Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-05-17

conduct the examination of witnesses.
DEAD MANS FATHER.
His Views of the Circumstances Sur
rounding the Murder.
| Mr.. j. S. Ayres father of James S. Ayres
jr., the man murdered at the Hotel Ken
more Tuesday night, arrived here last night
from Grand Rapids, Mich. in response to a
telegram sent to him by Mr.. James Burns
| telling him of the sudden death Of his son.
In the telegram Mr.. Burns made no refer
ence to the tragedy and it was not until
Mr.. Ayres bought paper on the train and
read an account of the tragedy that he
was aware his son had died violent death
Mr.. Ayres is sixty-three years old and is
| one of the st-known citizens of the state
of Michigan, having served for a time as
| chairman of the republican county COM
mittee and having made race for Con-
| gress in 1890 Although he was defeat ed
| he far ahead of the republican state
ticket because of his personal popularity.
His home is at Port Austin. but he was at
| Grand Rapids business when he re-
| ceived the sad news.
| James Seymour Ayres jr.. the deceased
was one of four sons all prosperous young
| men. Two sisters of the boys died several
years ago. Having read neWspa per accounts
! of his sons untimely end, Mr. Ayres was
| prepared for the terrible ordeal when he
| reached here bearing up well under the
| strain. Nothing cOllid restore the dead bow
to him and he made the best he could of
! the sad conditions. The long journey of
more than LOCO miles had fatgued him and
| he retired at the Kenmore shortly after he
| returned from the morgue, where he saw
| the body of his boy. Ii had been a little
more than a year since he had seen him,
but his features had not changed much.
Mr.. Ayres had anticipated a visit from
| his son this summer. They had arranged
to meet at Buffalo, and it was the younger
mans intention to visit his former home in
! Michigan. His sudden taking off, however,
had changed their plans and the fathers
| long and sad journey was taken in place
| of the trip to Buffalo. This morning the
father arranged with Undertaken Hines to
| prepare the body for shipment to Michigan.
| The undertaken embalmed the remains and
| Mr.. Ayres expects to start for home next
| Monday
Discusses the Murder.
| This calamity is the greatest and most
heartrending that / have experienced dur
| ing the siXty-three years of my lfe,' Mr..
! Ayres said to Star reporter this morning,
land my grief is intensified by the fact
! that some newspapers, for the purpose of
being sensational, have slandered the repu-
| tation and habits of my son. He passed
| his twenty-frst birthday last December,
! and until the past year, during his resi-
dence in this city, had seen him contin-
| ually and knew that his habits and char
acter were above Teproach. He was
| young man of unusual intelligence, energy
| and industry. Although so young he had
| graduated with high honor from the high
| est school of the town In which he was
| born, Port Austin; was graduate of the
commercial college at Ypsanti Mich; had
| passed a civil service examination at LanS-
| ing and had received an appointment in
| the census bureau upon the recommends
| ton of Representative Weeks. While fill
| ing this position he pursued a course Of
studies in the Columbian University in this
! city. In the last letter l received from
| him, dated the Sunday previous to his
| death, was inclosed a certificate showing
| he had passed all his examinations in the
university to the satisfaction of the faculty
| and to the credit of himself. This day l
received the letter l wrote him, in which
returned the university certificate. He
could not receive it, poor fellow.
| That my son had committed suicide
seems to me perfectly preposterous. All
| the circumstances in the case point to the
opposite conclusion That a young man
| with his energy. enthusiasm and industry
| should attempt his life without the least
shadow of a motive that would prompt
| such a course Is simply ridiculous. 1 am
well satisfied that he would have defended
| his life to the last extremity instead of at
tempting to destroy 1t. In his home at
| Port Austin, where he lived continuously
I for upwards Of eighteen years. his reputa-
ton for morality, good habits and recti-
| tude is all that the fond heart of an affec-
| tionate father could ask from an obedient
| and loving son. Some allowance, perhaps,
| ought to be made for young man just
! StllSIlAS Tie lnIeSn0lu Oh llIe separated
| more than q thousand miles from his home
| and among strangers. with but very few
| friends about him. Although l have not
seen him for more than year-not since
| l parted with him at Detroit have been
| In constant communication with him. He
| wrote me once a week, and sometimes
| more frequently, and opened up to me
| fully and freely all the secret thoughts of
his heart. l saw no indications in any Of his
| letters that he had Swerved in the least iota
from the correct path he had pursued from
| the time of his birth to the time we parted
! at Detroit. If he has wavered In the least
| from those correct habits which had
| marked his course heretofore l believe he
| only yielded to some Of the temptations
| that surround young intelligent and af-
| fectionate young man.
| Some of the Circumstances.
while on this subject 1 cannot desist
| from expressing myself somewhat frankly
upon some Of the circumstances surround
ing my sons untimely death That young
| man In his room in hotel should be at
| tackled by a murderer or murderess and
orutally murdered, that people In the hotel
and surrounding buildings should hear the
shots, the cries of 'Help!' and the agoniz-
Ing appeals in a city Of 100000 inhabitants,
and not go to his rescue or make an outcry
is beyond my comprehension. If this MUIR
der had been committed IN the village Of
| Port Austin there's not a man, woman or
| child Of the 700 Inhabitants but who would
| nave raised an alarm and sought to res
| cue MIN from the hands of the assassins"
MT Ayres visited the room in which the
| crime was committed and made thorough
examination Of the neighboring rooms. He
mas also discussed the question with some
| OF the motel guests, and the more he hears
! the more dlsgusted he becomes over the
| Iaiiure to apprehend his sons slayer. He
| Ialls 10 realize how such crime could
have been committed and no investigation
| made for SO many hours
| Mr., e. n. nf
street, New York city, an uncle OF the de-
| ceased, arrived here this morning and reg
| 1stered at the Shoreham. He visited the
he could about the tragedy.
building Permits Issued.
| Building permits were issued today as
follows: