The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-05-22
MYSTERY STILL UBSOLFBD
Prevalent Opinion Regarding the
Kenmore Hotel Tragedy.

The Abrupt Conclusion oE the In
quest Provoke Criticism-F'rfcti"n
in the Conduct OF the Case-1Irs-
Bonine ProviEc1 With Counsel.
Today appears 10 have been one Of ret
respect in the Ayers-Bonine tragedy
which for over week has held the con
slant attention OF Jha entire community.
The detectives are resting. apparently
awaiting a second breath. as 1t were.
preparatory TO again taking UP the work
Of uuTaveIin@ the mystery. which, accord
ing to District Attorney Gould IS only
dcepcned ly the statement that was made
by Mrs EguIne- II Is confidently asserted
10y those who have carefully followed the
case that 1t would have been an impossi-
bility for the shooting to have occurred
in the manner described in Mrs. Bonine's
confession. Whether she is trying u
shield some one else or has some other
reason for Withholding the true story Of
the affair Is not at present known, bat 1t
can be confidently asserted that the mat
te= will not be dropped at the present
time and that every aspect Of the case
will be thoroughly considered ana lnVes-
tis5ted.
In response to a telegram. Major Syl-
vester this morning received a message
stating that on Tuesday night last Rob
ert Bonnie stopped in that town at the
Chalybeate Hotel in company with D. X
Smith. and sold bill of goods to N b
ScFmftt. Smith registered at the hotel
but BONNIE did not Mr.. Bonine's name
is Joel and the message gives Robert as
the name of the one who stopped at the
hotel in StrasburE. but the police consider
that this is only an error and that MI
MUCH CRITICISM HEARD.
Considerable criticism is heard regard
ing the abrupt manner in which the in
quest was adjourned without hearing sew
eraI witnesses whose testimony would
have shed considerable additional light on
the case.
One of these is the colored boy
Walter" TO whom Mrs. Bonnie says she
gave the revolver Waiter has turned
out to be Walter Hammond. formerly a
waiter and general houseman in the hotel
who lives at p Mccullough Street This
boy was the mysterious stranger whom
the police spirited away from police head
quarters Sunday afternoon. He not only
denied that he had been given d pistol
by Mrs Bonnie. but SO thoroughly de
SCribed the weapon which he had seen in
her room and which he had asked her 10
give him as to leave little doubt in the
minds Of the detectives that the weapon
with which Ayers was killed was the one
that had formerly been seen in Mrs.
Bonine's possession So important was
this witness considered that extreme pre-
cautions were taken to prevent him Ia king
10 reporters, and for q time the advisa-
biIity G. locking him up as a Government
witness was considered That he viii play
q most important part in the trial when
the case reaches the courts there can be
little doubt
The police are eXerting every endeavor
to positively establish the ownership Of
the revolver, but are meeting with small
success. as but little care is exercised by
dealers in keeping the records OF the less
expensive grade Of weapons sold Detec-
tive Sergeant Weldon discovered yester-
day that while the barrel and cylinder
of the pistol was of % calibTe the stock
and handle had been made for a -GS-cali-
bre weapon On removing the rubber
grip he found the number 25ol instead Of
the number so which was stamped on
the other portions of the pistol
Following up this discovery, a telegram
was sent TO the Harrington & Richardson
factory, at Worcester, Mass The follow
ing reply was received:
We cannot tel 10 whom the revolver
was sold"
The Hammond boy is but one Of the sew
eraI witnesses that have been considered
important by the police who were not
given an opportunity 10 appear before the
Coroners jury The Coroner seems TO
have taken the position that sllfii-
Gent evidence was before the
jury TO warrant Mrs BONNIE be-
ing held, and evidenced more or less in
difference as to the other points in the
case. The greater portion Of the eXami-
nation Of witnesses was conducted by 9th
er persons than the Coroner. and Deputy
Coroner Glazebrook appeared 20 have
usurped the duties Of the presiding officer
at the hearing or Coroner hewitt had in
structed Dr. GIazebroOz 10 relieve him Of
the tedious nature Of the work.
FRICTION u THE CASE.
There appears to have been consider
able friction in the handling of the case
and jeaIousies Were evident on every side
To the detriment Of the work in hand
IT Is stated that thers was a feeling Of
jealousy on the part Of Dr. T-.4.ebrook,
who as Deputy Coroner believed that q
slur was being cast upon his ability in
engaging Dr. Schaeffer TO perform the
work which he considered himself thor
oughly capable Of performing The police
have also severely arraigned the CorO-
ners Office for the haste that was evil
denced in moving the body before any
OF lfte ueLesllFeS RAD Gial an opportunity
10 make a survey Of the conditions.
The detectives assert that they were
greatly handicapped in their work By this
action, and are loud IN their utterances Of
condemnation
Late this afternoon Attorneys Douglas
& Douglas were engaged as counsel in
the case by Mr. Bonnie, and the entire
matter, he announced was placed in their
hands Mr. Bonnie said that he would not
interfere in their conduct OF the case and
thrt~he would be guided entirely by their
Judgment. They Immediately went to the
5aiI, where they consulted with Mrs. Bon
ine-
HER FIRST NIGHT u JAIL.
Mrs. Bonnie spent the FIRST night Of
what she and her friends hope viii be q
brief confinement al the United States
5aiI last night. when she arrived at the
prison in company with Detectives Horne
and Father and Lieutenant Moore. Of
the Sixth precinct, yesterday afternoon
she was IN a somewhat nervous coEdi-
ton. This. however, was Of short Gura-
ton
airs. Bonnie retired about II O'Clock last
night and awoke early this morning She
appeared much refreshed by the sleep
Soou after she arose the warden Of the
5aH went to her cell. She said she felt
well and he gave her the morning papers