The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-11-27
MRS. BONNIE ON TRIAL.
Alleged Murderer of James Ayres
at Kenmore Hotel.

Washington, Nov. 25.-The trial of
Mrs. Lola Ida Bonine for the murder
of James Seymour Ayers at the Ken
more hotel last May began in real
earnest today. The preliminary de-
tails as to the finding of the body, the
location of the furniture. blood stains,
etc., were all in with the conclusion
of the testimony of J. F. Drew, the
capitol policeman, who was on the
stand when the court adjourned last
Friday. Baker, the man who saw
Mrs. Bonine descend the fire escape,
Hopkins. who roomed over Ayres and
raised the first cry, Miss Woolums,
who roomed under Ayres. and Miss
Lawless and Miss Minas. who roomed
on either side of him, testified today.
The two latter were regarded as star
witnesses, but they testified to no
facts not developed at the inquest
Drew testified that there was room
enough behind the door of Ayres' room.
for a man to have been there while
the door was opened to admit another
preson, a contention which the
prosecution deny, and also that
slop jar in Ayres room before the
pistol with which the shooting
was done was emptied by Officer Brady
after the tragedy. This would tend
to establish the theory of the defense
that the pistol belonged to Ayres. Mrs.
Bonine throughout the trial today,
when witnesses described the cries,
groans and throat gurgling of the
diving man, remained unmoved.
j. Frank Drew, the capitol police
man, who was on the stand last Fri
day when the court adjourned, resum
ed his testimony. He swore that he
had several times seen the defendant
come out of Ayres' room. The last
occasion was about a week before the
tragedy. It was at night, about 8
O'Clock. On cross examination be
testified that there was space enough
behind the door for person to have
stood there while the door was opened
to admit another person. also that
there were empty cartridge shells IN
the slop jar upon his first visit to the
room, which was before Officer Brady
broke the pistol and took the shells
out. He testified that he had seen
Mrs. Bonine come out Of the rooms of
others in the hotel, among them those
of several single men, and her
demeanor was in no wise different
from that when he saw her emerge
from Ayres' room.
Thomas NJ. Baker, an employe of
the fish commission, who resided IN
the building adjoining the Kenmore,
was then called and testified that on.
the night of the tragedy he was
awakened by the reports of pistol
shots. He jumped out of bed, went to
the window and heard a voice from
above inquiring what was wrong
below. He replied that he had heard
pistol shots. Then, while standing at
his window, he saw figure on the
fire escape just outside of Ayres' win
dow. The figure walked the length of
the fire escape in his direction and
then descended two flights to the floor
of the veranda, where it disappeared
into windows It was the figure of
small woman, clad in dark, tight
fitting clothing. The woman wore no
hat and as he did not hear the fall of
her footsteps he judged that she was
in her stocking feet. He described the
manner of her descent, which be said
was very deliberate and without emo
ton. He did not know the defendant
at the time of the tragedy. but saw
her about l O'Clock the afternoon of
that day. She was at that time being
questioned by Detective Horn. She
was smiling and be heard her say she
knew nothing about the cause of
Avres' death. Robert P. Hopkins,
a clerk in the war department, heard
three loud reports and looking out
saw something which looked like
skull lying on the fire escape just out
side the window Of Ayres' room.