Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1901-11-14
MURDER OF JAMES 5. AYRES
Mrs. Bonine's Trial In Washington
Of Great Interest.
THE STORY OF KILLING AYRES.
The Call Made by Ayres at Two O'clock
An the Morning; Its Cause and Fatal
Results as the Woman Tells Them-uer
Husbands Devotion.

Ia last, the city Oh NuSHiilSloh WIS
startled by mysterious murder. the
victim being young and popular clerk
In the census bureau, James seymour
Ayres, - years old, from Port Austin,
Mich His body was found lying on
the floor near the front window OF his
room, which opened on the fire escape.
There was only his undershir't on the
body. There were three wounds, one
in the right hip, one in the left arm
Just below the shoulder and one In the
left side, the bullet that caused this
wound having entered the body and
pierced the heart, causing death within
minute at the longest. One gas jet
turned low was still burning. The cur
tain was up and the window open. The
curtain cord was stained with blood
and on the window sill was the i'm
print of bloody hand.
Circumstances led to suspicion OF
Mrs. Lola Ida Henry BONNIE. boarder
in the hotel and who had been very
friendly with the murdered man.
When arrested she told this story OF
Ayres' death:
II reproved Mr.. Ayres for drinking,
about March 4, and he took offense ut
my so doing We did not speak and
had been on bad terms from that time
until Wednesday morning.
Il had no watch or clock in my
room, but it must have been just be-
fore o'clock on Wednesday morning
when | heard a rap on my door, and
going to see who it was found Mr.,
Ayres there. He was apparently dress
ed, but had his coat collar turned up.
10 toll thnt hn III N M
from the Kenmore the following day
and said he wanted to talk to me and
see If we could not mend our diff
ferences. He put his hand on my
shoulder in n friendly way and said he
did not want TO 90 away with any Ill
feeling between us.
Mr. Ayres wanted TO come in my
room and talk to me- but | would not
let him, and then he said he felt i'll.
as IL lie was going TO have chill. lie
asked me if had any medicine which
would be good for malaria. and ! re-
piled that believed / had some laxa-
tive-quinine pills. | left him at the
door TO look for them and went into
my little boys room, where l supposed
l would find the medicine. 1t was not
there and | returned to the door and
AOlI WI. AA It's lliul COulu llul uuu il.
He then said again that he was sorry
we had ever had any falling out and
that | had been n friend to him. and
that he was sorry to leave the house
without our making UP our differences.
lie asked me to come over to his
room and talk over our misunderstand-
ing, and finally | said l would do so
as soon as | had dressed myself He
then returned to his room and | put
on my clothing. | dressed completely.
except that did not put on my cor
set. slipped on n black and brown
wrapper, which the police have. and
Iut my feet into slippers. Then
started for Mr.. Ayres' room.
AS | reached the door | put my
hand OH the knob, but he opened it
from within, and standing behind it,
admitted me to the room.
AS soon as l was inside Mr.. Ayrcs
pushed the door quickly closed, shot
the bolt. and turned, facing me. In his
right hand he held n revolver which
he pointed at me. He had only his un-
dershirt on.
Now, | guess you'll listen to me-
he said. | was startled and stood fac
ing him for n moment. Then he made
an insulting proposition to me, and I
turned and made for the window.
thinking to get out on the fire escape
and get away from him. He followed
me and put his left hand over my
shoulder and tried to stop me- | strug-
gled. and he put his right arm. with
the hand holding the pistol. around me.
TOO. caught the pistol by the barrel
with my right hand and we struggled
for moment.
Then there was n shot. | don't
know how many nor how fast they
were fired, but / felt flood of blood
pour over my shoulder. and Mr.. Ayres
sank to the floor AS he held me I
had put up my other hand and with
both clutchcd the barrel of the pistol.
When he fell my back was toward
him. and his weight carried me down
forward with him. but his grasp re-
Taxed, and when / jumped up the pis-
tol was in my hand. | put 1t on the
trunk. and the next thing / knew | was
on the fire escape. Just outside Of Mr..
Ayres' window. ! don't know whether
looked back at him or not.
Il walked along the landing and
went down the ladder. without hesi-
Iaung. When | reached the veranda
nj the second floor | went in through
the parlor window TO the hall and up
the stairs of the annex To my room
washed my hands and the wrapper.
and after awhile lay down on my bed. =
Mrs. BONNIE Is a slight delicate wo-
man of 81 years, the mother of two
manly little boys, now aged 1G and Il.
and the wife Of n husband whose deyo.
tion knows no bounds.
The new handle factory at Cadillac
is abolt completed
Forty survivors Of the 10th ATichi.
gan infantry attended the reunion i'm
Lansing.
The state tax commission has out
grown its present quarters at Ian
sing and is seeking more room In the
city hall.
Reports from various parts OF the
state indicate an unprecedented de.
mand for hunting licenses. -Four
women have taken out licenses at Mar
quctte.