The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-12-07
LEGAL BATTLE
TN BONNIE CASE.
Arguments as to AdIniSSi-
bility Of Evidence.
HOW AYRES RECEIVED WOUNDS.
This the Point Of the Contention
Among Counsel - Little Prog
ax ress Made in the Matter of
Hearing Witnesses.

This has been a day Of wrangIing among
the lawyers in the Bonine case. Had
all things gone smoothly the defence
would undoubtedly have concluded the
examination of its witnesses, but the
prolonged arguments Of counsel as to
the admissibiIity of certain testimony in
behalf OF the prisoner has so delayed
the progress Of the trial as to make it
safe only to state that while not much
more evidence is to be presented by the
side Of the prisoner, this is expert in
character, and will probably be resisted
IN every way by the prosecution
There has been no decrease in the in
terest the proceedings have elected, eg-
peciaIIy among the women. Each d9y
hundreds Of members of the fair sex have
eagerly sought admittance to thu court
room, and there have assembled about The
entrances prior to the converting Of cour-
scores of women bearing tickets admitting
them to the chamber.
Equipped with Legal Books.
Counsel came into court today armed
with formidable array Of legal books.
from which to quote authorities in sup
port of their respective positions regard
ing the manner in which the wound vas
inflicted On Ayres' left hip.
The Government is {QcIined to the the
ory that it could not have been received
in struggle; the defence holds tenaci-
| ously that it was, and want to prove
this by Dr. Carr, an expert witness.
Mr. Gould said today that he expected
the case TO go to the jury Thursday. 'I
shall call very few witnesses in rebut-
taI," he added. and there is No reason
why the trial should lot end OF the day
I have mentioned"
Opinion of Lawyer.
One OF the most prominent criminal
lawyers in Washington, whose name can
not be given because Of professional eth
les. speaking Of the trial this morning,
said:
Mrs. Bonine, il ny estimation, Is &C
quilted now have followed and studied
the trial in every particular. and can
not see where the Government has pro-
| dueed any evidence sufficiently strong to
convict her. Her confession has with
stood all tests
Mrs. RonTne Not to Testify.
| The defence viii not put Mrs. Bonine
on the stand unless the case reaches such
a point that her presence there IS deemed
| vi1alIv necessary 10 establish a point.
While they claim that they have no fear
from such q source, they feel that under.
any circumstances, cross examination
would be q severe trial for her.
Mr.. Gould IS powerful and almost pitt
less fnquisitor. and if any man could
shake the nerve Of this remarkable wo-
man. be. would be the one The defence
does not admit that anything can alter
her story. but takes the ground that her
! appearance in the witness box is entirely
unnecessary to the successful conclusion
Of her case. IN the meantime, tits be
tween counsel are growing more frequent
as the case draws near its close
The Wound in Ayres' Hip
When court convened today Mr. Doug
lass said he could not argue the question
in dispute yesterday during the examina-
, ton of DR.. " P Carr relative to the
wound in Ayres' hip.
I Il withdraw the question for the pres
ent,'' said counsel. ''and viii come to it
later In the interim I viii examine the
witness on another line"
Mr Douglass then asked Dr.. Carr TO
l give the result of his physical measure
ments of the defendant
, she is five feet and one and one-quar-
I ! ter inches IN height with her shoes On, "
! the witness said, and four feet eleven
5 and three-quarters inches in her stocking
5 feet. The heels OF her shoes were one and
$ one-haf inches high
Dr. Carr then gave measurements oi
] various parts of Mrs Bonine's body.
! Mr.. Douglass then returned to The
y would in Ayres' hip, asking the witness
s From the description as given by Dr.
2 GIazebrook, can you tell the length Of thu
L leg from the point of entrance Of tn,
hip wound, to the bottom OF the foot2"
d Mr. Gould objected to the question. IT.
:, a matter Of calculation to the jury
!. argued the District Attorney, they ar,
Il as competent to calculate the distane
p as anyone"
/, Not Fair to the Jury.
Mr.. Douglass declared it was not fai
TO ask the jury to do what neither tn
court nor the District Attorney were pre-
pared 10 accomplish Here is where tn
province of expert testimony lies" h
l. declared. DIR. Carr is an anatomical ex
pert, and is certainly well equipped t
II testify on the point"
/ Mr.. Douglass argued that 1t was neees
sary for the defence 70 have the benef
-e of this evidence.
ID The Government can decry the ide
i of a struggle in the room" added coun
is sci for the defence, although they Eay
very little evidence to support their pos
ton. Their theory is that Ayres hear
b. a noise on the fre-eseape, and it wa
,e The ssRoyaI Limited"