The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-05-17
Clew to the Sensational Murder
of q Census Clerk in
Washington.
AN ARREST WILL Be MADE.
Police Accuse One Of the Woman
Boarders of the Crime-Pe-
culiar Silence After
the Shooting.

REPUBLIC PEcIAL
Washington, May 16-Before tomorrow
night a woman will be arrested and charged
with the murder OF James Seymour Ayres.
the young Census Once clerk. who was
killed early yesterday morning in the Ken
more Hotel.
For twenty-four hours the entire detective
force. operating under Inspector Boardman,
has worked diligently o the case. and by
tomorrow. the police assert. the guilty
party will be under arrest, but they will
give no hint as to who is suspected. except
that It is a woman. The statement was
made that the woman implicated had been
q frequent visitor to Ayres's room at night
and lives in tho hotel.
Was . Popular Guest.
The Ayres murder presents one of the
in this city. Young. with a pleasing ap-
pearance and address, he soon became ex-
ceedingly popular with the many women
boarders. His position in the Census Once
made Il possible for him to keep up the
appearance OF "a hale fellow we'll met" not
only with the women boarders, but with
men as well.
The Kenmore Hotel. which is one Of the
Oldest landmarks In Washington. having
been built by George Washington when the
city wAS hrSt laid out, was full of people
when Ayres was killed. about 3 o'clock yes
terday morning. The rooms adjoining his
on both sides were occupied. and not only
the occupants Of these rooms, but many
Others In the house and neighboring houses
Wero aroused by the shots. Yet nc investt-
cation WA made.
Shooting Was Not Mentioned.
When the boarders assembled in the din-
ing-room ut breakfast in the morning, no
one spoke OF the occurrences of the night
before until Miss Minas, a Census Office
clerk, who had one Of the rooms adjoining
Ayres.. remarked to a colored waiter that
she wished he would go and see II Ayres
the waiter looked over the transom and saw
Ayres lying dead On the floor, having been
shot through the heart. He was also
wounded in the left arm and hip. The body
was clothed only in an undershirt.
The window Of tho room. which opened
on the fre escape. was wide open. A shot
gun and 2 revolver. both the property Of
Body. AeA' 'A'
Thsught Il Was . Burglar.
Miss Ninas explained that she was awak-
s s1ed s SSs1iR Rssas sae !. niS En-. By sr, EspG sos Ss,ss psn 'si
then moaning and piteous cries for about
hve minutes. She said she knew that some
burglars. and that one was lying in the
hall against her door. She was so excited
she failed to make an outcry. She explained
that she thought there was a man in the
hall and barred her door by placing chairs
against 1t. There II q door leading from her
room to that Of Ayres which 10 80 badly
warped that there are cracks half an inch
wide on either side. The partitions are so
thin In all parts Of the house that, a low
conversation In Une room can easily be
overheard in an adjoining one.
Another lodger at the Kenmore, who
rushed into the hall during the firing, and
asked what the matter was, was Informed
by a Woman's voice that there was no
trouble. The other roomere did not investi-
gate.
Saw Woman Leave Ayfes's ROOM.
Mr.. Baker OF the Fish Commission, who
lives next door, reported yesterday that i'm.
medfately after the shooting a woman lef,
Ayres'0 room and descended to the balcony
on the second floor by means of the fire
escape. disappearing in the parlor window
His story was corroborated to-day by VII.
liam Wolfe. who lives opposite, and, 1t.
tracted by the pistol shots, he saw q woman
going down the ladder.
Blood marks we're found IN the IRE e.
APE. on the balcony n on the wall II
tho back hall, near the stairway leadinl
from the third to the fourth floor. tn
police. after two days work, have reached
the conclusion that the murder was com.
United by Q woman. and they say they
have sufficient evidence to justify them II
making an arrest tomorrow.
Thu father OF young Ayres reached herr
tonight from his home in Grand Rapids
Mioh.. and will take the body home fol
burial after the inquest on Saturday.