the previous { blunted by five years of forgetfulness. Since the case has been | 1 g . o ¥ Stacd after t} 13 fe in th f the Botki £ He said that as he | opened again it is apparent that nearly every one who reads the ‘ brought to this court that reficcts in any way on the defense. At evening after the adjournment of court in the mafltr of the Botkin case. e said that as I Er\ mowdmal i an opinion as to the guilt or innocence of ::;:'"" ""'"'I' - """‘\"'fl‘“:h""‘_: ""”‘; S SN S "‘;“"“"‘"' | walked up Kearny street a man, who was of medism size and who wore a brown mustache. | | the defendant. To secure another jury will undoubtedly require the T (Y gttt 30 L0 e e 3 g PLOE PRCPRIRGE: : pa @y 5 oy | summoning of a large amount of talesmen and it is doubtful fense to procurc an acquiital or from those leaning toward the | came up to him, and, (m.er some preliminary conversation, offered him $50 to hang the jury. He ‘ whether or not & reauisite amount of jurymen who are totally un- | :""“;""”"" SEP Il 50 WeSpHon Abs e, ik phanot determing. B said that the man told him that four jurors had already been secured, and they wanted the | prejudiced can be secured in the city and county of San Francisco. t sufficient that one juror has so far forgotten the instructions daily S F s i 3 o . 5 | . i s v . e e et o ifth one. I listened to_his statement, and then detailed Detective Bunner to follow him. Who The notoriety which the trial has obtained has given every intelli- delivered to him not to discuss the case with anybody. 1 shall jssue | 3 a2 : : { : i 3 o2 ¥ z 25 2 gent person more or less of an opinion as to the merits of the | no order until to-morrow, so that I may have sufficient time In this man was I do not know positively, but have my opinion.” If we can establish his guilt he * P g Sy = be 1) | which to think over it."—Superior Judge Carroll Cook. 1 S S i s e B R z charge. i iy b + : will be arrested. The jurer said he rejected the offer and told the man that he intended to re- NSRS DRI A A At - —_— — port the matter to the Chief of Police. © He did not state whether the offer was made.on behalf | 4 5 Jacob Goetlen Says Stranger of the prosecution.or defense.”—Chief of Police Wittman. | All a mg 0 estimony to i i | for Naught Offered Him Coin. Date Goes for Naught. P, B R, LA St g i ; — | - — ‘ § p y veller- T T - " 28 Bi According to the opinion of Judge g el g nf i) \T / 7 ook > i ton lodging-house, 309 Grant avenue, | | | f | Cook, one of the jurors in.the Botkin | | ; i | | | L case has disqualified himself and a new. | professes to know nothing about the | - i i ] i x ‘, II % h \: i ‘ ~ i | | lady in the dark blue tailor-made gown, | 4 b 5 F Ahe finon, who came to her house shortly before uestion it PR Sl S REaRY ). | 5 o'clock Monday afternoon. She said: man at Fifth and Folsom streets, who PURCHASE AMMUNTIO! el Prepares o Resist Any Attempt at Coercion. iy Will ‘Not Be Forced Into Union of Central Ameri- can States. Government Transport Omelepe Sails From Havana With Store of hifies and Other War Supplies. Special Dispatch to The Cal ANA, March 30.—The Nicara : yvernment transport Omele, 900,008 rnae of ammunition and ry supplies at this port, sailed He an Albamiz, says the arms vitions of simp to Nicaragu n f an attempt s to force that coun- the Central American union The Cuban Government, in response So siha citation of the Nicaraguan resases dann r the purpose of this purchase, has s nded the recent re- quirement that firearms in quantities stored in Havana must be taken to the fortrese at Cabanas Senor Ramon Echarreta, Nicaraguan New Orleans, said ow purchased 71,000 who - negoti- rounds of ammuni- Spain, and expects to buy et The Bogota Will Be Sold. PANAMA, March 30.—The Colom- bian gunboat Bogota, now at Callao, will be offered for sale, the Govern- ment of Colombia replacing her with two smaller vessels. —_———— DELAY IN PAYING CANAL PRICE EMBARRASSES PANAMA complained to Chief of Police Wittman Tuesday evening that he had been ap- proached by an unknown man and offered $50 to hang the jury. To corroborate this statement, Chief Police Wittman and Detective Stephen Bunner were called by the court to the stand and detailed con- versations they had held with the juror in question and told of other evidence they had gathered tending to show that he was not a fit man to serve in of " the trial of the case. After some hesi- tation the defense moved for a dis- missal of the jury and the prosecution concurred in only that the defendant should not claim any rights as having been once in jeopardy. Judge Cook clearly inti- mated his opinion that the jury should be dismissed, but reserved his formal order until this