Prime Crime: Solved Murders - The Candy Box Killings Pt. 1

Episode Date: August 3, 2022

In the summer of 1898, two sisters died after eating chocolates they received in the mail. Their suffering was inexplicable — until their father discovered a sinister clue. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Due to the graphic nature of this murder case, listener discretion is advised. This episode includes dramatizations and discussions of murder, assault, and harm to minors. We advise extreme caution for children under 13. Late into the night on August 9, 1898, Mary Elizabeth Dunning lay awake in her bed. Normally, the Delaware breeze lulled her to sleep through her window. But tonight, she was in agony. Elizabeth's stomach felt like it was about to burst. She'd never felt this terrible in her life.

Through her pain, she hoisted herself from the bed and trudged down the hallway to her sister Ida's room. Elizabeth pushed open the door and found Ida curled up in her bed. Pale as a ghost. She shuffled over to her sister and checked her forehead, clammy, just like her own. This was only the beginning of whatever they were going through. The sisters gazed at each other, afraid.

They might have suspected that this would be one of their final moments together. Welcome to Solved Murders, True Crime Mysteries, a Spotify original from Parcast. I'm your host, Carter Roy. And I'm your host, Wendy McKenzie. Every Wednesday, we step into the world of true crime's most fascinating murder cases and tell the tale of how real-life detectives close the case. You can find episodes of solved murders and all other Spotify originals from Parcast for free exclusively on Spotify. This is our first episode on the 1898 Candy Box Killings.

This week we'll watch as Mary Elizabeth Dunning tries to decipher a series of ominous letters and an attack on her family from inside the house. Next week, we'll dive into the bicostal search for the truth and how one man's expertise Crack the case. We have all that and more coming up. Stay with us. Own it all. Pay off your home, travel for life, drive a Ferrari.

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Details at yamava.com must be 21-20. Please gamble responsibly. Monopoly is a trademark of Hasbro. Hasbro is not a sponsor of this promotion. The summer of 1898 was not an easy one for Mary Elizabeth Dunning. The 35-year-old had been back in her hometown of Dover, Delaware, for two years. Ever since she left her husband, John Dunning. Elizabeth and John had moved to San Francisco in 1891 after he landed a role as Bureau Chief of the Associated Press. but cracks formed in their relationship. John began to gamble and lost his job. And a few years after arriving in California, Elizabeth packed up their young daughter and returned to the East Coast.

The mother and daughter moved into Elizabeth's childhood home with her parents, John and Rebecca Pennington. Her father, a former Delaware State Attorney General and U.S. congressman, could sense trouble. But over the next couple of years, things went decently well. During that time, Elizabeth seemed to be making a new life for herself. She reconnected with old friends and was able to spend more time with her sister, Ida Dean, who also lived in Dover. However, in the summer of 1898, Mr. Pennington's hunch was proven correct,

when John Dunning sent Elizabeth a series of letters that reopened old wounds. Elizabeth, dear, dinner's ready. Honey? I'll be down in a moment. Is everything all right? John sent another letter. Oh, it's no use reading his words, darling. It's always the same story, the same excuses.

This one seems different. He's in Puerto Rico right now. Did I tell you? He got his job back, and he's covering the war against Spain. I think he's a serious man now. Oh, well, go on then. Read it to me. My dearest Elizabeth, I know I have wronged you, but I am nothing without you and our little girl. Doesn't she deserve a proper family? Give me the chance to prove myself.

When my assignment is over, I plan to head straight to Dover. I promise you, my love, I have changed. I have to give him a chance, don't I? He's right. We owe it to our child. The child does deserve a father. Why don't you sleep on it? I can't stand to see you get hurt again. Soon, Mary Elizabeth started receiving more letters in the mail. Only now, they weren't from John.

I know you. I know your husband. If you're not careful, he might wander. Perhaps he already has. I'd keep an eye on him if I were you. More letters like this arrived in the Pennington's mailbox. Aside from the San Francisco postmark, there were no signs as to who wrote them. Elizabeth grew more concerned when she found a particularly menacing message. Should you ever think of returning to San Francisco, just know that you will be putting your life in great peril.

