The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-11-29
A PRIVATE CONFESSION
MADE BY MRS. BONNIE PREVIOUS TO
THE ONE TO THE POLICE.
THE STORY TOLD FOR FIRST TIME
By a Witness Yesterday-She Alleged
Being Called to Ayers Room on Plea
of His Being Sick and Assaulted-In
tho scuff1e a Pistol In His Hand was
Fired, Causing the Homicide Her
Statement That Ayers was lntoxi-
Gated Contradicted

Statement That Ayers Was Intoxi-
Gated Contradicted
washington. November 2S.-The fact
was brought out today in the trial CT
Mrs. Ola Ida Bonine, for the killing OF
James Seymour Ayres, Jr., that she
had made a private confession or her
part of the tragedy or the evening az
ter the homicide, several days before
she took the police officials into her
confidence. This recital was made TO
George 3. Gardner, an attorney en-
ployed in the law division of the inter-
ior department, who vas a boarder az
the Kenmore hotel and VINO usually
sat at the same table at which Mrs.
Bonine took her meals. Mr. Gardner
was on the witness stand today and
told his story for the first time. He
said that Mrs. Bonine had sought him
out and asked his advice as to whether
she should make a public statement
and that he had suggested 10 her that
she should delay her confession until
the theory of suicide, which was hrst
entertained should be fully exploited.
A number of other witnesses were
heard during the day, several of them
being men who had taken Ayres out to
the neighbOring saloons during the
evening of May 18th and one of whom
had taken him to his room after mid
night, about two hours before he met
his death. These witnesses said Ayres
was perfectly sober.
William Schoenberger. keeper OF the
morgue, testified to having taken
charge of Ayres' body. He had been
present at the autopsy, and had taken
photographs showing the location of the
wounds on the body. The films were
introduced as evidence and exhibited
to the jury.
Mrs. Bonine gave one hasty look at
the pictures as they were held by one
of the attorneys. but she quickly turned
her head and gave them no further
attention. She engaged in conversation
with Attorney Fulton most of the time
while this testimony was being given.
The witness said there powder marks
on the breast and wounds. but none
on the thigh wound. Under the arm
there was a burn.
Describing the condition of the corpse
when he found it, Mr.. Schoenberger
said the arms were drawn up in front
of the face. In order that the StenOg-
rapher may describe the picture" said
Mr. Gould "I suppose there will be no
objection to his noting that the atti-
tude was one of defence
I'VE do object. most decidedly" re-
sponded Mr.. Douglass. The court
agreed that the description would be
improper, and it was decided that he
should say that the arms were placed
as if shielding the face
On cross examination the witness said
that when he entered the room where
the killing occurred he saw several car
fridge shells in the slop-jar and had
ole
the trunk and on the -yashstand.
The next witness was Geo. B. Cara
ner TO whom Mrs. Ronine made her
first confession on the night after the
tragedy.
''She stated to me- he said. that
she knew more about the death Of
Ayras than had been given to the pub
lie. I think she hesitated moment
and either my manner or something l
said induced her to go on aid she said
she was present when it happened and
told me that she had come to me be-
cause she wanted my advice. She told
me that the morning of Ayres' death
he came TO her room and Knocked on
her door and complained of being Ill
and asked if she could not do something
for him; that when she got into Ayres
room he assaulted her and had a pistol
in his hand and in the scufhc Whlch en-
sued he was killed."
Ind she describe the struggle that
took p1ace?'' asked the district attor-
ney.
The witness stated that she said
nothing more than that when the
struggle followed the assault. the pistol
was fired. The witness stated that She
did not tell him in whose hands the
pistol was, but, later. corrected HIM
self by saying that he believed she
said the weapon was in Ayres' hand.
''She also told me that Ayres was un-
Of t11n Ir11c
of the shooting" said Mr.. Gardner The
witness also said that Mrs. Bonine had
spoken to him again on the next day
or the second day after the tragedy
She sat at the same table with him
in the dining room and she again
sought to talk with him concerning the
tragedy ''She said" Mr.. Gardner tes-
titled, that she was feeling badly and
that nothing was sustaining her except
the consciousness of her innocence
She added that she could not get it
out and asked me if she had better de-
stroy it. By it 1 understood her &c
mean that she referred to one OF hel
garments, but I did not know what
told her to destroy nothing as she had
not decided upon a public confession.
On cross examination Mr.. Gardner
testified that he could not exactly say
Mrs. Bonine was excited. She was nur-
ried and her manner was tense. She
had asked his advice as to the advis-
ability of making Il public statement
and he had advised her to remain qu1e'
until it was determined whether the
suicide theory would hold good.
James Burns who was Ayres' init
mate friend, and who had accompanied
him to his room. the night OF the
tragedy was next called. He said that
on the night of the tragedy Ayres hac
gone with him and several others te
two or three saloons around the cor
ner where. he said. Ayres had drunl
sparingly. He had then at about 12:St
o'clock accompanied Ayres 10 his room
leaving him in a perfectly sober condi-
ton. The witness said that while orig
fnally Ayres and Mrs. Bonine had beer