Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1901-05-16
MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR,

Three pistol shots and q cry of
"BelI !" were heard 10 the Kenmore
Hotel, Washington, about 2 O'Clock
yesterday morning, the body of james
seymour Ayres was found In one OF the
hotel rooms 10 pool of blood and
blood spots have been discovered on
the fire escape and in one of the halls.
This is brit fly the story OF case to
which half the Washington detective
force have been assigned and which is
regarded ss one of the most puzzliDg
problems the Washington police have
ever been called upon 10 solve.
There is apparently no clue to the
identity OF such other persons as were
in Ayres's room when the shots we're
fred. The outcry was 80 mild and the
Investigation made by the hotel em-
ployees was 30 slight that nothing was
discovered at the time. A report was
made by the patrolman who discovered
the body OF Ayres yesterday morning
that the man had committed suicide
and the body was removed to the
the coroner to doubt the theory oil sui.
eide and he sent word to police head
quarters at once that the mans death
should be thoroughly investigated. An
inquest has been ordered fjr tomorrow
morIiop.
Ayres, who was 81 years old, was
clerk in the Census Office and was ap.
pointed from Port Austin, Mich. His
father, ]. s. Ayres, lives at Grand Rap.
ds and ia al insurance agent. The
young msn was rather popular ct the
1o,el, and particularly 30 with the wo-
men guests OF late he had been study
ing assiduously to pass an examination
10 the Columbian Dental School. Tues
day. night he reached his room about
midnight. James Burns. of the govern
ment printing Office, and ]. V. Wig.
gins, of Texas, who are also dodgers at
the Kenmore, were with him for about
half an hour after his return to the ho-
tel building.
Il is said that loud talking and laugh
ter we're heard 10 front OF the hotel at
the time Ayres is supposed to have re.
tired. About 2 o'clock three shots in
rapid succession, followed by the cry:
"Hell He'll - were heard 10 the hotel
cour'. Heads we're thrust out OF win
dows facing the court and several per-
sons called in loud tones to know the
caus, of the disturbance. Af:er min
ute's delay, 1t is said, voice which
seemed to be that Of q woman, replied:
81 don't see anything here"
Then another voice said: "I've
heard some pistol shots."
After q few more remarks the win
dows we're closed and the excitement
ended for time.
Tbomss w. Baker, a clerk in the
Fish Commission, saw some one on q
hoor lower than his own leave room
which be said % ust have been that oc.
cupied by Ayrss and descend the fire.
escape calmly. He is quite positive
that it was a woman. When she
reached the verands of the second
story, he said, she stepped into room.
Subsequent examination seemed to con-
firm this. Blood stains. like those
made by fugers slipping along the wall
and by Q bloody garm lent brushing
against it, have been found in the cor
ridor outside of Ayres's room and near
the fire-escape. About six feet from
the window on the fre.escape several
clots OF blood were found. There lie
nothing to indicate that the blood
spurted from Ayres's room.
Patrolman Brady broke open the
door to Ayres's room about s O'Clock
yesterday morDipg. The body of the
Young man was doDbled over on the
fl DOT near the window, the head lying
10 a pool of clotted blood. A revolver
With three empty and three loaded
shells, bad been dropped on trunk
near the window. The barrel and
trigger were covered with blood, but
the handle was clean. A woman's fan,
torn to shreds, lay near by. Ayres had
been shot 10 the left hip. 10 the left arm
and through the heart. The wounds in
the hip and arm, 10 the opinion of the
coroner, could hardly have been made
by the man himself. Both have q for.
ward and inward direction, as though
Ayres had turned away from the pistol
Ayres's undershirt was burned by pow
der in several places.
Several theories are advanced By
those about the hotel. Mrs. Wsifield,
wife OF the proprietor, thinks the man
was cleaning his revolver and dischsrg.
ed the weapon accidentally. 1t was
| suggested that worry over the collegiate
examination might have caused Ayres
to comm t suicide, but Il was learned