The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-15
BONAI TELLS HIS STORY.
SAYS WEEKS FIRED THE SHOT THAT
KILLED FARMER NICHOLS.


1ry-The weeks Ramiiy Urged Rim % IN
Sr,me-His version Of the Nichsis Tragedy.
Rp,porpoRr, Conn.,, Dec. 14.-Charles Bonai.
now IN trial for the murder Of George Marcus
Nichols went on the witness stand to-day In
his own defence and told the story Of his life.
He charged David Weeks with firing the shot
that killed Nichols. He blamed the Weeks
family for his transgrossions, and said they
urged hin to lead q life of crime. and that his
wife wanted him TO get more money in some
way before they could wed.
The state closed @ short time after court
opened this morning. The first witness called
by Attorney Lynch for tho defence was Bonai.
He was nervous at first, but soon recovered.
and told the story Of his crimes with apparent
unconcern. When court adjourned this after
noon States Attorney Fessenden had Just start
ed the cross.examination. Bonai made a do
cided impression on the spectators. Some Of
the women present expressed q desire to talk
with him, but Sheriff Hawley forbade 1t. DO.
nails story was:
"I was born In Great Darlington, Mass, on
April Q. 1864. I ran away from homo whom I
was ID years of age on account Of the brutality
of my father. I went to Poughkeepsie, N. Y,
and was thrown upon my own resources. Hav.
ing no money or friends, 1 was tempted to steal
some oranges from In front Of a grocery store
because / was hungry. ! was caught and was
sent to the House of Refuge on Randall's Isl.
and, N. ". Istayed there twenty three mouths
and was then bound out to a farmer In South
old. I only stayed there four months"
Bonai then told of going from place to place
and said:
II went to North Canaan to work for q cousin
! who promised me $40 a month. At the end of
four months I could not get any money from
hin, SO l thought / would pay myself. ! stole
sos from him and went to Brooklyn. / was
arrested there the day Of my mothers funeral
and taken back to North Canaan and from
fenced to Wethersteld State prison for one year
and six months. This was, In April, 1884. I
G Tss Fslef fsSara 5I0% and Rri %snt the back dkay 10 before nPoes gsn:
from there to Chatham, n. Y. While in Chat:
ham l met q crowd Of people who were inclined
invited to their house. I became better ao-
9uainted with them, and finally, while under
whom i worked Of oats and other feed. The
gang with whom was essoGiating had horses
berry. That was in 1887, and soon after I was
accused Of every crime that had happened
S within I : radius lIp.O Offorty miles: had rad been there
for eleven years and four months to Dannemora
prison, having pleaded guilty to one charge Of
1895: While in prison 1 worked in a shop first
formed, and i was leader and instructor Of that,
and also assistant librarian, The library was
hot estaohsnsG until atter L nau Deen IN PRISON
s ss%s uni a little r. n s. S.td issT time wh hsa in sf prl.G q
! took every opportunity to educate myself,
there that first became desirous Of hitting
of the Bible for this purpose. and the Bible I
used His ,, Is IN, marked ,Ss Titla marginal references;
ought o%s to have ' It. Ny 4:"i father hH@ died " While iis' / W Sas
In prison ,n s When ,noI ! ca anne n, ont putt the home 81 nro was
lvn- hnf nnlv Rfnvah fharn "a fpIy 6nvu
That was the first time I had seen Maggie since
January, and then went to Salisbury. Conn. I
had tried to got a Living in Brooklyn as a mem.
to pay my board. At Salisbury 1 worked for
jeremiah Bushnell, and gave an assumed
Ra%sl 0%e in csn Z Ma' ff wss known &c Ts~ as seaGE SaPPi Ee,
s si,ns The there thu until mam May g E. tt as9 &C., At ,o,lh.astt
hold that l intended to become q missionary.
Mrs. Bsssett, my cousin. urged me to return
John Weeks wanted me to resume stealing.
John asked mo to &c ateGling turkeys at Brins-
She replied. III you can't steal something worth
having, don't go at ALL Maggie was the only
one who did not urge me % steal; At that
an anne UPRIGHT sas sHe and Ebri M 8 10 lie. a"s We a used iet to
talk about my prospects as a missionary; She
iafSs w mS 10 I did to the ssr best Of Pfa ms sbiiit tp the
Was Il your determination to become a mis-
oiOuuTyf MT. LynCu dSktu.
ut certainly was"
=. AZ 4 that IT., tine my young brother was working
months / worked about. sometimes at William
Hallett's and at others at Cliff Bassett's. l stayed
at Mrs; Bassetts and helped her. Her second
used to talk about the days when l was steal
ing and urged me to continue it. She said al
stantly referring to my old life, The day, |
went away. May 3. 1905. she said she wished |
her E1u $io 81 to oI pay SP Ror h RasSa a fs0 fun ners1 e sna ssea
Dave asked me togo to rob. places.where he had
81 went from there to Albany. N. ", and
then to Richmond, Mass, where met the Rev.
T. ! c: Luce. While in prison ! had correspond.
Y. about entering a missionary school. and 1
vent to sec her also about that time. Mr..
l wrote to several missionary training schools,
explaining to them what my past life had
school, one in Boston, and the MOODY institute
AFTER leaving Mr.. Luce's I went back to
Catsklll and then canvassed about the coun-
try; i went to Huntington again in October,
I lSSN, but only stayed 3 short time. Then
sponded, with Maggie. I came back in about q
m stSH' n for %.c a flew days ,b ! finally 9imy Returned iot t9
me that If ! did not make some money we could
not be married. While in Huntington in No.
Eember explained to my wife that had not
me that II / was not more successful as a can
y,asser would have to resume .p~oaching again
w DIV hihi al uiips L tl
TO her and her mother, and went over into
Dutchess county, \. " and committed a bur
When came back told Mrs. Bessett and
going to go into legitimate business.
"During Thu: time my mother-in-law. wanted
me TO resume grating as she called 1t, saying
that there was moro money in 1t than in the
missionary service or In canvassing. My wife
called 1t poaching. Dave said he had worked
for a man named Deacon Botcford In Halter.
and usually had money IN the house. He
wanted mo to rob him. Ho wanted me TO rob
men named Gregory, Hamilton ard Nichols,
all of whom he had worked for. We afterward
robbed Mr.. Nichols in Nichols.
We went TO Botsford TO rob a man whom
Dave worked for. but were discovered and gave
It up; We went TO another place In Botsford to
rob. but gave that up. We stopped at a house
owned by a man named futile. ! bought some
eggs and while ] WINS doing IL Dave went into
he hen roost. Tuttle followed us out and Dave
md he had some words. Both drew rcvolvers
and futile shot once at Dave. Dave fired back
four times and shot the woman, Mrs. Booth.
! told him then that there was no occasion for
that shooting"
In all your experience had you over fired a