The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-05-21
% ERD HER H.lN)R
MRS. j. I. BONNIE SAYS SHE
KILLED JOSEPH AYRES IN
WASHINGTON
CONFESSION WAS VOLUNTARY
GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF EVENTS
LEADING TO KENMORE HO-
TEL SHOOTING
TWO WERE ALONE IN HIS ROOM

WASHINGTON, May 2O.-Brs. J. I. Bo-
nine was arrested late this after noon for
the murder Of Joseph Ayres She has
confessed
Mrs. Bon.ne confessed to Mai. sylves-
ter, super ntendent of police this after.
noon, after a severe examination. She
hao been under suspicion for several days.
According to statements of witnesses at
the coroner's inquest she was a freeuept
visitor to his rsom.
MRS. Bonnie was a regular boarder ar
kenmore hotei and is the wife of a drum
mer Tor a Chicago drug house. She is
about thirty-two years old
Mrs. BOnine in her confession adn,its
that she was alone with Ayres in his
room when the murder was committed.
MRS. Bonine's confession was entire,v
voluntary At few minutes past 2
TINS afternoon she telephoned for Maj.
Sylvester chief Of police. saying that she
was coming to his Office and she ap-
peared there a few minutes afterward
When she reached the office she said she
mad statement which she wished 20
make and she was Immediately turned
over to Detective Horne. who took the
confession. She said that she was aloue
IN Ayres' room with him when the kill
ing took place, and that the shooting was
the result of his own misconduct
WAS AYREs' PISTOL.
She stated that Ayres had drawn the
pistol upon her for the purpose of making
her respond to an improper PROPOSAL
Which he had made to her.
AT the commencement of the affair sha
SAID that he had come to her room in the
Kenmore hotel about o'clock Wednes-
uay morning and upon the pretense OF
being i'll had gained admission to her
room. He complained of feeling as IL
ne was going TO have chill and asked
her to give him some preventive. Sho
had given him, she said. a medicine
which she had in her room and she had
then referred to some differences which
they had had in the past and had asked
her to come to his room when they
might quietly talk the matter over and
come to an amicable understanding. She
nad agreed to go to the room as he
requested and he left her room. pra-
ceding her to his own. When Ayres call
ed at her room he was entirely dressed
and when She entered his room as per
agreement he was standing behind his
door undressed except his undershirt and
with revolver in his hand
THREATENED MURDER.
He then told her that he had enHced
her to his room for his own purposes and
that II she did not submit to his wishes
ne would kill her Mrs Bonfne saws
that She Immediately grasped the re-
Volver and in the struggle that ensued
was discharged three different times
striking him at each discharge. the last
shot proving fatal. She says that the
cries for help which We're heard were
from her, as was also the sobblng which
Miss Minas described.
Mrs. Bonine says that after the shoot
ing she passed through the window of
Ayres' room on to and down to the fro
escape ladder and entering the parIor
window Of the second floor passed
through the parlor and back up the
stairway of the hotel to her own room
on the fourth floor She then washed
her hands, undressed and retired.
Mrs BOnine was entirely self-possessed
when She made her confession and did
not exhibit any evidence Of either pres
ent or past excitement She is appar-
emily about thirty-two years Of age and
says she was born in Macon, Mo. She
then removed to Hamilton, in the same
state, and afterwards to Richmond, Kan.
where her husband was engaged in the
drug business. Subsequently she went
to Brunswick, Ga, and then to Florida.
where her husband was engaged In
orange growing. She says that it was
at her husbands wishes that she learned
TO practice with a revolver and he had
made the suggestion that she should
learn this art for self-defense against
possible assaults. She said she had twice
in her life fired a revolver to frighten
burglars and that she had brought a
bulldog revolver with her to Washington,
but had given 1t away to negro man.
After she had concluded her statement
the woman was placed under arrest and
sent to the house Of detention.