Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-05-16
Ayres at His Desk in Census Office.

certain anything about the shooting. While
there, he says. he saw the woman. wear
ing dark black skirt. come from the
window of Mr.. Ayres room and descend
the fire escape. This woman, he declares,
entered the parlor window from the We
randa at the second story of the hotel
building. His story is In every respect
similar to that of Mr.. Baker and the state
ments of the two witnesses will be of con-
sequence in the event of the ultimate sue
cess of the detectives in securing an
rest. Both are positive that the person
who came from Mr.. Ayres' room and went
down the fire escape was woman. Mr..
Baker noticed particularly that her hair
was hanging down her back, and saw
where it covered her neck from view.
The steps of the fire escape wide
apart and slant but little, and because of
these conditions the woman could not
move very fast. She descended slowly, and
was extremely careful in order to avoid
the possibility of falling. Mr.. Baker lost
sight of her when she got behind the pipes
but the Wolfe boy, who was across the
street, declares she entered through the
parlor window. By passing through the
parlor she could easily have gained access
to the hall. and could then have gone to
any part of the building unnoticed, for the
guests who had been attracted to the hall
way by the pistol shots had returned to
their rooms. This woman, whose identity
has puzzled the police, is described as
being small and having dark or black hair.
Result of the Autopsy.
The autopsy and examination Of the body
made late yesterday afternoon throws addi-
tional light on the case, and suggests the
possibility of the victim having engaged in
desperate struggle to save his life. The
appearance of the body suggests the further
possibility of a man having taken part in
the affair although the detectives found
nothing about the room or the blood stains
to indicate this. The wounds inflicted were
described in yesterdays Star and Coroner
hewitt is more fully satisfied than he was
yesterday morning that they were not self
inflicted. 1t is admitted by every one en-
gagged in the investigation that the wound
in the left arm, where the course of the bull
let was inward, could not have been in
f1icted by the victim. Neither is it likely
that he would have held the weapon in
position to have caused the burn and pow
der mark on the left arm. The burn it is
believed, was caused by the bullet passing
close to the arm, and the powder burn was
such would ordinarily be made by now
der from weapon.
Important Witness
Miss Mary Minas of Indiana, clerk in
the census office who occupied room ad-
joining that in which the tragedy was en-
acted will be an important witness at the
inquest. Early Tuesday evening she was
In the hotel ball room, where she saw
and conversed with Ayres, who seemed to
her to be in the best of spirits. The young
lady left the ball room early because sew
eral of her friends called to spend the even
ing, and when they reached the hotel she
excused herself and went to her room
where she entertained her callers until
nearly midnight. They had refreshments
and when they started from the room one
Of them remarked that the hall was dimly
lighted 1t was quite dark. which was
something unusual, and one of Miss Minas'
friends in feeling her way through the hall
came near tumbling down stairs. The in
cident was an unpleasant one to Miss
Minas, and she concluded she would call
the attention Of the landlord to 1t in the
morning. In view of subsequent develop
| ments it is Miss Minas' belief that there
| was some reason for the lights being turn
| ed so low.
Nothing more was heard by the young
| lady until about 2 o'clock, when the three
| shots were fired. She heard the shots, and
| her first thought was of burglars.
Il thought the shooting had occurred in
| the hall" she said to Star reporter, land
door was securely fastened. Then l went
| to the south window of my room and
| looked out. Usually the Waterman at the
engine house is out in front Of the build
! ing, but he was not to be seen. 1 could
| see nobody on the street to call. I was
| frightened and nervous. and all 1 could
| do was to walk the floor. Had 1 seen any
body on the street / would have called and
| then waited for him to respond. While
my first thought was of burglars, and l
| really believed one Of them had been
| killed, I changed my mind shortly after
ward and concluded the trouble had oc-
| CURED in Mr.. Ayres' room, for 1 heard
him call help and then he groaned and
cried most piteously for five or ten min
| utes. That somebody had been killed l
| felt certain, and I was surprised In the
morning when l failed to find the dead
body Of burglar in the hall"
Paced the Floor Until Daylight.
Miss Minas said she walked the floor until
daylight. and shortly after 6 o'clock sle
| opened her door and looked out That she
had heard q man fan she Us certain, and