The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-05-26

T do not believe that Mrs. Honin
 would have been able to evolve sucl
 a shrcwd story in her defense if sh'
 had been taken into custory when tn
 suspicion warranted her detention.
 course. am making this statement oI
 the theory that Mrs. Bonine has not
 told the true version of the killing ol | Ayers. Of course I do not believe tha'
 she has told the truth. She has. in my
 opinion, concocted merely a shrewt
 scheme of defence which she should no
 have had time to make up. In fact | she would have been taken off hel | guard.
 For instance. let me call your at- tention to several weak points in her l story. She says sine was struggling | with Ayers for the possession of the revolver. If so, the weapon could not
 have been more than arms length from Ayers. It is probable that bis arms would have been fixed and the pistol within foot or so of his body.
 Yet there were no powder tatns from two of the shots. the ones producing the wounds on the leg and in the breast. The left arm alone showed that pistol had been held close enough to produce a powder burn. These facts tend to show that the re- volver was held few feet away when discharged.
 Tn my opinion Ayers was first shot in the leg and crippled, and it was then easy to finish him."
 Considerable comment was occasIon- ed yesterday when 1t became evident to the public what a brilliant move Mrs. Bonine had made in furniehing the police with her confession" This development of the case was discussed in hotel corridors and on the street corners and the universal verdict was that either Mrs. Bonine IS woman O. extraordinary mental ability, has had the benefit of exceptional legal ad- vice. or by accident stumoled upon the most adroit move that was possi- ble under the circumstances.
 At first she endeavored to keep clear Of any connection with the tragedy, but when it became evident to her that she could not avoid being involved she did what the officials believe has never been equaled in the history of crime.
 She has placed herself in a position where the government will be cornpell- ed to place her statement in the hands of the grand jury, thus ensuring hearing for the defence before that body. This action is considered unpre- cedented. Mrs. Bonine, they say saw that each day was but adding to the accumulation of evidence, all of which pointed directly to her having some connection with the ase.
 This evidence was summed up as far as could be done without interfering with the ends of justice, the morning Of the day of Mrs. Bonine's confes- sion, as it was called at the time. As the time approached when she was to be placed under oath and vigorously cross ss-examined before the jury which was sitting in inquest over the remains of the dead man she recognized that 1t would be impossible. for her to avoid being implicated in the case in some way. and she took one of the detectives aside and poured into his ear a story of the crime that was looked upon at the time as confession, but which 1t is now believed was an adroit defence.
 By this means she avoided the ex- animation on the stand under oath and the embarrassing and trying ordeal which 1t involved She placed in the hands of the government a statement that will be used before the grand jury and that as matter of fact will place before that body the defence of the accused. She will also be able to place before the trial jury her statement of the case without going on the stand and being subjected to the attacks of the prosecuting attorney or involving an examination as to any of her past affairs.
 But by far the most important bear ing that her action had on the case was the calling off of the detectives and others from the search for evidence and the abandonment of effort on their part and on the part of the Coroner. The Coroner's Office appears to have been satisfied that a person had been found who could be charged with the crime, or at least held for the action of the grand jury, and immediately aban- doned the Investigation although sev- eral important witnesses had not been examined. This resulted in a verdict by the jurors that was couched in such language as Is already proving embar- rassing to the Government.
 Mrs. Bonine is in tine peculiar posi- tion of being confined in the District jail without any charge standing against her. When placed under ar- rest by Detective Sergeant Horne and Lieutenant Moore and lodged in the House of Detention the charge of mur- der appeared against her name on the records of that institution. For want of proper evidence before them the Coroner's jury avoided a direct accu- sation and simply alleged that Ayers came to his death in a struggle in which Mrs. Bonne was involved. Douglass & Douglass. who have been retained as counsel for Mrs. Bonine, have seized upon this weakness, and propose. it is understood, to base their claim for a writ of habeas corpus upon it. Attorneys who have discussed this matter believe that the point is well taken and that there is an excellent chance for her to secure her liberty In this manner.
 It is asserted that another woman who lived at the Kenmore at the time of the tragedy knows much more about the case than has been told, and there is some prospect of important informa- tion being obtained from this source. I. is considered probably that there