The age-herald., 1901-11-27
She Said Ayers Assaulted Her and Mas Killed in the
 Ensuing Scufle AYERS HAD 4 FAREWELL PARTY
Several Friends Called to See Him the Night of the Traeedy-They All Drank, But Kept
 Sober.


 was brought out today in the trial of Mrs. Lola Ida Bonine for the killing of James Seymour Ayers. Jr., that she had made a private confession of her part in the trag edy on the evening after the homicide, several days before she took the police officials into her confidence.
 This recital was made to George B. Gardner, an attorney employed in the law division of the Interior Department, who was a boarder at the Kenmore Hotel and usually sat at the same table at which Mrs. Bonine took her meals. MT Gardner on the witness stand today said Mrs. Bonine had sought him out and asked his advice as to whether she should make public statement and that he had suggested to her that she Should delay her confession until the theory of sui eide, which was first entertained, should be fully exploited.
 The first witness called today was Will liam Shoenberger, keeper of the morgue He testified to having taken charge of Ayers body at the Kenmore Hotel and to taking 1t to the morgue on the morn ing of May 15 last under the direction of the coroner. He had also, he said, been present at the autopsy and had photo graphs showing the location of wounds in 
 evidence and exhibited to the jury.
 Mrs. Bonine gave one look at the pict- ures as they were handed to one of the attorneys, but she quickly turned her head and gave them no further attention. She engaged In conversation with Attor- ney Fulton most of the time while this testimony was given. The witness said there were powder marks on the breast and arm wounds but none on the thigh wounds. Under the arm there was burn. Describing the condition of the corpse when he found 1t, MT. Shoenberger said the arms were drawn up in front of the face as If shielding the face.
 On cross-examination, the witness said that when he entered the room where the killing occurred he saw several empty cartridge shells in the slop jar and had seen more shells and cartridges on the trunk asd washstand.
 Tells of Confession.
 The next witness was Mir George R. Gardiner, an attorney in the Interior De- partment, who, with his family, occupied rooms under the suite occupied by the Bonines in the Kenmore Hotel. His tes- timony was new. The fact was brought out that Mrs. Bonine had made her first confession to him. This confession was, the witness said made on the evening of May 15, the day of the tragedy. He was followed to his room by Mrs Bo- nine. "She stated to me-" he said, that she knew more about the death of Ayers than had been given to the public. l think she hesitated moment and eith- CT my manner or something I said in duced her to go on, and she said she was present when 1t happened and told me that she had come to me because she wanted my advice. She told me that on the morning of Ayers death he came to her room and knocked on her door and complained of being i'll and asked if she could not do something for himi that when she got into Ayers room he lad assaulted her and had a pistol in his hand and in the scuffie which en- sued he was killed"
 Ayers Had the Pistol.
 ''Did she describe the, struggle that took placer" asked the district attorney
 The witness stated that she said noth- ing more than that when the struggle followed the assault, the pistol was fred She did not tell him in whose hands the Distol was, but later corrected himself by saying that he believed that the weapon was in Ayers hands, "She also told me that Ayers was under the in fiuence of liquor at the time of the shoot ing" said Mir. Gardiner
 Witness also said that Mrs. Bonine had spoken to him again on the next day or the second day after the tragedy. She sat at the same table with him in the dining room and she again sought to talk with him concerning the tragedy.
 ''She said" MT. Gardiner testified. that she was feeling badly. and that nothing was sustaining her except the conscious ness of her innocence. She added that she could not get 1t out, and asked me If she had better destroy 1t. By this understood her to refer to one of her garments. but I did not know what and told her to destroy nothing, as she had not decided upon a public confession"
 On re-examination MT. Gardner said he could not exactly say that Mrs. Bonine was excited. She was hurried and her manner was tense. She had asked his advice as to the advisability of making a public statement and he had told her to remain quiet until it was determined whether the suicide theory would hold good.
 Ayers Had Been Drinkinu.
 James Burns, who was Ayers intimate friend and who accompanied him to his room the night of the tragedy, was next called
 He said that on the night of the trag- edy Ayers had gone with him to three or four saloons around the corner, where he said Ayers had drank sparingly. It was then about 12:30 o'clock He accom- panied Ayers to his room, leaving him in D perfectly sober condition.
 The witness said that while formerly Ayers and Mrs. Bonine had been on friendly terms, these relations became strained, and on the occasion of the Mon day dance before the killing she had ap- preached Ayers with a carnation; he Lad treated her with contempt Mrs. Bo- nine told him. he said. that she had re- proved Ayers for drinking. He did not L,oxu If Avara having rfsfol
 On cross-examination Burns said that Mrs. Bonine had taught Ayers how to lance and had also taught him (the wit ness) the two-step He also said that be- lore starting out with Ayers at 10:30 o'clock he himself had had six or seven drinks, but that he was not intoxicated. He said that he had not spent more than two minutes in Ayers room when he ac- ,ompanied him up and that he had no confidential conversation with him.
 T did not know that could have had confidential talk he said. There