The times., 1901-05-30
INVESTIGATING The PAST
The Police Seeking More Clews in
the Kenmore Mystery.
Ayers Whereabouts the Night of
the Murder and on the Preceding
Day-An Unknown Woman Who
Engaged Him in a Controversy.

Day-An Unknown Woman Who
Engaged Him in a Controversy.
It is still believed that Miss Mary +.
Minas holds the key to the Ayers murder
mystery IT IS logic to suppose she may
have thus far held her peace because of
the humiliation 10 which she has already
been subjected. There are those who
imagine she may have told more than
that included in her testimony at the IN
quest Such persons say a statemeEt to
District Attorney Gould would be zeal
ously guarded; that its contents would
play an important part in the coming
trial of the case.
Ii is known that Miss Minas spent an
hour at the City Hall late Monday after
noon. She was closeted with the District
Attorney. What transpired at the inter
view has not been divulged. Whether any
new light was thrown on the mystery is
vet a profound secret. At the inquest
Miss Minas told of a night of horrors
when Ayers was killed. Since she has
steadfastly repeated her story without
deviation, so far as known.
A huge package of anonymous letters
adorns the desk of Captain-Inspector
Boardman at Headquarters They all re-
fer to the Kenmore tragedy. Some have
been investigated, their writers hunted
down. while others have been placed aside
for future enquiry. A majority of these
letters apl car to have been written by
clerks in the Census Office, or personal
friends of .iyers. One epistle may refer
to the life of Ayers, his habits, and ac-
quaintances; another to Mrs. Bonine. her
husband or even lawyers while still 9TH
ers tell of theories innur0 eI1ble on which
the writers suggest that TIE police work.
Mr.. Bouine went down to the jail yes
terJlay afternoon and spent two hours
with his wife Afterward she read a
great deal, especially the newspapers,
with which she is daily provided by
friends Following her usual custom,
Mrs. BOnine retired shortly after s o'clock
last night.
So far as actual evidence is concerned
the police are yet at sea. Nothing i'm
portant has been discovered since the
confession of Mrs. Bonine on which to
base decided hopes OF a conviction. The
detectives have gained knowledge Of Mrs.
Bonine, especially as to her past life. They
have run down clues without number:
have learned much Of the school life of
Ayers, from the time he entered the dental
department of the Columbian University
TO the hour of his murder
Students of the dental school have told
the detectives of a strange woman who
was not an unfamiliar figure round about
the university. and with whom Ayers was
seen on more than one occasion. This
woman was tall, muscular. and pretty.
She dressed invariably in black. No re-
semblance did she bear to Mrs Bonine.
1t is known that efforts have been made
TO find this woman. Detectives have even
visited the dental school, it is said and
talked with the students. from whom
description of the woman has been Sc
cured. This description is identical with
that of woman seen early on the night
of the murder at the Alhambra, a sum
mer garden in Northeast Washington.
Ayers was with her at the AlhambTa;
Ayers met her near the university; he
walked with her, and yet no trace Of her
identity has yet found its way toward
the detectives. Friends OF Ayers seem
not to recall this woman among his fe-
male acquaintance. At the Alh2mbra,
the woman crank with Ayers. The
couple were joined later by another wo-
man, and a dispute arose. In anger the
man and the women left the place. The
tall woman in black entered a buggy in
waiting and drove away. II is said she
threatened TO get even with Ayers, who
turned away with the other woman
Afterward the body of Ayers was seen
at the undertaking establishment of
Hines, OF Fourteenth Street. by man
who was at the Alhambra, and was iden-
titled as that of the man who accOmpan-
led the two women. Ayers left the AIS
hamhra. returned to the Kenmore, danced
with friends, and then went 10 his room
and his death.
A clue which is under investigation by
lieutenant Moore and Detective Horne is
that divulged by information that Ayers
was at Chesapeake Junction with
strange woman the night before his mur-
der. A dispute arose between Ayers and
the woman: another woman joined; there
was a brief Scufiie, which ended before
the authorities took action toward making
an arrest. Afterward Ayers returned to
this city. Whether the women followed is
not known.
Although there is but little evidence of
Importance being gathered by the detec-
tives in the BOnine case, so Iar as is ap-
parent 10 the public, many little loose
ends in the skein Of evidence are being
picked up and the officials seem confident
that a conviction will be secured. The
Identification Of the revolver that figured
IN the tragedy is stil occupying the at
tention of several OF the detectives, but
they have been able to accomplish but
little
Dever Rollins. who was formerly en-
ployed as a constable at Chesapeake juno
tiOn, visited Police Headquarters yester-
day morning and informed Captain Board
man that he had reason to believe that the
weapon with which the shooting was done
belonged to him. He stated that some
time ago he had loaned his revolver
which Was similar TO the one with which
<he shooting was done, TO a man whose
name he did not know.
Rollins said he was told that this man
had loaned i to another man. VINO was
employed in the Government Printing Of
fee, and who boarded at the Kenmore Ho-
tel Rollins was equally in ignorance IS
TO the name OF this man He left Head
quarters with the expressed determination
Of finding out the names Of the two men,
and said he would Immediately advise the
detectives if he succeeded in locating
them.
Nothing further has been heard from
Mr.. Rollins and the detectives do not put
much faith in revelations in that direc-
tion. Lieutenant Moore yesterday deIiv-
cred TO the District Attorney the carpet
that was on the floor Of Ayers room and
which still contains the large blood stain
where the head Of the unfortunate young
man lay. 1t will be preserved as evil
dence.
Young Ayers was buried in the family
burial lot at Port Austin Mich last
Thursday and the body lies beside that OF
his mother. The services were held in
the Baptist Church and were impressive
IN character. The sermon was preached