Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-08-01
Revolving Crime.

NOW 4OIh 4IlDuucJ jay 49,
A case involving details of the most
unnatural lust and cruelty was brought
into the district attorneys Office yester.
day, and was sent to the Jefferson Mar.
ket Police Court. Elizabeth Ayres, of
No. III Christopher street, the wife Of a
horse car driver on the Christopher
street railroad, declares that her husband
is her own brother, who seduced her in
Ireland, afterward maintaining incestu.
Gus relations both with herself and her
sister Bridget, and murdered two Of her
children. She says that their real name
is Kilroy. With 5000 that she had saved
by years Of work in this country, she
went to Ireland in 1862, as her brother
James had sent word to her that her
mother was dying. She found that her
mother had not even been sick. She al
leges hat James drugged aud outraged
her, and Aiterward took her money. She
became pregnant. and shortly afterward
returned to New York, bringing with her
her sister Bridget. A child was born to
her which lived eighteen months. In 1875
James came to this country, aud they
lived together as husband and wife. She
aiterwsrd gave birth to twins. At the
same time he also cohabited with her
sister, who has borne four children. She
states that James and her sister gave her
twins a blush poisonous substance. The
children suddenly died six weeks after
birth, the poison causing their bodies to
turn black and blue. She further states
that James married Bridget, keeping her
at several places, and that she knows
where she can be found at present, but
she has not seen her sincs last Deoem
Der.
Justice Smith sent for Ayres and his
wife, Elizabeth. Ayres stated that Eliz.
abeth was his wife, but not his sister,
and added that she was insane. Her
excited manner impressed the court that
she was not in her right mind. The
justice allowed Ayres to depart GU pa.
role that he should appear when sum.
moned. Justice Smith said that he
thought tho woman was lhboring under
a hallucination, but as the district attor
ney had said that the case was a serious
one he intended to make an examina.
ton. He thought the case would prob.
ably come up again this morning. A
l.. Smith appeared 90 oousel for the
plaintiff
A Tribune reporter conversed with
Mrs. AyreS at her home yesterday. She
repeated her story in ON excitable tone,
but frequently wandered off into irrele
want details. Her eyes had a lnrtivt
look, and she frequently repeated por
tons of her story. She expressed fear
that her husband would kill her, as b,
had often attempted to do SO by choking
her. In appearance Mrs. Ayres is a
thin, careworn woman, with u sprinklinp
of gray hair, aud OF about forty years Of
age, though she says she is only twenty.
nine. Don't forget to 20 to the Van
Dulles, on BECKER street." she said
they know all about me. Also see
Bayne, the umbrella seller" Attbe Van
Dulles store Mrs. Van Dulles said that all
she knew about the case was, that a
woman Of Mrs. Ayres description came
excitedly into the store several times
asking what they had done with her hus,
band, a driver in a rubber coat, who had
entered their store. Mrs. Van Dulles
said she does not know her husband.
She thought that the woman was insane,
aud threatened to have her arrested if
she came again, At Bayne's store no.
thing was known Of Mrs, Ayres,