morning. In the mean- time he committed the panel to the custody of the Sheriff with instructions that they must not be separated nor allowed to talk to any outsider. Apparently the announcement was a complete surprise to the defense. Botkin heav: and trembled and dipped and whispered in curt words of Government Is Sald to Have Been conference with her attorneys. On the Compelled to Float a Loan in other hand the prosecution was un- LR \“_"_‘ k’f);}h o moved and District Attorney Byington ANAM arch 30:—The greatest ang his assistant, Judge Ferral, lis- surprise is manifested in all circles | tened calmly to the statement of the ere over the alleged non-fulfillment | court. Evidently they had expected e he United States of the agree- |the sensation. ments or exhange of ratifications | In his preliminary announcement of the M treaty “that the United | Judge Cook said there was nothing in States d pay to the new repub- | the showing that had been made before the sum of $10,000,000. It is un- | him that reflected on the defense. derstood that the failure of the “We are glad to have these facts ted States to make the payment | brought out,” said Knight. “There Is has compelled the Panama Govern- | not one dollar in this defense. This ent to floa loan in New York | woman, who is on trial for her life, WASHINGTON, March 30,—The | had not a single dollar to combat the reaso v the non-payment up to the | resources of the State. If there has present time of the $10,000,000 to be | been any offer of money to a juror, we paid Panama on account of the ac- are guiltl because we have no quisition of the canal territory is money to offer. We are only pleading doubtiess to be found in the fact that | for the acquittal of an innocent title cannot be taken to the canal and | woman.” rights therein until after certaih necesgary formalities in Paris, whither two law officers of the Department of Justice have gone to see that Panama Canal Company I During this delivery, which has been the best of Knight's efforts, the eyes of Mrs. Botkin filled with tears. When the | Judge Cook clearly indicated his in- regularly | tention of dismissing the jury, the de- vonveys itg right and title to the canal | fendant leaned back resignedly and At- property announced that payment to the canal company and to the republic of Pan- e2ma would be made concurrently on April 1. The papers on March 3 |torney McGowan bent toward her and said that it was a victory. Thence- forth she was more calm and ac- quiesced readily in the opinion of her attorneys that the jury be dismissed. the motion, stipulating | Mrs. | Judge Cook Will Dismiss the Panel. Woman in Blue Is New Mpystery in Case. After all the care exercised by both the prosecution and the defense in se- lecting a panel of twelve good men and true to try Mrs. Cordelia Botkin for the murder of Mrs. John P. Dun- ning by sending her a box of poisoned candy from this city to Dover, Del., through partaking of which Mrs. Dun- ning and Mrs. Joshua D. Deane died, another jury must be secured. present jury has proved unreliable in the opinion of Judge Cook, because an attempt had been made to tamper with its members. This development in one of the most sensational criminal cases that ever stained the records of a court of law in the United States came late yester- day in the afternoon session of the trial. Its outburst was as unexpected as the flery vomit from Pelee and its effect was only lessened in degree. When Judge Cook announced that at adjournment he felt it his duty to or- der the jury into the custody of the Sheriff counsel for the - defense ap- peared to be thunderstruck. The Dis- trict Attorney and his assistant show- ed no emotion and it was evident that The/| G R : JUROR IN THE BOTKIN CASE' WHO CONFESSED YESTERDAY THAT AN A (PT HAD BEEN MADE, TO BRIBE HIM. POLICE OFFICIALS THAT INVESTIGATED HIS STATEMENTS AND SCENE OF STRANGE BEPISODE. Attorney Knight Deménds Justice for Client. [13 HERE does such.an offer come from? I haven't the least "idea and T am not ready to express an opinion. Certain- sele 1y not from the defense, because there is not one white quarter being spent in the interest of 'my client. We are all work- ing for nothing.. The dismissal of the jury is a disappointment to ns" in a measure, because we felt that we were entitled to an acquittal, but we do not want it from a crooked jury. What we want is a vindication of Mrs. Botkin. If the least taint is on the jury our de- sire will be smirched by a verdict of acquittal, and if it should hap- pen to be guilty we 'shall always feels that it was obtained by uite- rior influences.”