Danger will be lurking around every corner. You have made a grave enemy in this part of the world. You may be safe in Delaware, but not for long. Elizabeth shared this letter with her father. Whoever wrote this sounds unwell. You don't think I'm actually in danger. Do you? Well, it's difficult to say.

Given the center is a full continent away, it's likely just some lowly prankster. But we'd better not throw them away, just in case. The family held on to the letters. They could not have known how important this would become. Then came August 9, 1898. That morning, Elizabeth received a package.

It was an ornate box of chocolates, wrapped in elegant pink ribbon. Dunning often joked about Elizabeth's insatiable sweet tooth. She wondered if this was a gift from him. She checked the note that came with the box but found only a brief message. With love to yourself and baby, Mrs. C. Elizabeth had a close friend back in San Francisco whose name was Mrs. Corbally, and another close friend in New Jersey named Mrs. Craven. The postmark was a little blurred, so she wasn't sure what city the package came from.

But she assumed one of her friends sent the sweets as a gift. Elizabeth planned to send Mrs. Corbally a thank-you note. Then she went off to prepare for a small dinner party scheduled for that night. Among those gathered around the Pennington's table that evening were Elizabeth's sister, 44-year-old Ida Dean, and two neighbors. Elizabeth and Ida's young children were also in attendance. The group laughed and chatted. When dessert rolled around, Elizabeth presented a special treat.

I received this sweet gift today, and it would be my pleasure to share it with you all. What elegant chocolates. Who might I ask sent you this gift? A friend. A friend. Yes, a friend. Now, dig in. Oh, none for me, darling.

I never did have a sweet tooth, you know. More for the children, then I suppose. After dessert, the neighbors parted and the family retired to bed. But Elizabeth lay awake, unable to fall asleep. A horrible pain had grown in her stomach. She thought maybe she'd indulged too much at dinner and that resting for the night would soothe her, but the pain only worsened.

Soon, she heard Ida groaning from the other room. Elizabeth dragged herself from her bed and to Ida's door. Ida summoned her in and Elizabeth found her sister curled up in bed, hardly able to move. Then Elizabeth checked on the children. Their symptoms were exactly the same. At this point, it was midnight. Elizabeth called for her father, who seemed fine, but confirmed that her mother was also ill. They tried home remedies, but within hours everyone besides Mr. Pennington was vomiting violently.

Pennington assumed it was a stomach ailment that would get better on its own, but by noon the next day it was clear that that wasn't the case. He called the local physician who checked on each person and tried not to cause too much alarm. Did you all eat any vegetables last night? We had corn fritters. Why? Some vegetables contain a common foodborne illness known as choleromorbus. It's nasty, but treatable. Shouldn't cholera morbus have cleared out by now?

Hmm, what else did they eat? A bit of dessert and some wine, but... What did they eat for dessert? My daughter served chocolates that she received in the mail earlier in the day. Chocolates sent by mail? Did anything seem off about the chocolates? I don't think so, but I wouldn't have thought to inspect chocolates. Mr. Pennington, I can't ascertain what everyone ate,

so I suggest we begin treatment immediately. By the end of the day on August 10th, Ida and Elizabeth were in critical condition. While the others were beginning to recover, the two sisters were barely hanging on. The presiding doctor did all he could, but Ida was in unending agony. Soon there was nothing more he could do.

By the next evening, Ida Dean was dead. Pennington was besie. beside himself, grieving of the loss of his eldest daughter. But he clung on to hope for the others. The children and the other guests soon got better, but Elizabeth took a turn for the worse. She had severe stomach spasms and her vitals plummeted. The doctor finally had to tell Elizabeth surviving family members

to say their goodbyes. On the night of August 12, 1898, 35-year-old Mary Elizabeth Dunning died. Pennington was devastated. In the span of three days, both of his daughters suffered inexplicable deaths. Both the Pennington's children had preceded them into the grave. He was overcome with grief, but he couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to the story. Coming up, Elizabeth and John Dunning's troubled past resurfaces. Listeners, most of you probably know that I host another parking.

