Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-05-21
STORY OF MURDER
Mrs. Bonine's Confession as Made to
the Authorities.
HER VERSION OF THE FATAL SHOOTING
Claims Revolver Was DISCHARGED
During a ScuffIe.
THE REPORT IN DETAIL

w lltl MIS-. bOHlllt luttde Ile1 cpHltSSlOll
to the authorities. he was put through a
rigid cross-examination by Major Sylves-
ter, assisted by Detectives Weldon and
Horne and District Attorney Gould and
Coroner hewitt. Her testimony was given
in a ghtforward. frank manner and
each word was carefully taken down by an
expert stenographer, who present
The confession follows:
The Confession.
@. You knew Mr.. Ayers, didn't you?
Yes sir.
@. Did you ever have any business deal
ings with him. A. No, sir
@. You knew him socially at the house
that you have told me already? A. Yes. sir
9. Tell me about this night, and what
you have told Mr.. Gould
Mrs. Bonine--It was about o'clock in the
night have no timepiece-
Q. That was the night he died? A. Yes.
He came to my room and knocked, and /
boys roOm-my room is on the inside-and
l opened my door, and he said he had a
chill.
G.. Who had c chill? A. Mr. Ayres THAT
he thought he was going to have a chill,
and he wanted to know If / had anything
for it. and | said, What have you been do
ing to yourself that you should have a
chill" and he said, Some of the boys have
been around taking a few drinks, but they
didn't take enough" So then | said l had
some laxative bromo-quinine that l could
give him. l thought the quinine would
stimulate and the laxative would be good
for the stomach, SO he then said, as l
made movement to go back to my ROOM
Let me come in. 1 want to talk with
the boys" | couldn't afford it. | was
afraid the boys would wake up and find a
man in the room that hour of the night 1
couldn't think of 1t. So
Inst trll L1
occurred. Did he come in the room?
a. No. l said that ! would not let him
come in. He attempted to put his arm
around me bit. and said he was going
away tomorrow and he wanted to have a
talk with me and have a better under
standing. You know We had some msun-
derstanding; it had come slight and he
said he wanted to have better under
standing before he went away. So, as he
said that, he kind Of put his arm around
me, and
@. How did he put his arm around you
rested on your shoulder?
A. Attempted to put It around nv
shoulder and l pulled away, and he said
I will stay if you will be nice to me- and
that is his words, and the manner would
indicate more than the words and the
gesture, and I said couldn't think of that
and he said. well, come over to my room
anyway and let's talk it over. l won't be
satisfied unless you come and talk it over
and l said, No; downstairs in the morn
ing. I will see you in the morning. and
he said: There will be many people
around that I won't get a chance to talk
with you downstairs So then he said
Come over to the room, we will talk it
! over there and I decided that / would
| and | said l would get the medicine, the
laxative bromo quinne, If l could find it. I
wasn't sure that l had any. l couldn't
find any and | went to the room and
dressed, shoes. stockings my slippers and
stockings, and everything except my cor
| sets, my underwear and everything. and
| the reason l did that was to convince him
| that if he made any further attempt of
| that sort that l had respect for myself and
l would prove that l didn't intend to per-
| NIT anything of that sort you know, and
I went on over, and as l opened the door
| he had his hand on the knob inside. While
| he was talking to me he had on his pants
| and coat, | suppose undershirt.
II didn't notice particular, but when l
went in the room he was dressed with the
shirt and was behind the door with his
| hand on the knob, and stepped fun in the
| room before I really saw him, and then he
| closed the door and bolted 1t, having the
! pistol in his hand. didn't notice the pistol
| until l saw him bolt the door, and then he
| said. NOW l guess you will listen to NE. >
| and he was between the door and l. and
| the door was boted, SO l thought of the
window; would run to the window and get
| away, that was my thought. did rot
| want to create any alarm. / knew that
| people would criticise me if / should make
a disturbance at that hour of the night. and
|
1 started toward the window, some way
my foot caught in my wrapper or the floor,
| don't know which. l only got few steps
| and he caught me with his left arm around
the waist, and he wasn't exactly smiling,
| but he just kind of pointed that pistol to-
| ward me with his right hand and grabbed
| it with my right hand, and threw my
weight toward the right and over his ann
! with this arm and grabbed it with my right
hand pointed toward him. AS l did that,
| then some way he turned back, and the
| next thing / felt his arm around my neck
| on my head and my face, and the revolver
! was going off, I don't remember how many
| shots. l saw a blaze and heard the noise
| it made. but it seemed to me it was all at
| once. 1t went so quickly / couldn't realize
I didn't know he was hurt, and then he
| fell forward about his length and mine.
| was somewhat toward the window, and
then called Help! Help! Help" I was On
| the floor with my face down, and my back
| was TO him all this while"
| Q. You are the one who called for help!
A. Yes, sir. My back was to him. and he
was over me, and I didn't know he was
| hurt. l was endeavoring to put 1t to the
nearest side-l forget, after caught hole