The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-11-20
ROAD TO SUCCESS
BARRED BY TRAGEDY
MRS. BONNIE And TIE CIVIL SERVICE
Was on the List Of EIIEIhIes for AP-
pOintment to n Good Posi-
ton When Ayres
Was Killed

But for the tragedy Of May Il last Lola
Ida Henry BONNIE might now be enlisted
in Uncle Sans vast army Of civil en-
ployes. II she is acquitted Of the terrible
crime with which she is charged she may
yet be a member OF that army.
A year ago last spring among the sixty
odd women who appeared before the Civil
Service Commission to take the eXamina-
ton for the position OF skilled laborer IN
the Government Printing once was a
frau. delicate. refined little lady who at
once attracted the attention OF the exam
liner in charge She was the woman who
today sits prisoner in Criminal Court,
40. l. She was there to enter the contest
with sixty others striving for the same
position. with the knowledge staring her
In the face that her chance Of passing the
/ severe examination and securing the ap-
pointment was indeed slight
FHced ordeal BrHveIy.
But Mrs. Bcnine. with the courage and
seIf-possessiou that has marked her
every movement since that May morn
ing. when the dead body Of Ayres was
discovered in the Kenmore Hotel. en-
( tered the examination. She sat at the
( desk assigned TO her like a school girl
I full Of confidence. determined 10 make a
( record. During the several hours Of the
examination Mrs BONNIE seldom raised
her eyes from her work. but when she
did she met the gaze Of nearly every
woman in the room. for they were ir-
/ resistibly drawn toward her.
/ She was one of the few applicants who
completed the examination ahead Of time
( Her papers were remarkable for neatness.
/ There were no finger marks to mar the
whiteHess Of the blanks given her on
which to pen her answers.
The ordeal was soon over. She returned
home knowing she had done her best, but
what that best would result in she had
no means Of knowing. Weeks few by. but
not a word about her examination from
the Civil Service Commission. The little
woman began 10 grow anxious. Had she
failed or was the examination held in
good faith we're questions she asked her
self
Her Doubts DIspeIIea.
I Her doubts we're soon dispclled. for
one morning she received a long Official
envelope which made her the ha9picst
woman in Washington. It WAS the an
nouncement from the Civil Service Com
mission that she had successfully passed
( the examination FOR the position OF
skilled iaborer in the Government Print
ing Office, and that the percentage was
. 50.
( She read and reread the paper which
I contained this most gratifying iaforma-
+ tiCn. She had passed. and her name had
+ been entered on the Commission list Of
( eligibles. She might be appointed at
t any time Her name would be reached
as soon as :. vacancy occurred. and va
/ cancles frequently occur in the Printing
CGce. Eighty-fye per cent was a high
average to make. aud an applicant for
+ skilled Iaboror with such record is
placed on the list near the top.
Success in sight.
The few names above Mrs. Boaine.s on
+ the civil Service Commissions eligible
+ register were fast disappearing and in q
little while hers would be among the Sc
. Iect three submitted TO the Public Prin-
. ter i'm response TO his request for a skill
. ed iabOrer. But just when the appoint
msut was almost at hand the city was
I shocked by the Kenmore tragedy The
mystery was not solved until Mrs Bo-
nine gave to the world her frank con
+ fession. And then there was but one
thing for the Civil Service Commission TO
+ do. II would act. and it did. Mrs. Bo-
mines name was suspended"
+ II she is acquitted her name viii be
( restored to the register. The time VIII
not be counted against her. for il lt were
the year limit would have expired and
her name dropped. And once more would
/ it be necessary 20 20 through the ordeal
! OF a civil service examination.