The times., 1901-05-24
Her STORY YET UNOHAKEN
The Police Unable TO COntrOvert
Mrs. B0Rine's Statement.

The Evidence Thus Far, Collected In.
sufficient for Conviction - Hest.
fancy of the Officials BIamed-steps
to secure the Prisoners Release
Interest in the Kenmore Hotel tragedy
grows as the mystery deepens. Nobody
really believes the story of the case thus
far presented Nine days have passed
since the murder of Ayers and his re-
mains have been consigned to earth at
his boyhood home in Michigan. Mrs. L. l.
Bonine has been arrested and lodged in
jail; she has admitted being present when
Ayers met death. has said he was shot
three times while she fought him in de-
fence of her honor. A Coroner's jury has
held Mrs. Bonine responsible for the death
Of Ayers, yet there appears no charge
against her. No evidence has been dis
covered to controvert her statement to
the police that she was attacked by Ayers
prior TO the killing.
Nothing was brought TO light yesterday
by the police to clear the atmosphere Of
mystery. Confusion reigned in the minds
of the authorities and public alike as to
the true solution Of important points in
the tragedy District Attorney Gould is
represented as nonpIussed at features of
the case, the prosecution of which now
appears most difficult. Investigation leads
only in failure to establish a single promi-
nent fact contrary to the confession of
Mrs. Bonine. whose sphinN-like silence,
now that she is in custody, adds much
to the decentralization everywhere appar-
ent- Toward the goal of actual evidence
the poli1s have been unable to advance.
At every step they are confronted by
the confession of the woman under ar
rest of which fbarn iS no 81
nial possible
Mrs. Bonine spent yesterday as she did
the previous day at the jail. She arose
early, and breakfastsd at s o'clock. To-
ward noon her husband called accom-
panied by Charles Douglass, of Douglass
y Douglass. her counsel. An hour was
spent in conference. after which it was
said there was nothing to give out. Ev-
erything tends to show that Mrs. Bonine
maintains her composure. is calm and col
Iected. 1t is this censummate nerve that
is the wonder of the police, the public. and
even her friends Under circumstances
exceedingly trying, she Shows nC signs
of weakening
II was learned that yesterday Mrs. BO
nine suggested TO her husband that her
two boys be sent out of the city. and to
this Mr. Bcnine assented. 1t is under
into Virginia for the summer months,
probably to Accotink, where other child
ren whose, parents reside at the kenmore
have already been sent.
At the Kenmore last night, on the
streets, and in the hotel Iobbies, dis
cussion of the tragedy was unab abated
Everybody marveieG az the composure of
Mrs Bonine. Stories were told of her
nerve. frequently exhibited, and of one
case in particular when she narrowly es-
capped serious, possibly fatal, injury. Il
was less than a year ago. and Mrs. Bonine
was riding a bicycle along Pennsylvania
Avenue, near Fifteenth Street northwest.
The broad street was crowded with We
hicles of every description, cars, wagons.
automobiles, bicycles. and carts.
As Mrs. Bonine turned into Fifteenth
Street, glided between two wagons, she
found herself caught in trap, as it wee,
with a car approaching on the right. md
wagon on the left. There was no es-
cape from a collision. and Mrs. Bon ne
adroitly guided her wheel across the track
directly in front of the coming car The
fender of the car struck the bicycle, and
Mrs. Bonine managed to fall conveniently
into the fender. She vas but slightly
bruised, and the wheel was damaged but
little
Steps viii soon be taken to secure the
release Of Mrs. Bonine from Jail E. Scott
Douglass, Of Douglass & Douglass, has
stated that the firm viii apply TO the Dis
trict Supreme Court for a writ of habeas |
corpus on the ground that their client is |
Illegally deprived Of her liberty; that |
there IS 10 specific charge against her,
and that, therefore, her arrest was with |
out warrant Of law.
II f- alec understood tr1F ~, .FF,r. 20 /
give bail for Mrs. Bonine may be made !
Douglass & Douglass said last night that |
they were net prepared to say positively /
when they would take definite action. but /
proceedings are expected to be begun to- !
day looking TO the release of the prisoner. |
Some mystery appears to surround the |
visit yesterday to the Jail of Drs. II. D. !
Fry and Berry, both at the request of |
counsel for Mrs. Bonine. DR.. Fry was !
seen last night. He told a reporter that /
he could say nothing about the case. My |
visit 10 the jail was mainly Of profess /
sional character said DR.. Fry. I am |
not al liberty TO say more at this time" |
It was learned elsewhere that the ply |
sicians made a careful examination Of |
Mrs. B0nine. particularly as to her ply /
steal condition. The belief was held in |
some quarters that counsel for the wo- |
man desired to bring before the courts |
medical testimony to show that the |
health OF the prisoner would be seriously |
impaired should confinement in jail be |
prolonged.
While Mrs. Bonine bears up wonderfully |
under the extraordinary strain ta which /
she is subjected, friends fear her health /
may not Withstand the shock Of imprison- |
ment following upon the stress of ner- |
Nous excitement Of which she has been /
the subject. Drs. Fry and Berry were |
with the prisoner half an hour They left |
the jail IN company with Mr.. Bonine and |
Mr. Douglass
The lack OF evidence against Mrs. Ro- |
nine and the fact that she faces no par
ticuiar charge Is all very embarrassing to |
the authorities.
II is pointed out that no single import !
ant fact tends 70 show a state of afTairs |
other than that admitted by Mrs. Bonine. |
II Is admitted that the Police Department
the Coroner, and his Deputy Dr Glaze |
efforts TO show that Ayers was really |
murdered by Mrs. BOnfne.
District Attorney Gould, also. has been I
nc silent party 10 the investigation. He |
has worked, and worked hard He was /
at the COrOncrs inquest questioned the |
cured VIII not convict Mrs Bonine. This |
the police reluctantly admit
Detectives have been worked day and /
night by their chief Captain-Iaspector |
Boardman. IN an effort to clear up the /
mystery. They have had no time for rest |
or recreation, and have spent but few
hours IN sleep since the tragedy On the
street all day, they have been forced 10
hurry home to dinner so that they might |
work until after midnight on blind clues /
or hopeless suggestions
One man on the detective force said |
1