The Washington times., 1901-07-13

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| means aforesaid then and there. feloni-
ously, wullfully, and of her malice afore-
| thought, did Kill and murder; against the
| form of the statute I'm such case made
| and provided ard against the peace and
Government of the said United States
| Signed Ashley VI. Gould. Attorney for
the United States in and for the District
OF Colun bia.
| Counsel for Mrs. Bonine, when asked
| last night for a statement in reference to
the action of the grand jury, said:
The result was what any lawyer would
| naturally expect, If an indictment was
| to be returned it would unquestionably
| be FOR murder. because under an indict-
| mont for murder the jury may acquit Or
| find the accused guilty of manslaughter.
Under an Indictment for manslaughter
/ the jury could never convict of murder.
| Whatever might be the evidence. ConSe-
| qusntly, If the Government could procure.
! an indictment in such cases the charge
| therein made would be for the highest Of
| fence. OF course, everybody understands
that the grand jury has to deal with the
| question of probable guilt only, and hears
| the side of the Government exclusively.
| and there is no significance attaching TO
! the fact that the grand jury made pre-
I sentiment in this case.
What do you propose to do with ref
| Crence to the question of BALI
| Steps may be taken TO procure hail for
! Mrs. B0nine. In capital cases, where the
courts are not inclined to grant bail un-
| less the health of the accused demands It
( Grand JuTies, where the evidence IS strong
against the accused and probable con-
! yiction is assured thereby, return an in
| dictmsnt very quickly. But in this case
| the evidence was so insufficient and lack
! ing that the grand jury was engaged IoI
six consecutive weeks in trying to SauSIy
| its mind that Mrs Bonine was probably
| guilty 1t is very clear, then, that Mrs
| Bonine's conviction is not at all 'proba-
FaI. stn..Us TNFAF Ets kaH IN
| application for bail. we prefer not to
| state a this time There are other ques-
| tions that require serious consideration IN
| determining the move.
| indicted, was seen by reporter OF he
| Times in regard to the finding OF the
! grand jury He said he was not surprised
at its action; that he had been advised
J by his attorneys that, considering the ma
/ ture of the case, this finding was probable.
/ He further stated that he has al no time
| ever entertained any doubt of his vile
| loyalty or OF her innocence of the charge
made against her.
! Mr. Bonine said he very much regretted
the careless manner in which certain
! newspapers had commented on the facts
of the case As an illustration OF this he
| called attention to certain newspaper ar
! tiCles which were published in reference
! to an alleged forgery Of checks in St.
| Louis so palpably false, he said, that any
] reasonable enquiry might have GisproNed
! the report. lie also called attention to
]
! legged VOWS made by his wife over her
! fathers grave, the truth of which could
| easily have been ascertained.
( The circumstances surrounding the
I crime for which Mrs. Bonine now stands
/ indicted were wrapped in mystery Tor
I week after the occurrence, and II was
not until Mrs Bonine herself admitted
that she was present, and had her hand
on the pistol from which the fatal shot
/ was fired that the mystery was partially
cleared II was while the Coroner 5 jury
-fy,rr Fa aTan
Mrs. Bonine had more than once declared
| herself entirely innocent Of any connec-
| ton with the killing OF Ayres that she
made a statement admitting that she was
7 in Ayres' room at the time he was killed
! and that the fatal shots Were fired while
! she and he Were struggling for the pos
| session OF a revolver.
This statement came like thunderclap
I to the community, for during the six
/ days which had elapsed since the killing
4 of Ayres Mrs. Bonine had asserted her
Innocence of any connection with the mat
ter and had even rendered her assistance
! in ferreting out the perpetrator OF the
] crime.
| James Seymour Ayres was found dead in
( mis- roor on the fourth floor of the Ken
more Hotel. North Capitol Street between
J = and q Streets northwest. about $50
O'Clock Wednesday morning, May l5
+ last 4 few moments later Coroner New
! lit was on the ground. and within an
hour the hotel was swarming with detec-
I tives and newspaper reporters. Ayres was
a pool Of blood. near the front window,
which opened upon the iire-escape. There
/ was a bullet hole in his chest, another in
Z the left arm above the elbow. and q third
bullet had entered the left hip and passed
/ upward The direction Of all of the bull
lets made IL evident that AyreS had not
fired the shots himself, and a thorough
search OF the mousse was Immediately
( made in the nope Of securing some clue to
the identity OF the person who fired the
. shots.
In the course Of the examination IT de-
veloped that Ayres had had misunder-
standings with Mrs Bonine. and that / IT
some reason he had arranged TO leave the
hotel on May Is. in the early morning
hours of which he met his death.
Shortly before o'clock some of the
occupants of the hotel were startled by
three pistol shots fired in rapid success
sion. and shortly afterward Thomas NJ.
Baker, who occupied a room in an ad-
Joining house. and who was attracted to
his window by the noise of the firing,
black and in her stocking feet emerge
from the window Of Ayres' room. descend
the hrc-eScapc. and disappear into one Of
the parior windows on the second floor.
The Corouer's inquest over the body of
AYTes began on Saturday, May IS and
was summarily closed on the afternoon
Of May -. when information was con
Neyeu To the District Attorney that Mrs.
Bovine had made a statement to -Detec-
tive Horne regarding her knowledge OF
the case
Z
expected that Mrs. Bonine would be called
10 the witness stand TO testify that sEf
made the statement referred 10 10 Detec-
tive Horne. She stated that she had had
some misunderstanding with Ayres and
had rebuked him for drinking; that on
the night of the ira gedy AyTes came to
her room and stated that he was sick
and asked her for some medicine; that ne
wanted 10 come into the room, but that
she would not allow him 10 enter He
then persuaded her. she said, TO go TO his
differences. explaining that he made this
request because IL was his intention TO
leave the Kenmore Hotel on the morning
following.
Mrs Bonne stated that she consented
TO do this and after dressing herself went
10 Ayres room; that he opened the door
and as she stepped inside closed and bolt
cd II behind her: that when she looked
At him she saw that he held pistol in
his hand. and that he said TO her. Now
you viii have To listen to me" This. Mrs,
/ Bonine said Ayrcs uttered in threaten
I ing manner
She said that she started TO run and
feared 10 make an Outcry. that her foot
caught In her wrapper and that then
= ,6uEht her and placed his arm
about her waist and pointed at her the
! Mrs Bonine stated that she attempted to
wrest the weapon from Ayres and that in
the struggle for the possession of il the
pistol was discharged and Ayrcs fell dead
al her feet. There were three wounds on
/ Ayres' body. but Mrs Bonine stated
| that she has no recollection as 70 how
many shots were fired.
Mrs Bonine was taken to Police Head
quarters. where she repeated her state
AT.ti. & ria