Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1901-05-23
THE WASHINGTON TRAGEDY.

THE WASHINGTON TKAGEDf.
1t is expected that several days will
elapse before the grand jury takes up
the case of James 8. Ayres, who was
killed 10 his room OF Hotel Kenmore
Washington, Wednesday morningl OF
last week.
District Attorney Gould will attempt
to have Mrs. Lola Ida Henry BoDine
indicted for murder. rather than for
manslaughter. There are no degrees
of murder In the District. It will not
be necessary, he thinks, to prove that
Mrs. Bouine carried the weapon with
which the killing was done to the room.
At the same time powerful provocation
mpsl be shown.
The police cay that another woman
who lived in the Kenmore at the time
of the tragedy knows much more about
the case than has yet been told, and
there is come prospect that important
information may be obtained from this
source. At first, while it was believed
the murder was committed by man,
it was thought that the man bad sur.
prised woman in Ayres' room and
had killed him. Since Mrs. Bonine has
said she was the only one present and 1t
peing reasonably established that her
husband could not have been there, the
theory has changed 10 that OF another
woman being present. This theory is
still held.
Some of the physicians think that t
would have been impossible for young
Ayres to have shot himself In the man.
DER described by Mrs Bonine. District
Attorney Gould pointed this out to her
when che fret made her statement to
him and gave her an opportunity to
change it, il she desired, to the more
ii lusi0 statement that she had shot
Ayres herself ia defense OF her honor.
but che declined to alter her story.
District Attorney Gould has not yet
decided whether he will resist haii pro.
oeediugs. l. Is customary for the court
20 follow the recommendations OF the
District Attorneys Office in such in
stances, and II Mr.. Gould should refuse
to agree to Mrs. Bonine's release on
bail it would be the natural course OF
procedure for the court TO decline bail.
In that case nothing but habeas corpus
proceedings 20 secure the right to give
bail would be permissible.
Detective Horne has located Walter
Gunn, colored. living at l7O5 ID street
northwest, who stated that atout year
ago Mrs. Bonine had given him a bull
dog revolver Of English or American
make while he was waiter at the
Kenmore. Walter has been unable to
locate the weapon, but expects to lind
it. Tnis corrobarates Mrs. BoniDe's
statement that she bad weapon, bus
had g ven 1t to a colored servant named
"Walter."
The element OF tragedy hes been
prominent in the life of Mrs. Bonipe.
Sle Was born in Macon, Mo-, about 80
years ago. Her father, Capt. Isaac N.
Henry, was leading figure In north
ern Missouri during the war and the
stormy days of reconstruction. He
leased big stock farm near Kidder,
Mo-, 10 1886, and in August of that year
was murdered. The farm was In litiga-
ton and Henry was 10 the wsy. Mrs.
Bonine was the fsvorite child OF her
father and took an active part In trying
to ferret out the murderer. A man
suspected met violent death during
the investigation. Mrs. Bonine often
spoke of the accident as just retribu-
ton. She had sworn In the most dra-
matte manner to avenge her fathers
death. She was then pretty and the
spectacle OF the solemn oath she too K
when she found her fathers body, and
which she repeated at the funeral. is
still talked Of She has wealthy rela-
tives in Missouri, her uncle, Hamann
Henry, being a wealthy stockman and
banker in Hamilton, Mo.