The Washington times., 1901-11-10
MRS. BONNIE MAY TESTIFY
A Possibility That She Will Be
Put on the Stand.
Further Details of Shooting Neces-
snry to Establish II Nindicntion-A
Point OF Contradiction Between
Her Statement and Testimony.

Point OF Contradiction Between
Her Statement and Testimony.
Now that the date of the trial of Lola
Ida Henry Bonine. indicted for the nun
der of James Seymour Ayres. jr., is fixed,
the chief topic disDsssed in connection
with the tragedy is whether or not Mrs.
Bonine win testify in her own defence.
On this point there seems to be a great
diversity of opinion. Many contend that
the Government has not sufficient evil
dence in sight to actually put her on the
defensive. On the other hand some are
of the opinion that her statement of the
circumstances under which Ayres met his
death connects her so closely with the
affair as to make further explanation alb
solutely necessary.
II is argued that the Government has no
testimony, so far as is known, by which
the statements made by Mrs Bonine can
be contradicted. In one particular, at
least, however. she is positively contra
dicted by the young woman who occupied
the room adjoining that in which Ayres
was killed Mrs Bonine, in her statement,
said that after the shooting she cried
help three times. The cry for assist
ance is about all that the woman referred
TO remembers to have heard in connection
with the tragedy, and she is positive that
the voice she heard was that Of a man.
1t is contended by some who have care
fully followed the case from the time of
the tragedy TO the present that there is
SO much left unexplained by the statement
made by Mrs Bonine that she will, when
called to trial, testify in her own behalf.
All arrangements for the trial. which
will commence on Tuesday November 10,
will be completed next week by Assistant
United States Marshal Robinson. As here
tofore stated, admission to the court room
where the trial will be held will be by card
issued by the marshal Provision will be
made for the accommodation of repre-
sentatves Of the three local daily newspa-
pers, the press associations, artists, and
members of the District bar. All these
viii be admitted within the railing by
card. while the general public Will have
TO take chances outside the railing. In |
connection with the issuance of cards it |
may be stated that the ticket Of admission |
viii re good only for one day, and will be |
taken up by d deputy United States mar
shal before the holder is permitted to en- |
ter the court room. BY this plan Mr.. Rob |
iuson hopes to avoid any overcrowding, |
and also to give as many as possible an /
opportunity to attend the proceedings,
II is expected that the members Of the |
AeA StAA'AeAts VIII LetAt eilt siAlLats5t OA l
every opportunity to hear parts of the |
proceedings. II Is not probable, however, |
that any of them, just at this time of the |
year, will be able to spend many hours |
in this way. If season tickets for the |
trial were issued. it would be seen that
under such circumstances, If all toe mem
bers Ct the bar by chance decided to at /
tend the trial on the same day, there |
wou-d be an oyercrowding Of the court |
room, much To the discomfort and incon-
venience Of all
The crime for which Mrs. Bonine will /
be placed on trial was committed at the
Kenmore Hotel on May Is last, at about
a. m. II was not, however, until the
following morning, about o'clock. when
the body Of Ayres was discovered in his
room that ii was known even al the Ken
more Hote,, except IL - Bouine. that
tragedy had occurred there. The firing
OF the shots which resulted in Ayres'
death awakened some people in the Ken
more Hotel, some In the house adjoining
ana attracted the attention of persons
on the opposite side of the street. A
young woman who occupied a room adj
joining that In which Ayres was killed
was awakened by the sounds of the shots
and stated that she remained all night in
doors ~
1t was not, however, until the guests Of
the kenmore Hotel were assembled at
breakfast, at about o'clock on the morn
ing of May 10, that - disturbance which
nad reen hea1d on the premises during
the nlsht was investigated When the
young woman who occupied the room
next to Ayres went down stairs to hreak-
last she overheard a discussion relative
10 the nolses which she had heard during /
the night.
Then. she says. it was the first time If
dawned upon her that the shots she had |
heard were In Ayres' room. She called a
waiter and sent him to Ayres room. The
boy returned with the startling news that
AyreS was lying upon the floor of his
room in a pool Of blood
Among the guests at the breakfast ia
bic that morning was Mrs. BOnine. who is
now under indictment for the murder of |
Ayres. II was stated that she did not |
show any nervousness or excitement or
even extraordinary interest in the news.
which startled everybody that heard IL |
For several days her conduct was such |
as TO create the Impression that she was
entirely unconcerned about the affair, and |
least OF anyone for many days was she.
suspected Of being in any way connected I
with il.
When questioned in reference to the
matter by the police she denied any
knowledge OF IL or being in any way con- |
nected with the tragedy, and offered to
assist them in any way possible in dis
covering the author of the crime. Under /
these circumstances, Of course, her later
statement that she was present IN the /
room at the time Ayres came to his death |
was a great surprise, even though II was |
not made until nearly a week after the /
tragc dy- Her story as told by herself is, !
In brief;
on the night of May Is, about 2 o'clock, |
Ayres she said- came 20 her room on the |
protence Of getting some medicine, and |
asked her to talk over some difference |
that had existed between them. While |
standing at her door she said Ayres at
tempted to csress her but that she re-
pulsed him. She finally promised and did
go over TO his room to talk over the past
troubles Before going TO Ayres' room,
however, she stated that she dressed her
self completely, with the exception of |
putting on her corsets.
When she arrived at the door of Ayres' |
room and placed her hand on the door
knob to open IL, she says that Ayres op-
ened the door from the inside and she |
stepped within. AS she passed into the |
room. she said, Ayres closed and boltcd
the door behind her. ii was wen she |
noticed. she said. that Ayrcs helJNS pistol |
in his right hand and was dressed only
in an undershirt. When she saw the
pistol, she claims, she started to run to-
ward the window. She stumbled she |
said, her foot catching in her wrapper. or
something else. II was then that Ayres !
caught her. placing his left arm around