The record-union., 1893-01-04
JEFFREYS IN JAIL.
He Denies All Responsibility for Miss
Ayes' Death,
Or That They Were Married-A Case
of the Woman Seeking the
Man-H:s Story.

The story published In the RECORD
UNION yesterday morning of the dis
covery Of the fact that Engineer George
Jeffreys and Miss Z. o. Ayres, the vic
tim Of the Brighton tragedy. were mar
ried last July, and of the arrest of Jeffreys
on suspicion of being implicated in the
supposed murder of the woman. was the
all-absorbing topic of discussion through
out the day.
Even the organization of the Legisla-
ture, the Governors message, and the
. Senatorial contest were Tor the time mat
tiers of secondary interest to all except a
few politicians. 1t was a revelation as
sensational as it was unexpected.
Jehreys, the suspected engineer, was
brought up from Oakland yesterday
afternoon by Railroad Officers True and
burke, and after partaking OF dinner at
the Saddle Rock Restaurant, he was
escorted to District Attorney Ryan's
Office and submitted to a long and search
ing inquiry by the officers and Charles
1. Jones, who represented the railroad
company.
Notwithstanding the terrible character
OF the suspicion resting on Jeffreys he
did not appear to be greatly disconnected
lie was very frank and open in his state
ments, answering freely all questions put
to him.
In answer to a question as to whether
he was married to Miss Ayres, he denied
1t tiatly, and stated that no marriage cere-
mony Of any kind had ever passed be-
tween them. He admitted that they had
been on intimate terms before his mar
rage with his present wife, but not since.
Jetfreys declared that the woman had
bounded him considerably in the past
but not very lately, wishing him to get
rid of his wife and marry her. Letters,
he said, had passed between them and he
had met her at various times. She wished
him to marry her by civil contract. but
he had steadily refused all her overtures
In answer to questions as to his where
abouts on the fatal night Jetfreys said
that after leaving his engine that night,
IN this city, he first went and got some
thing to eat. He then went to see a
friend and they played cards till about II
o'clock, when he went to bed and slept
until he was called to go to the train.
lie protested confidence in his ability to
prove an alibi.
Referring to the relations that had ex-
listed between himself and Miss Ayres.
Jefireys said the latter had written
numerous letters to him, many of which
are now in the possession of his wife in
Oakland. These letters, he claims, will
bear out his statement that the woman
had deep passion for him, and repeat
eddy urged him to abandon his wife and
marry her Miss Ayres) by contract.
When asked to explain, if he could,
how it was that his marriage with Miss
Ayres was matter of record in San
Francisco, JeffreyS stoutly declared that
if any such record existed it was a fraud
perpetrated by some enemy to get him
into trouble.
District Attorney Ryan stated to a
RECORD Union reporter last night that
the inquiry into the circumstances at
tending the death of Miss Ayres would
not take place for Jew days yet-at least
until all the evidence possible could be
obtained to throw some light Oh the
mystery.
Asked if he did not think the develop
ments thus far had been such as to
strongly indicate that the woman had
taken her own life, Mr.. Ryan was nom
committal. He said that, so long as there
was reason for belief that she had met
with violent death prior to the burning
OF the building, he should leave no stone
unturned to ascertain who committed the
deed
He admitted, however, that the circum-
Stances-so far as knOwn-were such as
10 give some color to the assumption that
Miss Ayres had Shot herself and in so
doing had set fire to her clothing. This
might account for the almost complete
destruction of the body, she being fully
dressed at the time.
But Mr.. Ryan was not at all certain
that they had got at the bottom of the
tragedy. New developments were con-
stantly being made, and it was by no
means likely that further interesting and
important disclosures would soon be
made. In the meantime Jeffreys, be-
cause of his peculiar relations with the
woman, would be kept in Jail.
AS to the rumor that a third and now
unknown person may possibly be impli-
Gated in the affair, MIR. Ryan said he did
not know much about that. All the in
formation the prosecution has on that
point Is the statement published in a San
Francisco paper yesterday that man re-
Gently presented himself at the Brighton
station, just at the conclusion of quarrel
between Jetfreys and Miss Ayres and de-
manded money from her for his promise
not TO divulge what he had overheard.
According to this statement, Jeffreys and
the alleged blackmailer were together in
the conspiracy.
This story. Mr.. Ryan said, was prob
ably related by some friend of Miss Ayres
to whom the latter had confded it. 1t
may or may not have been true: at all
events, 1t would be investigated.
Jehreys declares that his wife knows
all about his relations with Miss Ayres;
that she blames the latter, and does not
believe that he is responsible for her con-
duct.
Nothing further has been heard of the
tramp who was reported to have been ar
rested at Strawb berry Valley, FL Dorado
County, and it is not unlikely that, in
view OF the more recent disclosures, he
has been turned loose to resume his Jour
ney toward the rising sun.