The semi-weekly messenger., 1901-05-24

Mrs. Bonine Says it Occurred During n
Scuffie with Her

ScufIie with Her
washington, May 20.-The mystery
attending the killing of James Sey-
mour AyreS. a census office clerk in the
Kenmore hotel early last Wednesday
morning. and which because of the pc
culiar circumstances surrounding it has
aroused Washington more than any
tragedy in several years, was solved
today by voluntary confession from
Lulu l. Bonine, a married woman and
guest at the house. that the three shots
which ended Ayres life had been fired
in a struggle between herself and
Ayres. Mrs. Bonine. whose husband is
a drummer for the wholesale drug
house of Dewitt & Co., of Chicago, eX-
planned her presence in AyreS room at
o'clock in the morning by saying that
he had come to her room complaining
of a chill and asking for medicine and
had induced her to follow him to his
room to talk over some matters of diff
ference there had been between them.
She said that she dressed herself in a
wrapper and went to his room. He
had preceded and when she opened the
door and walked in he quickly closed
it and informed her he had enticed her
to the room for his own purposes and
said if she did did not submit to his
wishes he would kill her. Ayres, she
said. was undressed and had a revolver
possession which ensued Immediately
after she entered was discharged three
different times the shots striking AyreS
at each discharge, the last one proving
-atal.
Mrs. Bonine said she then went
through the wiz dow and down the fire
escape to the second floor where there
is a landing. She passed through the
parlor and up stairs to her room on the
fourth floor. She then washed her
hands and the wrapper which she wore.
Mrs. Bonine declared that she had
never been intimate with Ayres, but
that when she went into the room that
night he made a proposition to her
which she resented. This was the first
time he had ever made such a PROPOSE
tion. Prior to March 4th he had some
times been affectionate in his remarks
but had never made any sort of imprO-
per proposition. She declared that the
reason why she had not said anything
about the crime before was that she
wanted to preserve the good name of
her two boys.
After her statement which was made
to the chief of police and a number. OF
other officials, Mrs. BOnine was placed
under arrest and taken to the house of
detention. where she will be held pend
ing the result of the coroner's inquest.
which has been in session since Satur
appear tomorrow as a witness.
The tragedy which resulted in Ayres
death was discovered first about $3.50
O'Clock last Wednesday morning when
his dead body was found in his room at
the kenmore. 2 small family hotel, sit
uated not far from the capitol. An ex-
animation CT Ayres' body showed that
he had been shot three times, one ball
entering the left leg, another the left
arm and the third penetrating the heart
and caused death. Suicide was the first
theory advanced, but statements from
two witnesses that on the night Of the
murder they had seen a woman de-
Scending fire escape from in front of
AyreS' room at the hotel and disappear
| into the parlor of the house ended this
| theory and the killing developed into
a mysterious and sensational affair that
| baff1ed the police until today.
Saturday the coroner began his in
quest, but no substantial clue was
found to connect any person specifically
| with the tragedy. The inquest was re-
| sumed and had developed nothing d.
| rectly bearing on the tragedy. except
| that Mrs. Bonine was much in Ayres
| room when it was suddenly adjourned
| on information that the deputy and
| others were wanted at police headquar-
ters to hear statement made by Mrs
| Bonine.
1 MISS "uO OCCupISu lUc next
| room had testified to hearing means,
| but said she was too frightened to
| give an alarm.
| Mrs. Bonine's statement will be sub
| mitted to the coroner's jury tomorrow
| and on their verdict will depend the
| course to be pursued toward Mrs Bo-
| nine. She has engaged an attorney.
Mrs. Bonine apparently is about 81
| years OF age. and she was born in Ma
son. Mo. She then removed to Hamil-
| ton in the same state and later to Rich
| mond. Kas., where her husband was en-
| gagged in the drug business. Subse-
| Quently she went to Brunswick and
| thence to Florida whereher husband
| was engaged in orange growing. AT her
husbands solicitation, she says, she
| learned to practice with a revolver
he made the suggestion that she learn
| this art for ek-defense against possi-
bic assault. Mrs. Bonine said twice in
| her life she had fired a revolver to
frighten burglars and said she had
brought bull dog revolver with her to
washington but had given it away tc
| negro man. Her husband at present
| works for Dewitt & Co, wholesale
| druggist of Chicago. He is q travelling
| salesman in charge of the southeastern
| district Of the firm and can visit his
home only at occasional intervals q
] week or two or more apart.