The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-12-01
LACK OF MOTIVE
PLEA OF DEFENSE
This Evident From Statement of Mrs.
Bonine's Lawyer.
GOVERNMENT RESTS IT'S CASE
-------
p.i.use Will Eadeavor to Show That Ayres
w.s Killed Durlag the Struggle,
!, After Trying TO lntimidate
the Prisoner.
This Evident From Statement Of Mrs
GOVERNMENT RESTS IT'S CASE

fBy Associated prrss.l

(By Associated prrssl
WASHINGTON, u. C, Nov. 3o.-Thc
government to-day closed its case in the
trial OF Mrs. Lola, leiI Boninc for the
killing OF James Seymour Ayres, Jr.. and
Attorney keenc, of counsel for the de-
Tense, made a preliminary statement in
behalf OF Mrs. Bonnie. 1t was made evil
dent from Mr. Keene's statement that
the effort will be to show lack of motive
for.the. crime On the part of Mrs. Bcnine
and to- support the plea that ayres was
killed. in a. struggle after he had urea
to intimidate her with revolver
The. principal witness on the stand to-
day was Professor Schaeffer. a chemist.
WHO made microscropical examination
of the wrapper worn by Mrs. Bonnie on
the night of the tragedy and who sad
that he had found no traces of blood
upon it. He also said that he saw no
blood on the slippers, which she had
worn. on. that occasion,
Another witness OF the day was AyreS'
father who told of an interview he had
with Mrs. Borine three or four days af-
ter the killing. He outlined his efforts to
arouse her sympathy, but said that she
did not respond.
LIKE JUNK SHOP.
The courtroom to-day presented some
what the appearance of a junk shop from
the fact that number of the belongings
OF Ayres' room ia. the kenmore Hotel
were exhibited. These included the blood
stained carpet. which covered the floor
Ayres' two trunks and a section from the
inner part OF the wall OF the room. be-
longing under the window. showing
blood upon plaster and washboard. The
wrapper worn by Mrs. Bcnue on the
night Of the tragedy also was shown
Lieptenant James y. Moore. of the po-
lice force, was the first witness. He
ideDtifed this miscellaneous assortment
OF cliattes.
Dr. Edward NJ. Scllaeffer. the chem
ist who made search FOR blood on Mrs.
Bonine's wrapper and .analyzed the blood
on other articles in a yres' room. tcSti-
fed that he had examined the wrapper
with great care and had failed to find any
indication whatever of blood. Il did not
find spot as big as pin head he
said. lie also said that the rips under
the arms now larger than when he
first saw the dress.
District AT orneg Could asked: 'In case
Of a struggle btween a large person AM
a small one. in which the larger had been
$50 wounded that blood poured over the
smaller persons shoulder. and the Two
had fallen to the floor together, would it
have been possible to cleanse the gar
ment from the blood that would have
gctten on it9'''
BY USE OFF CHEMICALS.
1T would have been possible to do so
by the. use efche,nicals and by boiling in
n vat replied the witness s.I5y this pro-
cess all traces of blood can, be removed
Would ordinary washing take it out?"i
"fsthin1s mol srizN1e ~
If the ger'nlent had been recently
washed, could you have determined the
tfaet?' :
IT could: 1t had not been washed
tScbaaffpT n a rigid
cress-examination, Mr.. Fulton. one of the
attorneys for the defense. using for the
purpose of illustrating his points the
Young man and later Mrs. Beacham. Mrs
Bonine's sister. DR.. Schaeffer said it was
not possible for two persons. falling as
Mrs. Bonine says she and Ayres fell. TO
fall without getting blood on wrapper
worn by her at the time.
When DIR. Schaeffer was excused. James
S. :Ayres. father of the victim. was called
TO the stand. lie told OF: coming to Wash
ington the day after the tragedy. Mr..
lAyres- said he had sought out Mrs. BONNIE
and. he said, II told her about my boy
who had been murdered
SHOWED NO EMOTION.
He then went on To say that he told
her how his son had lost his. mother
Iwhe!r he was only tllree years old, and
how near and dear he was to him be-
cause OF the care he had given him.
l'I tried - he said, ito be as sympathetic
as could. because 1 had it in my mind
that Mrs. BONNIE was the destroyer of my
sons life, and ] wanted to find the guilty
one. L really opened mp my heart to her,
telling her how when he had left me in
Detroit he had thrown his arms about
me and kissed me-on the lips. as a daugh-
ter would have done l told her how l
had admonished him to protect his repU-
Itation. saying to him that L knew he
was going to a tough place.
IN response to a question from Mr..
Could. Mr.. .Ayres said that Mrs. Bonine
had made no response while he was talk
ing. but that when he concluded she said
something which he would never forget.
What this something was Mr.. Ayres'
statement did not reveal, and no ques-
ton was asked to bring it out.
Il thought that Mrs. Bonine. being a
wife and mother he said, would mani
fest some sympathy with me In my dis
tress. but she manifested no emotion
whatever and interrupted me only once.
Then she looked up and smiled in what
i thought was a decc!ttui manner, and
rccited a quotation from Browning.
In response to another question from
Mr.. Gould, Mr.. Ayres said that at this
Interview Mrs. Bonine's manner was
calm, self-contained and non-committal.
81 thought he said. that she was the
neryiest woman ] ever saw. She mani
Tested no emotion and expressed no sym-