Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 December 1901 — HITS MRS. BONINE’S DEFENSE. [ARTICLE]

HITS MRS. BONINE’S DEFENSE.

Statement of Woman, Made FMar to Confession, is Read. Washington dispatch: District Attorney Gould, who is conducting the prosecution in the Bonine murder trial, scorced another surprise on the defense when he produced in court a statement made by Mrs. Bonine in the office of the Washington chief of po-lice-on May 17. This statement was made three days before Mrs. Bonine’s confession to the police, which resulted in her arrest. The defense did not know it was in existence. It was taken down by a shorthand clerk without the knowledge of Mrs. Bonine. Mrs. Bonine In the statement produced today told the police that Ayres was a model young man with one fault —this was the drinking habit. He was, she said, an attractive man to women. She admitted dancing with Ayres on a number of occasions and admitted that her husband was out of town for months at a time. When asked if she was ever in Ayres’ room she said that she had often stood in the doorway with Ayres, but never went inside. The

first intimation she had of the death of Ayres, she said, was when told by some one in the house that the young man had shot himself.