Evening star., 1901-05-20
PROGRESS is SLOW
Inquest in Ayres Murder Case De-
velops but Little.
FHE TESTIMONY ADDUCED TODAY
Witness Says Ayres Complained
Of Having Unknown Enemy.
WORK OF THE DETECTIVES

Probably there was not man or wom-
an present this morning at the opening of
the second days inquiry into the death of
James Seymour Ayres at the sixth pre-
cinct station who did not cherish a de-
cided theory as to the cause of the killing
and how it was accomplished. The mystery
seems to have transformed for the time
being each adult, to say nothing of small
boys into Veritable Sherlock Holmes, and
it will not be surprising if detective stories
as numerous as ragtime melodies are in
spired by the murder. Expectation was
even keener on the part of those who man.
aged to secure admission to the inquest
room in what the day would bring forth
than it was Saturday. There had been
countless rumors in circulation yesterday
and this morning to what this or that
witness would relate, and some of these
rumors went so far as to include a con-
fession on the stand to be made. with all
the sensational surroundings such an ad-
mission would bring forth.
The crowd was greater than it was Sat
urday and glance over it showed many
faces where morbdity was written in un-
mistakable lines. Two or three of the
women listeners were particularly notable
in this respect.
After the jury and coroner had been
seated photograph was taken of them.
and then the camera was moved so as to
command the witness chair in order to
give the operator q chance to get the pic
lures of the occupants they came to
give their testimony. This was but an
other evidence of the unusual interest be-
ing taken in the case throughout the coun-
try.
First Witness Examined Today
Miss Katie Lawless, employe of the
bureau of engraving and printing, a young
l,-,l
nervous, was the first witness She had
lived at the Kenmore two years. She oc-
cupied the room next to that of Ayres. She
knew him slightly; had danced with him
at the hotel once or twice. Witness did
not know any special woman friend Mr..
Ayres had in the house Witness retired
Tuesday night about 9 or 10 O'Clock and
heard no sounds during the night, except
a faint noise, which in her half-sleeping
condition she could not describe. 1t was
not a pistol shot, she thought, nor a sound
as if a falling body. She could not dis
tinguish what it was. Witness was due at
her work at the bureau at o'clock, and
took breakfast early. She heard nothing
of the killing until she returned home.
about 4:30 o'clock in the evening. She was
then told of it by Mrs. Drew. a boarder.
who asked witness if she had heard any
thing, and then told her Mr.. Ayres had
been found dead. Mrs. Drew seemed sur
prised that witness had heard nothing of
the affair. Witness did not know. she said,
IL Ayres had ever paid any particular at
tention to Mrs. Bonine. She had never
known of Mrs. Bonine any other wo-
man going to Ayres room, nor had she
ever heard of Ayres having any quarrel or
misunderstanding with any one in the
house.
Sees Shadow Upon Room Wall.
Miss Matte st. Clair Woolum was the
next witness called She is the person who
saw a shadow fit by her window, which
is crossed by the fire escape, the night of
the killing. She is slender and wore a
drab waist, dark skirt and straw hat, trim
med with white and purple. Witness said
she was at the hotel the night Of the muir
der; she had lived there two years. She re-
tired about 8 o'clock and slept soundly.
She heard music before going to sleep, and
supposed dancing was going on in the
card room. She occupied the room under
that Of Mr. Ayres. She knew the latter
but slightly. She had several friends on
the floor where Ayres' room was located.
whom she visited during the winter. Mrs.
Bonine was one of these. Her room was
on the fourth foor but In the annex,
reached by the descent of step two
from the main building. Asked if Ayres
was particularly attentive to Mrs. Bonine,
witness replied she never had noticed that
he paid any particular attention to one
woman in the house more than to another.
Miss Pickrell usually played the music for
dancing. Witness had danced with Ayres
occasionally.
Miss Woolums said she was awakened
early Wednesday morning by pistol shots.
Her window down from the top.
After the last shot she heard a sound Of
voice from Ayres room. Heard it twice.
Witness judged the sound might have been
those of voices of two people. but she was
not positive. The sound of the shots made
her very nervous. Witness heard also
sound after the shots as if some one was
moving a heavy body in Mr.. Ayres' room.
The voice she heard did not seem to be
angry. When everything was quiet wit
ness got up from her bed and tried to
light a match. She failed and then lighted
another and the gas. Looked at her watch
and saw it was about two minutes after
o'clock. Witness then put out the gas and
got into bed She was startled by seeing
shadow on her wall. From the time of
hearing the shot to the time she saw the
shadow was, witness thought, about five
minutes. She had not taken very much
notice of the noise in Ayres' room, because
she had heard noises there at night before.
The Shots she thought, had been fired out
side.
Witness arose in the morning, she said,
and went downstairs, determined to ask
Mr.. Ayres about the shots and the noises.
She got downstairs about o'clock Mrs.
Bonine ate at the same table with witness
and she was certain Mrs. Bonine ate
breakfast with her Wednesday morning.
Witness saw nothing unusual in Mrs. Bo-
mines manner or actions. Replying to
Coroner hewitt, witness, after saying that
1
death, said the theory among. those in the
house seemed to be that Ayres had COM
mtted suicide. Witness went up to her
| room in order to get her things and get
out Of the house as quickly possible,
and when she came down she heard po-
| liceman say that Ayres could not have
killed himself.
l. District Attorney Gould then examined
Miss Woolums. Replying to HIN, she said
| she had never heard that Ayres had any
trouble with any one in the house. Witness
had heard people going to Mr.. Ayres' room
| at night. At one time such a visit was
after o'clock and at another time after 3
O'Clock. Had heard loud talking at such
times in Ayres' room, but could not tell
whether women had been parties to it or
| not. Witness used to visit the Hamlins
| who once roomed next to Ayres in the
room occupied by Miss Minas. It was easy
| to hear what was being said in either room
/ by parties in the other If one listened.
Chambermaid's Testimony.
The next Witness Eliza Gardner, a col
pred girl Of Gil Sd street southwest, who
| is a chambermaid at the Kenmore, gave
her answers to Coroner hewitt in a quick
| volley-like manner when she took the
stand. She had seen some of the dances