Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-11-26
TELLS 0F CONFESSION
New Witness Gives Important
Testimony in the Bonine
Murder Case.
G. B. Gardner Tells Of Confess
sion Defendant Made on
Day OF Tragedy.
Mrs. Bonine Declared Struggle
Over a Pistol Resulted In
Shooting Of Ayers.

Washington, Nov. 26.-The first witt
ness called at the trial Of Mrs. Lola Ida
Ronine for the murder of james Sey-
mour Ayres, Jr., today was William
Shoenberger, keeper of the morgue. He
testified to having taken charge of
Ayres' body at the Kenmore Hotel and
to taking it to the morgue on the morn-
ing Of May TO- under the direction Of the
coroner. He had also been present at
the autopsy and had photographs Show
ing the location of the wounds in the
body. The films We're introduced as evi-
dence and exhibited to the jury. Mrs.
Bonine gave one hasty look at the pic
lures as they were held by one of the at
torneys, but she quickly turned her head
and gave them no further attention.
Witness said there were powder marks
on the breast and arm wounds, but none
on the thigh wound. Under the arm
there was a burn. Describing the condi-
ton OF the corpse when he found it,
Shoenberger said the arms were drawn
up in front of the face. On cross
examination witness said when he en-
tered the room where the killing oc-
Cured he saw several empty cartridge
more shells and cartridges ON the trunk
and on the wash stand.
The next witness was George B. Gard4
rer, an attorney in the interior depart
ment who. with his family, occupied
rooms under those occupied by the Boz
rines. in the Kenmore Hotel. His testi-
mony was new. The fact was brought
cut that Mrs. Bonine had made her first
confession to him. This confession had,
witness said. been made on the evening
of May Is, the day of the tragedy. He
was followed to his room by Mrs. Boz
rine. "She stated to me- he said, that
she knew more about the death OF Ayres
than had been given to the public.
think she hesitated a moment and
either my manner or something said
induced her to go on and she said she
was pres~rt when 1t happened and told
me she ma come to me because
she wanted my advice. She told me.
that on the morning of Ayres death y g
came to her room, knocked on the door,
complained of being Ill and asked II she
could not do something for him; that
when she got into Ayres room he had
assaulted her, had pistol IN mis- manu-,
and in the shuttle which ensued he was
killed." The witness stated that she
said nothing more than that when the
struggle followed the assault the pistol
was fired Witness stated that she did
not tell him in whose hands the ristof
was, but later corrected himself by say
ing he believed she said the weapon was
in Ayres' hand.
.She also told me that Ayres was un-
der the influence of liquor at the time
the shooting took place, said Gardner
The witness also said that Mrs. Bonane
had spoken to him again on the next
day or the second day after the tragedy.
..she said" Gardner testified, "th9t she
was feeling badly and that nothing was
sustaining her except the consciousness
Of her innocence. She added she could
not get it out and asked me if she had
better destroy it. BY it underssoed
her to mean she referred to one OF her
garments, I did not know what. ! told
her to destroy nothing, as she had not
decided upon public confession.