Evening star., 1901-12-10
THE DEFENSE CLOSES
ttq4
No More Testimony to Be Taken in
the Bonine Case.
COUNSEL CONSIDERING PRAYERS
Arguments to Be Heard and Mat
ter Will Go TO Jury.
EVIDENCE OF EXPERTS

When Justice Anderson ordered recess In
the Bonine murder trial at 1890 thi1after-
noon the general impression was that the
testimony would be entirely in before the
adjournment for the afternoon District
Attorney Gould intimated that he would
call no witnesses in rebuttal unless it were
necessary, following the expert testimony
brought out by the defense in the forenoon.
There were not to exceed ten women in
the court room when the trial was taken
up this morning. A scores or more of we'll
known physicians were among the specta-
tors attracted no doubt by the fact that
the defense was to bring out hypothetical
questions that might be adduced at some
future time in a case where a persons life
was at stake. 49,
DR.. Carr, former coroner for the District
Of Columbia, was again on the stand. He
was followed by DR.. Bovee and DR.. Ruffin,
the latter of whom was perhaps the most
important expert witness that the defense
has brought to the stand. DR.. Ruffin was
positive in his declaration that asphyxia,
produced from necessarily fatal wound,
would stimulate the nervous system of
man to the condition in which Ayres was
found.
Mrs. Bonine watched carefully the tes-
timony. Particularly was she interested
when LIZ. carr, OH uCTOSS-SAdIIlIdtlOu, QeHl-
Onstrated, with District Attorney Gould
using pistol, how it would be impossible
to infiict wounds such as were found on
Ayres' body
Defense Closes Case.
Counsel for the defense in the Bonine
trial, at ten minutes before o'clock this
afternoon, announced their case closed.
The United States attorney a few minutes
later stated that the government would not
offer testimony in rebuttal.
The jury was escorted from the room and
a recess until 2:30 o'clock was taken in
order to permit counsel to conclude the
preparation Of prayers for instructions 1t is
desired the court shall give the jury. The
summing-up arguments OF counsel to the
jury will begin tomorrow morning. Assist
ant United States Attorney Taggart will
open for the government. He will be fol-
lowed by Attorney Fult on for the defense.
Each, it is thought Will consume about
one-half a day. Attorney Douglass for the
defense and United States Attorney Gould
for the government in theJorder named will
close the arguments. The expectation Is
that the case will go to the jury Friday.
Cross-Examination Resumed.
The cross-examinatim1 of DR.. w. P. Carr,
who was on the stand when the adjourn
ment yesterday was taken, was resumed
Immediately after the formal opening of
Criminal Court No. this morning.
he "ltHeSS was dSfSeu ny CultSu StdleS
Attorney Gould If Mrs. iBonine had said in
her statement made the 10th Of May that
'she could not describe the Shots
DR.. Carr replied that sheAdid SO say.
Then remarked Mr.. Gould, when you
testify that the wounds received by Ayres
could have been inflicted in the manner
described by Mrs. Bopine you mean the
manner described by ,yourself?"
II mean during the struggle she spoke
Of" explained DR.. Cafr."h' sIH'- 3oii -
The witness expressed the opinion that
the chest wound was inflicted first. the
wound in the outside Of the arm second
and the wound in the hip third.
The United States attorney handed the
witness the revolver found In Ayres room
and requested the, doctor to demonstrate
just how the weapon was discharged in or
der to cause the wound in the chest. Point
ing the revolver at his own chest in the
proper direction to cause the described
wound, the witness was unable to pull the
trigger with his forefinger.
my theory Is" stated DR.. Carr, that the
thumb got on the trigger, and the revolver
was discharged in that way
In a struggle with this powerful wo-
man." added Mr.. Gould with slight sar-
casm in his voice, 1T was necessary for the
deceased to use his thumb in order to press
the trigger and shoot himself"
Mr.. Gould wanted to know If DR.. Carr
was familiar with q certain recent work on
gunshot wounds The witness replied that
he was not, and did not care to be, for he
did not entertain a very high opinion Of the
author of the work.
The Powder Marks.
DR.. Carr was examined at length regard
ing the powder marks on Ayres' arm, and
was asked If it was not possible for a bull
let, In flight to be stopped by a piece Of
cloth. The witness admitted that he had
known Of the flight of bullet being arrest
ed by silk handkerchief, but insisted that
the left sleeve of Ayres' undershirt had not
lnterrered with the passage Of the bullet
that grazed it.
The defense followed this evidence with
an offer to introduce In evidence several
photographs, taken under the direction Of
DIR. Carr and portraying the experiments
made by the witness for the purpose Of
showing that the wound received by Ayres
might have been inflicted during strug-
gle. The court promptly sustained Mr..
Goulds objection against the admission of
the photographs in evidence. An exception
was noted.
The next witness called by the defense
was DR.. ]. Wesley Bovee local physician,
who is connected with several hospitals in
a surgical capacity. He was present dur
Ing the experiments made by DR.. Carr, and
assisted with the same. DIR. Bovee testified
in general way regarding powder marks,
shutting and the other effects Of pistol
shots fired at cloth from varying distances,
his conclusions coinciding with those Of DR..
Carr.
All Caused by Same Bullet.
DR.. Bovee declared that the marks in the
left forearm of Ayres and the burn on the
left sleeve were caused by the same bullet
l,o& ~