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sisters Ida Dean and Mary Elizabeth Dunning died after suffering severe stomach illnesses, likely in response to something they ate. Their deaths came on the heels of Elizabeth, the 35-year-old wife and mother, receiving a series of threatening letters in the mail. The sister's father, John Pennington, was wrought with grief. And while family and friends were shocked as to what could possibly have happened,

Pennington formed a theory. He thought it was too much of a coincidence that the tragedy quickly followed the cryptic letters addressed to Elizabeth. She'd shown him at least one of those letters, and the threatening words were burned into his mind. He became convinced that the cause was right under their noses the whole time. The chocolates. I'm telling you it had to be the chocolates. Honey, we've talked about this. We don't know.

But we can know. Where are they? They're in the cupboard. It's just as I suspected. Rebecca, look at the attached note. The handwriting. We've seen this writing before. The Penningtons told their suspicions to the police, but authorities had more investigating to do

before they could confirm that they were right. Around this time, 35-year-old John Dunning had received word that his wife, Mary Elizabeth, was dead. At the time, he was stationed in Puerto Rico covering the Spanish-American War, but he began the long journey to Dover. Meanwhile, on August 15th, the Pennington's held a funeral for Elizabeth and Ida. They were mourned by many, but their loved ones also had hope that justice was soon to come.

The chocolates were sent out for testing that afternoon. A chemist named Theodore Wolfe examined them, and he notified the Dover Police Department that he was ready to present his findings. The police held a coroner's inquest on August 16th. Wolf testified before a jury. I have found that three of the samples each contain 10 to 12 grains of arsenic. The lethal dose is one to two grains. The fact that this incident only claimed two lives is nothing short of a miracle.

In addition, based on the positioning, it seems as though the arsenic was inserted into homemade chocolates, which were placed in the box alongside store-bought chocolates by hand. My professional opinion is that this was an intentional act of poisoning, done with an intent to cause significant harm. That afternoon, the coroner's jury ruled that Mary Elizabeth Dunning and Ida Dean had been poisoned to death through the chocolates. Their deaths were officially declared murders.

The revelations sent shockwaves through the family. After a short time, Pennington held an official press conference to address the public. My beloved daughters were poisoned in an act of petty vengeance that cannot go unpunished. And until that day, I will not rest. My daughters will have the justice they deserve. The story soon made headlines from coast to coast. Readers everywhere devoured the chilling story of two innocent wives and mothers, killed by a box of poisonous chocolates.

Many viewed the case as one of the most horrific murders to occur in Delaware's history. The attention prompted authorities to take action. On August 18th, the state of Delaware issued its largest reward in history for the arrest or apprehension of a criminal, $2,000, which was equivalent to more than a middle-class worker's annual salary. With the public informed on the latest rewards, the investigators diligently pursued their leads. They looked at all the anonymous letters that had been sent before the box of chocolates. It was then that detectives made a crucial realization.

All these letters are postmarked from San Francisco. We have to get them involved in the investigation. And so the investigation became a joint venture with the San Francisco police. Department, who put Detective Ed Gibson on the case. His first order of business was to look into John Dunning's past. Based on the letters, it seemed Elizabeth's murder had been conducted by a jealous mistress of her husband, so any woman who knew him seemed like their best lead. While Detective Gibson scoured through John Dunning's past, the man himself arrived in Dover. On August 20th, he was immediately apprehended by the police and interrogated about the crime.

John remained tight-lipped, so the police allowed Mr. Pennington to have a closed-door meeting with him, hoping he might say something that helped. When they spoke, Mr. Pennington sat with two envelopes in his hand and a half-empty box of chocolates in his lap. Mr. Pennington, I don't know where to begin. Take a seat, John. I'll get right to it. What part did you play in my daughter's deaths?

I'm sorry, sir. Elizabeth was targeted, and the attack inadvertently hurt our entire family. And I believe you know who is to blame. How might that be? Look at this note. It came with the box of chocolates, which everyone but myself ate from that night. Hmm. Now look at this letter.

This came for Elizabeth not days before the chocolates arrived. Return to San Francisco. Life in great peril. Danger lurking. I don't understand. Listen, John. You know who did this. Are you accusing me of murder?

