Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1901-11-22
The BoniHe Trial.

Washington, Nov. 22.-Interest 10
the fate of Mrs. Ida Bonnie, charged
with the murder OF James Seymour
Ayres at the Kenmore Hotel, May 10,
Ia growing more intense, "a is evident
from the increased attendance In the
court room. Crowds attend the COM
ing and going of the little woman and
10 order to save her as much embarIass-
ment as possible her keepers are learn.
x to use different doors so as to avoid
the curious hundreds In waiting. Her
| attorneys are much encouraged by the
opening statement OF the prosecution
as made yesterday. They are assured
by it, for the fret time, that the govern
ment Is absolutely ut loss to presents
motive in the case. The district altor'
ney argued that Ayres did not know
that any one was Ia his room; that his
1 attention WAS frst aroused by noise
near the window and that upon arising
from his bed to investigate it the shots
we're fred and the fatal bullets took ei-
feet. Before that he had attempted to
show that Illicit relations existed be-
tween the two and that Mrs. Bo0ine
nsd in vain endeavored to persuade
Ayers to resume these relations, which
had been interrupted by quarrel.
If that statement were true, the de-
tense argues, why was there no quarrel
between the two Oh that morning 10
Ayres' room, before violence was done?
Why assassination There are signs OF
strained relations between prosecution
and defense at the very outset. The
defence has charged that the prosecu-
ZION is resortlng to unfair means to re-
fresh the memories OF witnesses and 10
retaliation ia endeavoring to break the
governments witnesses down on even
immaterial points. Moreover Mrs. Boz
oine's attorney, Mr.. Douglass, fnds
fault with the district attorney for max
log the grewsome exhibit of an ana.
tomioal manikin 10 the courtroom, a
figure 30 horrible In appearance as to
make more awful every reference to the
dead, whose body is thus presented 10
post mortem sort OF efigy. He will OBJ
ject TO the presentation OF this figure to
the Jury. Mrs. lBonne has not lost
whit OF her nerve. There are no tears, no
Dalings, no tremors 10 court. The case
promises to be long drawn out, as both
sides are contesting every possible de-
oatsble point. rodsy's proceedings be-
gan with the testimony OF the police Of
icials who took charge OF the room IL
which the body of youne Ayres was
found. They will probably be followed
oy the deputy coroner and other medi'
cal men who will testify as to the wounds
which brought death. Mrs. Bonine's
counsel have fortified themselves with
the service OF a gentleman who has
made medical Jurisprudence a study
and who will assist them In coDfound.
the specialists.
When the trial was resumed at 10
o'clock this morning, the defendant,
cheerful and self-possessed, saluted
relatives and counsel with smile and
a shake OF the hand. Among the spec
tstors was large percentage of women.
some OF whom carried their lunch with
them. Policeman Walter 8. Brady was
the frat witness. The Kenmore hotel
was on his beat at the time of the muir.
der. Proprietor Warfield called him 10
to investigate what he believed to be
suicide. Brady went to room 20. Alb
floor and "shoved the door oDeD." the
cody was on the floor near the window
10 crsmped position with the arms
drawn up to the face 10 an attitude OF
defense. The body had on an under
shirt, the front soaked with blood, the
left sleeve slightly burned and spotted
with blood. The hands were bloody
and the fingers cramped. One wound
was 10 the left arm, one 10 the left hip,
one In the breast. There was blood Oh
the feet, there we're bloodspots on the
floor. The bed, the witness said,
looked 90 though 1t had been occupied
aud the covers had been thrown aside
as though some person had risen from
it. There was only one indentation 10
the middle OF the pillow. Ayres's coat
and vest hung over the back OF chair
and the trousers over another. %
trunk in the corner witness cav single
barrel shot gun and pistol. "You
have seen that pistol beforep" inquired
District Attorney Gould, suddenly pro.
ducing the revolver. II this coup was
intended to draw Mrs. Bonine's emo.
ton it failed. Her face remained
serene.
Officer Wolfe identified the pistol
and described the bloody condition 10
which be had found it. The chambers
contained three empty and three full
shells. There were no blood stains 90
the bed or in Its immedirte vicinity.
There we're no stains nearer the door
than the spot where the head OF the
body lay. Most oil the blood was near
the head. There were bloody finger
prints on the window ell. There was
a Students lamp In the room burning
With q dim light.
District Attorney Gould produced
the blood -soaked undershirt which
Ayres bod worn. There IVES an invol-
untsry lowering OF Mrs Bonine's eyes.
but beyond that she showed no feeling.
The section OF the window sill with
bloody fuger marks on it had also been
produced 10 court and brought so close
10 Mrs. Bonnie as to brush her acket.
She did not even bend forward to
avoid Its impact.
Attorney Douglass laid special stess
on the fact that the buttonholes OF the
undershirt we're torn and Brady testi-
fed that 1t 30 appeared when he saw
the body. BE showed the shirt impress
sively to the Jury, evidently laying the
foundation to dispose OF the govern
ment's theory that there had been no
struggle.
o her witnesses testified to the con-
dition Of the room and the body after
the shoe ing.
Detective Williams said there was |
nothing about the room 20 indicate q |