The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-11-27
TOLD HIM THE DAY
AFTER THE TRAGEDY
Mrs. Bonine Asked an At
torney's Advice.
BIDDEN TO REMAIN QUIET
Gardner Said, See if Suicide Theory
Will Eold"
SEVERAL OTHER WITNESSES EXAMINED
The Story She Told the Attorney ibid Not
Differ From That Which Mrs. Eoaine
Later Gave 10 the
Police.
SEVERAL OlHrR WITNESSES EXAMINED
(By the Associated Press.)

(By the Associated Press.)
Washington. D. c., Nov. 26.-The fact
was brought out in today's trial of Mrs.
Lola Ida Bonine for the killing of James
Seymour Ayres, Jr., that she had made
private confession of her part in the
tragedy on the evening after the homi
eide, several days before she took the
police officials into her confidence. This
recital was made to George B. Gardner,
an attorney employed in the law divis-
ion Of the Interior Department, who was
a boarder at the Kenmore Hotel, and
who usually sat at the same table at
which Mrs. Bonine took her meals.
Mr. Gardner was on the witness stand
today and told his story for the first
time He said that Mrs Bonine had
sought him out and asked his advice as
to whether she should make a public
statement, and that he had suggested to
her that she should delay her confession
until the theory of suicide. which was
first entertained, should be fully ex-
plotted.
Anumber of other witnesses were
heard during the day, several of them
being men who had taken Ayres out to
the neighboring saloons during the ev-
ening of May 18th, and one of whom had
taken him to his room after midnight,
about two hours before he met his
death. These witnesses said Ayres was
perfectly sober.
William Schoenberger, keeper of the
morgue, testified to having taken charge
of Ayres' body. He had been present at
the autopsy, and had taken photographs
showing the location of the wounds on
the body The films We're introduced as
evidence and exhibited to the jury.
Mrs. Bonine gave one hasty look at the
pictures as they were held by one of the
attorneys, but she quickly turned her
head and gave them no further attention.
She engaged in conversation with Attor-
ney Fulton most of the time while this
testimony was being given The witness
said there were powder marks on the
breast and arm wounds, but none on the
thigh wound. Under the arm there was
a burn. Describing the condition of the
corpse when he found it Mr.. Schoenber-
ger said the arms were drawn up in
front of the face.
In order that the stenographer may
describe the posture said Mr.. Gould,
his noting that the attitude was one of
defense"
I'VE do object most decidedly re-
sponded Mr.. Dauglass. The court agreed
that the description would be improper
and it was decided that he should say
that the arms were placed as if shield
ing the face.
On cross-examination the witness
said that when he entered the room
where the killing occurred he saw sew
eral empty cartridge shells in the slop
jar and had also seen some shells and
CARTRIDGES on the trunk and on the
wash stand.
The next witness was George B. Gard
ner to whom Mrs. Bonine made her first
confession on the night after the tragedy.
''She stated to me-" he said, that she
knew more about the death of Ayres than
had been given to the public. l think
she hesitated moment and either by
manner or something l had induced her
to go on and she said she was present
when it happened and told me that she
had come to me because she wanted my
advice. She told me that the morning
of Ayres' death he came to her room
and knocked on her door and complained
OF being i'll and asked if she could not
do something for him; that when she
got into Ayres' rnorn he had assaulted
her and had a pistol in his hand and in
the scuffle which ensued he was killed. -
did she describe the struggle that
took place." asked the District Attor-
ney.
The witness stated that she said moth
ing more than that when the struggle
followed the assault, the pistol was fred.
The witness stated that she did not tell
him III whose hands the pistol was but
later corrected himself by saying that
he believed she said the weapon was in
Ayres' hand. ''She also told me that
Ayres was under the influence of liquor
at the time of the shooting" said Mr.
Gardner. He also said that Mrs. Bon
inc had spoken TO him again On the next
day or the second day after the tragedy.
She sat at the same table with him in
the dining room and she again sought to
talk with him concerning the tragedy
"She said'' Mr.. Gardner testified that
she was feeling badly and that nothing
was sustaining her except the conscious
ness of her innocence. She added that
she could not get it out and asked me if
she had better destroy it. By it un-
derstood her to mean that she referred
to one of her garments, but ] did not
know what / told her to destroy moth
ing as she had not decided upon a public
confession"
On cross examination Mr.. Gardner tes-