The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-12-30
MURDER OR ACCIDENT.
Terrible Affair at Brighton Junction
Yesterday Morning.
The Railroad Station Burned, and Miss
L. o. Ayres, the Operator,
Dies In the Ruins.

junction, four miles east OF the city, Win
the news that the railroad station at that
place had been burned and that Miss Il.
0. Ayres, the railroad agent and tele-
graph operator there, had persisted in the
fire.
The generally accepted theory was she
had been murdered by tramps and the
building set on fire for the purpose OF de-
stroying all traces of the crime.
1t was about o'clock in the morning
when the earlier risers in that vicinity
saw the station in flames, and several
persons, including ex-Sheriff George c.
McMullen. fastened to the scene, but too
late to save the building from destruc-
ton.
Word was telegraphed from the nearest
point to the railroad office, and the fire.
train was sent out, but all it was able to
accomplish was the eXtinguishment OF
the fire in the debris of the building and
the saving of the planked platform.
1t was not until alter The place had been
deluged with water and the fire ex-
tinguished that the discovery was made
that Miss Ayres' body was in the ruins,
it being generally supposed that she had
Z gone to the city for the night, and that the
station had been plundered and burned
during her absence.
But while examining the ruins of the
building the visitors were hOrror-stricken
at finding the burned body of the untort-
innate young woman. That is, the trunk
of the body was found on the floor of her
bedroom, but the head was missing and
the legs consumed below the knees. The
rest OF the body was but black and
charred mass.
Beneath the body was found portion
of the lady's clothing, enough to show
that she was fully dressed and wrapped
inn ,fefp hot CHI hnF n-rI-
BILE death. subsequently the skull was
found at some distance from the rest Of
the body, but it was crushed and broken.
AS soon as the news of the shocking
discovery reached the city Sheriff Stan
ley, Chief of Police Rodgers, Coroner
Clark, ex-Sherif NJ. NJ. Drew, railroad
officers True and Burke, Deputy Coroner
Thomas and several policemen and citi-
zens fastened to the scene of the fire.
An investigation OF the debris revealed
a pistol lying close by the body, and
Deputy Coroner Thomas found 50 gold
piece also near by. The stove poker lay
only few feet from where the body was
found.
Everybody had a theory to advance
Some believed the woman had, in tit of
dependency, committed suicide; others
that she had accidentally overturned her
lamp in falling from possible stroke of
heart disease. while the majority believed
that Miss Ayres had been murdered by
tramps, the station plundered and then
burned.
Each of these theories seemed to have
more or less foundation. Those who re-
garded it as case of suicide say that
Miss Ayres had on the preceding day re-
ceived letter or dispatch which threw
her into a fit of melancholy, and they
further urged that she had been despond-
ent for some time over the death of a
young railroad engineer to whom she
was betrotAed.
The theory of accident was based on
the fact that Miss Ayres had been a suf-
1erer from heart disease; that she had at
times resorted to the use of morphine to
induce sleep, and that on Wednesday
evening she had sent to the city for
supply of medicine. The superstition was
that, being unable to sleep. she arose and
dressed herself, and that she was sud
denly stricken down, Overturning her
lamp and setting fire to her clothing.
The fact that the poker was found near
where the body lay is not thought to
have any significance. 1t hung upon a
partition some distance away, and when
the partition fell over the poker natu-
rally fell near the body.
There is, however, much to bear out the
theory Of murder and robbery. Three
rough-looking tramps had been hanging
about the station during the day and
evening, and had been driven away by
Miss Ayres, who was often obliged to
disperSe that class of creatures at the
point of the pistol. The fact that one OF
the cartridge shells in the pistol bore the
indentatiOn of the hammer. while all the
others had been discharged by the heat,
was held to indicate that, after being at
tackled, Miss Ayres fired one shot at her
assailants before they succeeded in over
towering her.
Acting on the latter theory. Railroad
Officer Fred Burke and Policeman Ahern
Cnf off mn n DlonarVrf1la ,S1
special locomotive after learning that
during the forenoon a couple of tramps
entered a saloon near the railroad at La
trobe, ordered two glasses of whisky. and
after drinking them, laid down gold
ring in payment and walked out, The
ring was of the kind usually worn by
women. ON the top are two small hearts
Joined together.
The engineer of a freight train which
arrived yesterday forenoon informed the
officers that he had passed three tramps
on the railroad between Brighton and
Elorin. His description of the men tai
lied exactly with that of the tramps seen
about the Brighton depot on Wednesday.
with the exception that one of them who
wore heavy beard then was clean
shaven when seen on the road.
Miss Ayres was young woman of re-
marhable pluck and self-reliance. For
two years past she had held the position
of agent and telegraph operator at Brigh-
ton junction, having previously been
employed in a like capacity at Tracy San
Joaquin County.
There are no houses within several
hundred yards of the station, yet she
slept there alone, her only companion
being a noisy little terrier dog, which al
ways made great fuss if any person an
preached the station during the night
tfis faithful COG was found burned 10 A
crisp near by his mistress and this fact
is urged as strong evidence against this
theory of murder, as it is claimed IA
would have escaped had any one entered
the building. This does not follow, how
ever, as the murderers could-and doubt
less would-have closed the door or win
dow behind them.
Miss Ayres was greatly esteemed by tn q
residents Of the neighborhood. ali Of
whom knew her well, as also bv tina
officials and employees of the railroad
company. She was between 80 and 40.
years. OF age, was well educated and n
person Nof very agreeable manners. She
had been for many years in the employ
of the railroad company, and claimed to
have saved up from her salary and
through investments some $4,000 which,
she had forwarded from time to time to|
her mother at West Point, Neb.
LATEST CONCERNING THE MYSTERY.
Superintendent Wright, Assistant Su.
perintendenJ Gillis and Detective True
were seen last night by RECORD UNION
reporter, and all were firmly of the opin.-
ion that Miss Ayres was murdered.
The ring which two men left at q saloon
at Latrobe in exchange for liquor has
been seen by a couple of the lady's
friends, and, while not certain that it was
hers, they think they had seen it upon
heI nngeI. detective Burke and Olllcer
Ahern are following the men up, and ex-