The times., 1901-06-02
NO new DEVELOPMENTS
Little Change in the Ayers Case
During the Past Week.

Probable POst2onement of Mrs.
RonIne,s Trial Until the FaIl-FaiI-
ure ia Positively Identify tbe Re
vsIVer-Mauy Anonymous Letters.
The close of The week found little new
in the rs-f3Chine tragedy. Ever since
the murder of James Seymour Ayers,
early on the morning of May Is, at the
Kenmore Hotel detectives. police, and
others have worked to solv, the mystery
of his death. An inquest led indirectly
TO the arrest of Mrs. L. l. Bonine,
guest of the hotel who still occupies
cell al the Jail, and is held responsible by
the Coroner's jury for the death of Ayers.
She has made a confession, which seems
only to add mystery to the vague circum-
stances surrounding his murder. Beyond
this confession, facts have been most diff
fcult to obtain, and the crime is yet
shrouded in mystery.
Steps to learn The owner of the revolver
found in Ayers room on the morning OF
the mur6er formed the main work Of the
detectives liz the past few days. Success
has not attended this effort 1t is estab-
lished. however, that the pistol belong
ed to Ayers, or at least was in his pos
session just prior to the murder. A the
ory is advanced by The police that the re-
volver was bought some time ago by one
of the students of the dental college Of
the Columbian University, VINO formerly
lived at the boarding house kept by the
Warfields on II Street northwest. 1t is
said the number given by the purchaser
of the pistol to Waiford, the dealer on
Pennsylvania Avenue northwest. who
sold the weapon, as his home, was lcti-
tious, as was the name Nevertheless. it
is noted that the number given, $50 is
somewhat similar 10 '935, the number
of the boarding house formerly kept on
II Street by the Warhelds. At this board
ing house, the police believe. several stu
dents of the dental college to which
AEers afterward belonged resided. 1t is
urged that the weapon might have been
bought for practice by one of the stu
dents more than year ago. and finally
have fallen into the hands Of Ayers In
yestigation along This line is not COM
plete.
number of witnesses in the tragedy
have been examined by Assistant District
Attorney Taggart. with view to prepar-
ing the case of the Government as early
as possible. Nothing of special impor-
tance has peen brought out by these per-
sons beyond what was already known at
the inquest 1t is understood the defence
viii ask a postponement of The trial of
Mrs. Bonine until fall on the ground that
sufficient time has not elapsed in which
to properly prepare its case. District At
torney Gould may net oppose this motion
Apparently he believes a conviction win
be secured so that the matter OF few
weeks or months VIII not figure largely
in the consideration OF the trial.
tervfew between Miss Mary +. MiRas and
District Attorney Gould last Monday af-
1srnoon at the City Han Miss Ainas has
declined TO talk about il. She says the
detectives have told her TO say nothing.
The District Attorney simply says There
is nothing new. Mean%hile gosSips be
lieve something may have been brought
TO light at the examination Of Miss
Minas. beyond the testimony given by
her st the inquest. X IS denied by Miss
Ainas that she intends to leave the city
At this time. She Is yet Cn leave fTol.
the Census Office. because Of her health
and the shock OF the trs gedy-
II was stated last night that Miss Kate
LawleSs an important witness at the IN
quest, who occupied ar adjoining room TO
that Of Ayers at the Kenmore, has moi yet
returned 10 the city Miss Lawless went
away into New jersey. il was said, seV-
eral days after the tragedy. She Is ex-
pect-S tc return TO town within a we or
ten CaEs. 50 that she may testify before
the grand jury. The police are keeping
tne city temporarily
A feature Of the case last week was
found in the number of anonymous letters
received by the police. Many Of these
contained only theories. while others
made suggestions as 10 the proper han
ding Of the mystery Detectives Horne.
Peck, Trumbo. and Miller were engaged
early in the week looking into supposed
clues offered by these epistles. Census
Office clerks made a number of suSges-
tiOns TO the police. one Of which is yet
hot fr7-rs rfE-.ar too TqTE tn
strange woman. always attired in black,
with whom Ayers WAS seen on several
occasions. No amount OF investigation
has disclosed the identity Of this woman.
Il was said she had called several times
at the Census Office and walked away
with Ayers. especially during the iunch
hour. Again il was reported she had been
seen IN Northeast Washington, at the Al
hacbra a summer garden. where runOr
had il that trouble took place on the ap-
pearance Of a second woman suddenly on
the scene. While ali this has received
attention from the authorities, no espe-
cial importance can be attached to this
woman pending Identification and further
developments.
ne sign reached the public that she
fared badly. Only her husband children.
and counsel have been permitted to see
her. SO far as known, she has mace no
statement Of any kind. beyond her con-
fession Of two weeks 90. She has been
acquainted with the fact that the oe-
t+ctstS oLt ioohtAS ~ ~, p"91' -
shows no disposition to aid them in their
search Or. Shute the jail physician,
has had the assistance Of other doctors
in the care Of the prisoner
About the Kenmore matters are gTadu-
ally assuming a normal aspect. The
guests. although thinned somewhat in
numbers. appear TO be recovering from
the fearful strain OF examination follow
ing Immediately after the murder OF
Ayers. Dances. it is said, have been re-
sumed at intervals, and a card game
occasionally serves 10 enIiven the gloom
cast by the tragedy.