I'm asking you. Which of your mistresses wrote this letter? You hold your tongue, sir. Elizabeth and I had our problems, but I never violated the sacred contract of our marriage. I'm afraid I know as little about these chocolates as you do. I don't believe you, John. Whether you believe me or not is irrelevant. It's the truth.

We'll see about that. John insisted that he had no knowledge about his wife's death and that he did not know anybody in his life who would have any interest in killing her. Yet for all his protests, Pennington was sure something else was going on. Little did John know all the secrets he was trying to keep were about to be blown wide open.

Coming up, the police dig into John Dunning's sorted secret life. Now back to the story. By August 20th, 1898, authorities knew that John Dunning was hiding something. It wouldn't take long for San Francisco Detective Ed Gibson to discover what that something was. Hello, ma'am. I'm looking into the past of John Dunning, a reporter for the Associated Press. You wouldn't happen to know him, would you? Know him? I dated the scumbe. B. Interesting language. Scumbag. Seems like you got some grievances that need airing. I'd be happy to listen if you'd like to tell them.

I'd be thrilled. Come on in, officer. Just by asking around, Detective Gibson was able to learn all sorts of interesting things about John Dunning. In fact, he pieced together John's whole life story and what he'd done to drive his wife running back to Dover, Delaware. When John and Elizabeth moved to San Francisco, John fell victim to the city's many vices. His drinking and gambling spun out of control, and he began having affairs with other women. Many of these mistresses came and went, but a few years after arriving in the city,

he met a woman who changed his life forever. This stupid thing. Who was I to think I could ride a bike? That was a close one. For a second, I thought you might go flying over those handlebars. I've been through much worse, I assure you. I've seen you before, haven't I, at the racetracks? That could very well be the case.

I've been known to test my luck from time to time. Sounds like we're cut from the same cloth. We could get into some trouble together. I'd like that. I'm John. Cordelia Botkin. It's a pleasure. So what do you say we keep testing that luck of yours?

I think there's a race starting in about half an hour. Lead the way. Despite her flirtatious nature, Cordelia was married, but only technically speaking, her husband was a wealthy grain merchant who lived an entirely separate life in Stockton, California. Cordelia lived and took care of their 24-year-old son, Beverly, in San Francisco, and Mr. Botkin presumably sent them a monthly stipend.

It was a lifestyle that allowed Cordelia to do as she pleased. She didn't have to worry about making rent, paying bills, or living up to anyone's expectations. John found Cordelia's free-spirited nature intoxicating. He fell under her spell almost instantly. It wasn't long before he was spending almost all of his time at the boarding house where she lived, playing cards and drinking courts of whiskey until the early morning hours. While John was out gallivanting, Elizabeth was on her own. By 1896, she'd had enough.

Oh, you're up. We're leaving, John. We're going back to Dover. Hang on. That's ridiculous. If you'd paid any attention to what you've put me through, you'd know it's not ridiculous at all. I'm not stupid, you know. Listen, we have a life here. You're just going to throw it away?

You have a life here. While you're out drinking, gambling, and who knows what else, I'm in this house raising our child. Alone. This isn't what I wanted. It's not what I deserve. Goodbye, John. Not long after Elizabeth's departure, John moved into the same boarding house as Cordelia. The two became inseparable.

Pretty soon John blew through his entire salary at the racetrack. But that didn't slow him down. I've got a good feeling. Put me down for $1,500 on number eight. Where on earth are you getting that kind of money? What the Associated Press doesn't know won't hurt him. Do you mean to tell me that you're stealing from them? Don't go soft on me now, Cordelia. Oh, my kidding. You heard the man, $1,500 on number eight.

predictably, John's cavalier attitude was misguided. At some point, according to one report, the Associated Press found out that he'd embezzled over $4,000. They fired him immediately. John was devastated, but perhaps Cordelia saw things differently. Now she truly had him all to herself. The pair grew closer than ever before. However, when the Spanish-American War broke out in April of that year, John's life was turned upside down yet again.

I have the best news, Cordelia. You won't believe it. What is it? The Associated Press wants me back. They want me to cover the war in Puerto Rico. So, you're leaving? My dear, please. This is huge. Can't you be happy for me? I suppose. On the day John was set to depart San Francisco, Cordelia walked him to. to the train station. They approached the platform and prepared to bid each other farewell.

