The times., 1901-05-25
A MYSTERY OF A MYSTERY
The Police Attitude in the Ken
more Case Causing Comment.
Persistent Rumors of an Enquiry
Into Alleged Official MismanaSe-
ment and Individual JeaIOusies-
Plans of Mrs. Boninc's Counsel.

Nothing more simple could be imagined
! than the present attitude Of the police in
the Kenmore tragedy. With the confess
! sion of Mrs L. l. Bonine. held responsible
by coroner's jury for the death OF
Ayers, and now a prisoner at the District
| Jail, the authorities hope to build up a
mound of evidence about the unfortunate
! woman. Theories are still being worked
! out and a careful survey of the evidence
! given at the inquest has led to additional
investigation along lines suggested by tes-
| timony of witnesses. Anonymous letters
| are playing a part in the case, while sug-
gestions of every kind are followed by de-
| tectives.
No important fact, no sign or develop
ment, was apparent last night to solve
the mystery. which deepens as days go
by. People talked of the murder of Ayers,
as they have for ten days past, and de-
tectives searched in vain for clue which
/ might enable them to throw doubt on
| the story of Mrs. Bonne. Still there ap-
| pears not single prominent fact tend
| ing to show that the confession of the
| woman is without foundation. On the
| contrary, the logic of the situation goes
far to point that Mrs. Bonine has out
| witted somebody, whether it be the police,
| the Coroner, or his assistant, DR.. Glaze
brook. Meanwhile the woman remains in
| Jail. calmly awaiting action of her coun-
! sci to secure her release.
1t is probable that steps will be taken
today by Douglass S Douglass, of coun-
sci for Mrs Bonine, to bring her case to
the attention of the courts. Whether an
application for a writ of habeas corpus
will be made, or an effort to secure the
/ release of the prisoner on bail, has not
been determined.
Charles Douglass. of Douglass & Dou-
! glass, when seen last night by reporter
for The Times, said: we shall try to
! have our client released from Jail today.
/ We propose to clear Mrs. Bonine from
suspicion of this crime, for nothing else,
we apprehend, now attaches to her. There
/ is no charge against her. On its face,
| the case appears a strange commentary
| on justice, so far as Mrs Bonine is con-
| cerned."
1t was urged last night that Mrs. Bonine
! had ample time to remove signs Of
/ struggle after the fatal shots were fired
I early on the morning Of the tragedy.
/ James Seymour Ayers fell dying near the
window of his little bedroom on the fourth
/ floor of the Kenmore, with three bullets in
his body Mrs Bonine says she was alone
in the room with Ayers, and claims he was
shot and killed during struggle with her,
in which she was fighting, as she claims,
to save her honor.
There was an absence of signs of q
struggle in the room when the body Of
Ayers was discovered. six hours after his
death. This fact led to doubt being cast
on the story of Mrs. Bonine. but five min
utes elapsed from the time the shots were
fired till the woman was seen TO descend
the fire escape. after coming out the win
dow of Ayers room. Ample time was
thus had 20 re-arrange chairs and furnI-
ture, SO as to deceive those investigating
the tragedy.
Persons acquainted with the case say
that the police are at sea, beyond what
has already been brought to light viz:
The testimony at the inquest and the con-
fession of Mrs. Bonine. The detectives
fear to talk about the tragedy at all, be-
cause Of official wrath which might en-
compass them and bring about their
downfall. 1t is intimated quietly, how
ever, by more than one official that the
investigation, its management, and re
suits have been far from satisfactory to
anybody An official said last night:
1T would not do for rs 10 talk about
this case. Everybody fears to give out
information, real or false. Efforts have
even been made to trace certain state
ments which have appeared in print, and
to which certain officials take exception,
no matter how true the stories may be.
1T seems to be the policy of the Police
Department TO suppress any news regard
ing the murder so that it may not reach
the public. At headquarters you are told
that there is nothing new in IN. case
Outside policemen dare not tell the truth,
because thereby they would stand a good
oh Laf
ton cannot last forever in this city. but
white it does, everybody must be very
careful"
The main hope Of the authorities is in
the statement made by Mrs. Bonine TO
Detective HornC and District Attorney
Could, on the afternoon Of the inquest.
This verbal story is said TO be far more
damaging TO the prisoner than her writ
ten confession, not signed ana not sworn
to. 1t is admitted that testimony by the
detective, as to what Mrs. BOnine told
him, viii be accepted in court, provided
the case ever comes to trial. II is very
improbable that the confession, in its
present shape, can be used as evidence
at All.
No hope is entertained that Mrs Bonine
VIII ever make oath to her confession or
even sign it. This condition has brought
considerable criticism on the police. be
cause no effort was made apparently at
the time the confession was given TO have
Mrs. Bonine swear to II. On the dav fol-
the direction of Major Sylvester, took the
confession to the House Of Detention so
that Mrs Bonine might attest it. She
had already consulted a lawyer and re-
fused to acknowledge that she had made
any confession at all
A Hood of anonymous letters is flowing
in daily TO Douglass & Douglass bearing
all kinds Of suggestions about the defence
OF the woman. Mr.. BOnine has also re-
ceived kilograms from all over the coun-
try, and letters as well, many from
friends, Offering assistance. These letters
express sympathy for Mrs BOnlne and
occasionally include a good-natured taunt
at the police. The sentiment shown by
able to their client in almost every in
stance.
District Attorney Gould stated last
night that he had nothing new to give out
in the Ayers mystery. The matter is yet
in an incomplete, unsatisfactory shape"
he said.
Miss Mary e Minas was not at home
last night when = reporter called. AT the
home OF her relative. Mr.. Fenton, 131 r
Street, where Miss Minas has lived since
leaving the Kenmore about a week ago, it
was said she had gone out on business
presumably in connection with tile inVes-
tigation OF the Ayers mystery Miss
Minas is suffering severe nervous shock
as the result of her experience at the
hotel and subsequent to the tragedy. She
is under the care of a physician.
About the Kenmore last night every
thing was quiet 4 detective dropped in
for a few minutes late in the evening
and talked with one Of the guests Mr.
Wartield the proprietor. said everybody
was holding his breath waiting for some
thing TO turn up in the mystery of the |
Ayers killing.
Persistent rumors were current last
night of an investigation into the conduct
of the enquiry into the murder of Ayers
II is limited that everybody in .,ufIo-ity,