The Washington times., 1901-12-01
CASE OUTLINED
BY DEFENCE.
Attorneys for Mrs. BOnine
Promise Much.
SAY AYRBS OWNED THE REVOLVER.
Damaging Testimony Introduced
Yesterday - Defence Will Call
Twenty-Five Witnesses -Pathet-
ic Scene in Court-No Blood on
Defendants Wrapper.

AZ AOSOElO III SObl W. oiOOo O4
Defendants Wrapper.
The prosecution in the case of Mrs. Bo-
nine, charged with the murder of James
Seymour Ayres, jr., yesterday closed its
case after having all of the furniture
found in the room occupied by the dead
census clerk admitted as evidence. At
1:30 o'clock the defence formally opened
its case with preliminary argument to
the jury, which was delivered by Asso-
ciate Counsel Kcene. This is a remark
able statement. and if what is outlined
can be substantiated by witnesses. there
can be little doubt as to the final verdict
These are the points which the counsel
for the accused woman promised yester-
day to prove before they closed their
case:
THAT Ayres was intoxicated on the
night of the tragedy. That the six friends
who accompanied him to saloons on that
night, and who swore that they were per
fectly sober were 'boisterously drunk
That the revolver found in Ayres' room
after the shooting was not brought there
by the defendant, as is accused, but was
the property of the deceased, he having
loaned it to witnesses who viii be pro-
dUced.
That an eye witness saw the bloody
curtain on the window of the room raised
by hand after the shooting. That this
was Mrs. Bonines hand. and that she was
seen TO emerge from the window.
That Ayres could have inflicted the
wounds upon himself during the struggle.
the powder marks and other evidences
make the theory of the prosecution lu-
dicrous
That Mrs. Bonine was a woman of
spotless character. and that she, of all
women. would have the least motive to
murder Ayres.'
Day of Damaging Evidence.
Yesterday was day of damaging evil
dence against the accused woman. For
the first time the prosecution was en-
abled TO support the theory advanced and
TO disnrove the claims OF the prisoner.
This came about when DR.. E. NJ. Schaef
fer, noted microscopic and analytical
chemist. was called TO the stand to tes-
tify as to the result of his examinations
of the garments and shoes worn by Mrs
Bonine on the night of the tragedy. He
had been given the wrapper worn By the
accused woman, and for twenty days it
underwent series OF crucial tests. When
asked if he had found any bloodstains on
the garment. the witness replied: NO;
hot even spot as large as pinhead''
He claimed that if there had ever been |
a drop of blood on the wrapper he would |
have found it, or evidences of its having |
been washed out Nothing of this kind |
could be found. This statement is rega ~ded |
as damaging, as the defence has all ong /
eontended that the fact that the garment |
was bloodstained showed plGinly that |
there had been a struggle with Ayres, as
woman standing on the fre-escape and
shooting at the man from ambush would |
not get any blood Oh her clothing.
Pathetic Scene
The most pathetic scene in the history |
of the trial occurred yesterday. when
James Seymour Ayres, ST, the father OF
the murdered man. was placed on the
stand, and reeited an interview which he
1alu Win III = iSbBlIE Elt II d htutl db4t
ola gentleman. with grey hair and white
beard. and his plaintive mourning for his
lost boy affected those who heard it. He
stated that from the first he had believed the
woman who sat in frcnt Of him to be the
destroyer and described her as the
'nerviest woman I ever knew
Mrs Bonine was visi5ly affected during |
the recital, and kept her gaze on the floor
that her tears might not be observed. She
passed an eventful day, and was at all
times busily coaching her attorneys.
a unique scene was presented yester-
day when court was convened. The space
in front Of the jury box was occupied by
the furniture taken from Ayres' room,
and from carpet to trunks the scene was
almost complete. At one end was .laced
the entire end of the room, plaster. paper
ing. and boarding, with the window ledge |
and the green shade covered with blood |
spots.
One of the Incidents Of the day was a |
reproduction Of the struggle between Ayres
and Mrs. Bonine. in which Attorney Full
ton demonstrated. with the assistance of
Mrs. Meacham. the sister OF the accused.
that it would have been impossible Tor the
woman to have avoided getting llood on
her collar and shoulder after the shots
had been fired.
Lieut.. James a. Moore, of the Sixth
precinct. was the first witness called by
the prosecution yesterday. He was asked
TO identify the furniture found in the room
occupied by Ayres, which filled the upper
end of the court room. in front of the
jury
The wrapper worn by Mrs. Bonine when
she went 10 Ayres' room was produced
and identified. Lieutenant Moore said
that there were no rents under the arms
OF the sleeves when he saw the garment
As introduced in court the wrapper was
torn under each arm
Under cross examination the witness
said that he had not looked for rents ur-
der the arms in the sleeves OF the wrap
per, and that they might have been there
when he first examined the garment The
wrapper was passed around among the
iurymen and examined carefully. Attor-
ney Fulton then brought the garment to
Mrs Bonine, who after a careful inspec-
tion, showed him Just how and where the
goods was torn
In redirect examination Lieutenant
Moore said that he had examined the lock
on the door of Ayres' room and had found
1t out of order. He did not know how the
damage had been done.
Exu tr.s. a |