John's parting words were the last thing Cordelia expected to hear. Cordelia, our time together has meant so much to me. May as well, my love. But here's the thing. I have a family. I still care very deeply for Elizabeth. She's the mother of my child, after all. So I've decided that after my time overseas. I'm going back to Delaware to try and win them back. I don't understand. I'm sorry it has to end like this. How could you do this to me? I'll never forget you. Once the police had put this story together, reporters from across the nation also caught on. Cordelia's name was first mentioned by a newspaper in Delaware, thrusting her and John Dunning's relationship into

the spotlight. Both John and Cordelia were asked about each other. Their statements appeared in a newspaper on August 22nd. I must admit, I do know Cordelia Botkin, but the nature of our relationship is none of the press's business. I'm very sorry to hear about the death of Elizabeth Dunning, but I can assure the public that John and I were merely close friends. We met at the races, and that is as far as it went. Whatever they said, it seemed the police knew better. Cordelia was far and away their number one suspect. Police assumed Cordelia knew they were onto her.

Moving quickly, they were able to track her down to a hotel in Stockton, California. By 9 p.m. on August 23rd, they were at her door. Officers burst through, expecting to find Cordelia shimmying out of a window. Cordelia Botkin, you're wanted for the murder of Mary Elizabeth Dunning and Ida Dean. We have a warrant for your arrest. How embarrassing. Can you give me a moment to pack some things? This isn't a vacation. I'll be ready in no time.

Just come with me. The next day, Chief Lees brought Cordelia into his office for questioning. All right, send her in. Your men are brutes. I hope you know. Mrs. Botkin, I take it you know while you're here? Yes, but I hope you know what a huge mistake you're making. You don't actually think I murdered a woman I've never even met, that I don't even know.

Let's slow down. I need you to try and remember the last time you purchased any candy, chocolates. I can tell you right now. I purchased a 10-cent bag of lemon drops about a year and a half ago, 18 months to be exact, from a general store right around the corner for my home. I'm quite friendly with the entire staff. They'd be happy to corroborate my statement.

Sounds like you've thought this through. Well, what else do you expect me to think about? And let me guess. Next, you'll ask me what I was doing leading up to the second week in August. Well, I'll have you know that I stayed with a friend through the end of July. They can confirm that I fell ill. I could hardly stand and had to be prescribed morphine. I'm sure the physician would be willing to testify as well.

What a bulletproof alibi. Thanks for making our job easy, Mrs. Botkin. That'll be all for today. Chief Lees found Cordelia's demeanor fishy. Of course, there was still work to be done to prove her guilt. He sent her back to her cell and waited for the evidence to arrive. The majority of evidence was in route from Delaware to San Francisco, but detectives also searched Cordelia's lodgings

in the city. It would take some time before everything showed up, so authorities focused on collecting witness testimonies in the meantime. But authorities didn't realize Cordelia had something up her sleeve, and soon, one of the prosecution's star witnesses would end up behind bars. Thanks again for tuning into solved murders. We'll be back next Wednesday with part two of the Candy Box killings. Cordelia Botkin plots for her freedom as authorities second-guess the evidence, and witness testimonies tell different stories. For more information on the murder of Mary Elizabeth Dunning, amongst the many sources we used,

we found Dying for Chocolate by Carrie Seagrave extremely helpful to our research. You can find all episodes of solved murders and all other Spotify originals from Parcast for free on Spotify. We'll see you next time. If we live till next time, time. Solve murders, True Crime Mysteries is a Spotify original from Parcast. It is executive produced by Max Cutler.

Sound designed by Michael Langsner, with production assistance by Ron Shapiro, Nick Johnson, Trent Williamson, Freddie Rivera, and Carly Madden. This episode of Solve Murders was written by Spencer Fox, edited by Sarah Batchelor and Giles Hofseth, fact-checked by Claire Cronin, researched by Mickey Taylor and produced by Travis Clark. The amazing cast of voice actors includes Jerry Courtney Austen,

Tom Bauer, Joe Hernandez, Ellie Schiff, and Jen Wong. Solve Murders, stars Wendy McKenzie and Carter Roy.