The San Francisco call., 1901-11-26
ACCUSED WOMAN
DISPLAYS NERVE
Mrs. Bonine Remains I'm
moved by Evidence
Against Her.
Calmly Listens to Witnesses
Tell Of the Killing Of
Ayers.

WASHINGTON. Nov 25.-The trial OF
Mrs. Lola Ida Bonine for the murder of
James Seymour Ayers at the Kenmore
Hotel last May began in real earnest to-
day. The preliminary details as to the
finding of the body, the location of the
furniture bloodstains, etc, were all in
with the conclusion of the testimony of
J. F. Drew, the Capitol Hotel policeman,
who was on the stand when the court ad-
journed last Friday. Baker, the man who
saw Mrs. Bonine descend the fire escape;
Hopkins. who roomed over Ayers and
raised the first outcry; Miss Wollums,
who roomed under Ayers. and Miss Law
less and Miss Minas. who roomed on
either side Of hin1 testified to-day The
two latter were regarded as star wit
neSses. but they testified to no facts not
developed at the inquest
Mrs. Bonine throughout the trial to-
day. when witnesses described the cries,
grcans and throat gurgling of the dying
man, remained absolutely unmoved.
j. Frank Drew, the Capitol Hotel po-
lceman, who was on the stand last hrl-
DAY when the court adjourned, was de-
called He swore that he had several
times seen the defendant come out of
Ayers room. The, last occasion was about
a week before the tragedy 1t was at
night about o'clock On cross-eSamina-
ton Drew testified that he had seen Mrs
Bonine come out of the rooms of others
eral- single men, and her demeanor was
in nowise different from when he saw her
emerge from Ayers room.
Saw Woman on Fire Escape.
Mr.. Baker, an employe of the Fish
Commission, who resided in building
the night of the tragedy he was awak-
ened by the report Of pistol shots. he
went TO the window and saw a small
woman descend the fire escape from out
s-sr- 1If iCh
floor of the Veranda, where she dlsap-
peared into a window. The woman wore
no hat and as he did not hear the fall OF
her footsteps he judged she was in her
stocking feet.
Robert P. Hopkins, a clerk in the War
Department, who lived at the Kenmore
Hotel, testified that OH the night OF the
tragedy he heard three shots. he went
to bis window on the fifth floor and look
ed down. He saw something which look
ed Like a skull lying on the fire escape
Just outside the window which he after
ward ascertained was the window of Ay
ers' room. The shots were fired in quick
succession. about four seconds, he judged,
between the first and last
At the conclusion of Hopkins testimony
there was a stir in the courtroom as the
bailiff called Emma A Lawless, Who oc-
cupied the room adjoining that in which
the tragedy occurred. She tesU1ed that
on the night of the tragedy about $3.50
o'clock Ayers knocked at her door and
asked If she had any sugar. He told her
ne was gong away anu Mdul6Q 10 IldhS
some cocoa She gave him the sugar.
About ten minutes later he knocked again.
and asked her if she did not want a cup.
She replied that she did not care for it.
About 10 O'Clock she retired.
Mrs. Bonine inquiries About Killing.
After recess Miss Mary E Minas,
clerk in the Census Office, who occupied the
room next to Ayers, took the stand. She
testified that on the evening of the trag-
edy she met Mrs Bonine in the hall at
o,,I ra1 hp Ia fn
Yes 1 am looking for Maurice (Mrs.
Bonine's SOM, replied Mrs. Bonine.
Mrs. Bonine accompanied Miss Minas to
her room and after a few moments she
left Miss Minas then retired. She was
awakened by three pistol shots, followed
by cries for help, gurgling sound and
then a fall.
At breakfast time she met Hopkins,
who told her what he had heard. She
then sent the boy Dan up to call Ayers.
After the discovery of the body Miss
Minas said she blamed herself for not
having cried out. She Wept in the dining
room and Mrs. Bonine conforted her.
Mrs Bonine was very composed; she in
Quired about all the details of what she
CA1iss Minas) had heard and remarked:
What a pity it was you did not cry out
wnen you heard the groans.''
Afraid of Being Suspected.
Miss Minas testified that after the in
quest on Sunday Mrs. Bonine came to her
with the paper containing the account of
and expressed regret that she had told
what she Mrs. BonineJ had done on the
night of the tragedy. Mrs. Bonine called
her attention to Baker'S testimony about
the color of the dress the woman on the
fire escape wore, and said her (A4iss
MinasD testimony would direct suspicion
toward her.
When Miss Minas was excused Miss
Mary Wollums was called. She had the
room under that occupied by Ayers, ami
saw the shadow of a person pass her
window at 2 o'clock On the morning that
Ayers was killed. She was awakened by
sounds in the room above her own. She
heard voices, pistol shots and something
falling. She got UP, lighted the gas anu
looked at her watch. She then noted tte
shadow upon the wall of her apartment.
The next morning Miss Wollums left and
did not return until Thursday night. She
then expressed a fear of going to her
room, whereupon Mrs. Bonine Volun-
teered to go with her. Mrs. Bonine asked
her to explain to he- how the shadow
had appeared. When Miss Wollums re-
piled that she could lot properly show
her how it was with the gas burning
Mrs Bonine suggested that the gas be
turned out, and when Miss Wollums re-
piled that she was afraid to be in the
dark Mrs. Bonine replied that she was