—George A. Knight, attorney for defense. —_— & *I was out at that hour and did not return till 7 o’clock and, as we do not have any register of names of people coming here, it is impossible for me to locate the lady you refer to. “There is no lady In the house who has a blue skirt, much less a full dress of blue. People come and go so fast I do not pretend to keep any track of them. They comie and take raeir rooms, pay for them and that is all there is to the matter. Of course the lady in question ‘may ‘have come here and P BV SRR S R el <l et RANSEET | | taken a room in my absence and while my Japanese boy was on watch, but he is away and I don’t know where he is.” Mrs. Goetjen, wife of the juror who | - states he was offered a bribe, said: do not know anything at all about my husband being offered a bribe. I was down town in the afternoon and when I came home my neighbors told me that my husband had been approached and offered a bribe. ‘“Whether he is friendly with all. I don't know how they happened to get him on this jury, but I know he has served on several juries previously. It is detrimental to his business to be attending to this case. own business to attend to and it makes the work come hard on his partners. During this trial he has worked at nights after he came home. ‘“Yesterday afternoon he sent out by telephone to have us send some neck- ties and handkerchiefs to the Palace Hotel, so I suppose he is staying there. I don’t know whether he home to-night or not. I shall be very glad when the case is finished. This bribe question. is new to me, and I don’t know a thing about it.” —_——— Autobiography of Herbert Spencer. LONDON, March 31.—The Times this morning publishes advance extracts from the autobiography of Herbert Spencer which give interesting and curjous remarks made by the philos- opher. For example, he says: “After reading gix books of the ‘Iliad I felt that I would rather give a large sum than read to the end.” And “after a perusal of Ruskin's ‘Stones of Venice' I have lost all faith in Ruskin’'s judg- ment; doubtless he had a fine and elo- quent style, but he has uttered multi- tudinous absurdities.” the | other jurors or not, I do not know. We | have never talked about the case at| He has his| will come | I Democrats Look for a Landstide to Parker. 11 State Instructs Delegates j“ for Him He Will Be Nominated. Conservative Wing of the Party Is Ready to Throw Iis Votes to Distinguished Jurist, | | Special Dispatch to The Call. WASHINGTON, March 30.—"If New York keeps its word and instructs for | Parker hé will be nominated and the | contest is over,” said Senator Teller of Colorado to-day. 1 “Let New York first instruct for | Parker and the conservative Democ- racy of the South and West will do the rest.. But New York must first in- | struct.” | This is the keynote of numerous other | interviews given to The Call corre- spondent to-day by Democratic Sen- ators and Representatives who were | asked the significance, in the national sense, of the news from New York that Hill. would contrel the State conven- tion by more than 100 majority and had | pledged himself to instructions for { Parker. A genuine landslide to Parker is held back only by the fact that the conven- tion is not to meet until April 18; that there has been a bitter . ntest in New York State between Hill and Tammany, and the Democrats of the country wiil not take Hill's word in advance. They want “the goods,” not a promise. If New York instructs for Parker on Apri! 8, that will be taken to mean that Parker is New York's choice. The conservative wing of the party as distinguished between the radical Cleveland wing and the extre Bryan-Hearst wing, has been pledged | for months to abide by the choice of New York. If New York should not instruct its national delegates for Parker and bind them by the unit rule, |all will be chaos in the conservative | ranks as well as in the other two ranks. That would be taken to. mean that New York had no choice, and the issue would have to be fought out on the floor of the national convention. PO I S LEARNS ON HIS DEATH BED THAT HE IS RICH Chatles M. Tyler Falls Heir to a For- tune, but May Never Enjoy It. SEATTLE, March 30.- Tyler, who is lying at the point of death in Providence Hospital, will probably never live to obtain posses- sion of the legacy of $§100,000 left him by his uncle, Charles Tyler, who died six weeks ago in Willilamsville, Vt For a month Police Clerk MacDeon- ald has been searching the city for a man of that name, who was heir to the large estate, and this morning he discovered the man dying in the hos- pital. When Tyler was told of his fortune he could not restrain himself and wept because he perhaps would | never have a chance to enjoy the ,wealth. Charles M.