The evening times., 1901-05-17
CLOSBTRD WITH THE POLICE
Miss Minas Being Questioned About
the Ayers Murder.
The Authorities Suspect Man and
Woman and Arrests Way Follow
the Inquest Tomorrow - Jurors
Summoned by the Coroner

The most mDOTtant incident in the Ken
more Hotel murder mystery of today, was
the presence at Police Headquarters of
Miss Mary Minas. the young woman who
occupied a room adjoining that Of James
Seymour Ayers. jr. during the night Of
the tragedy Miss AIinas was cIoseted
with Major Sylvester and Captain Board
man, the Chief of the Detective Force, for
over an hour
She arrived at Headquarters in company
with Detectives Weldon, Peck. and Mil
Ter, and after the interview with Major
Sylvester and Inspector Boardman. held
a consultation in the office of the Chief
of Police. Shortly after that she left the
place.
Miss AIiaas has secured leave of alb
sence from the Census Office, where she
is employed and it was understood there
that she hau teIephOned the police she
had Il statement she wished to make to
them concerning the murder. This was
denied by the police officials, who sur
round her visit with the utmost mystery
When Inspector Boardman denied that
/ Miss Minas had teIephoned Headquarters
/ rega riding the case he was asked if she
/ had been brought in by direction of the
police authorities. He said she had not
and stated that she only came there in
! order to be summoned to appear at the
! inquest tomorrow.
Despite this statement, It has been
/ learned from other sources that Miss Mi
mas conveyed to the police certain infor-
nation that will have a most important
bearing upon the investigation now under
way. Just what this information was the
police and all others who would be likely
| to know refuse to divuIge. At any event,
! it IS certain that another step has been
taken in the solution of the mystery, and
the chain OF evidence is slowly weaving
/ itself around q woman who lives in the
/ hotel
Last night 1t was thought that an ar
| rest would be made today, and It is still
/ probable, but it is generally understood
that nothing will be done until the Coro-
ner-s jury takes action tomorrow At
/ that time it is thought probably a man,
a. well as woman. viii be placed under
arrest The woman has been under sur
/ veiiIance since yesterday afternoon, and
! last night an officer was stationed near
| her room in such q position as would en-
able him to keep 4 constant watch on the
door, while the exterior of the house was
/ also closely watched.
/ Dr. Schaeffer has not yet completed his
analysis of the blood marks, which he is
carefully examining and testing He has.
: however. reached the conclusion that there
were two other persons il the room at the
tine Of the murder OF Ayers
! The entire Police Department is active
/ " engaged on the case. Last night Major
/ Sylvester visited a house in the vicinity
! of the Kenmore Hotel and directed the
/ work of his men There were frequent
/ consultations between him, Captain
/ Boardman, the Chief OF the Detective
! Bureau, Lieutenant Moore. and the vari-
/ Gus detectives, and officers were coming
and going ia every direction The interest
: in the case IS evidenced by the crowds
] that block the sidewalk and streets in
front of the hotel and gaze up at the
/ building from morning until late hours at
night. This morning the detectives were
busy carrying out the orders Of Coroner
| hewitt, who is preparing for the inquest
/ to be held tomorrow morning at Il o'clock
/ at No. Police Station. Everyone sup
/ posed to have any knowledge Of the case
VIII be summoned and the investigation
| viii be most thorough.
| District Attorney Gould viii be present
I to represent the interests Of the Govern
ment and VIII assist in examining the wit
Hesses. Coroner Nevitt has exerted
himself 10 the utmost to secure 4 Jury of
competent and representative men. and
/ with this in view has called upon those
wn0m he wished to serve and secured
/ their consent TO do so
! The following viii comprise the jury: ia
/ cob Karr. jeweler; Anthony Tysowski. Of
( TysOwski Bros; Frank p. Metzerott
/ former manager Of the Columbia Theatre:
/ George w Harvey. restaurant keeper; T
t a Rover grocer, and J. William Lee, un-
/ deEtaker.
After comfortable nights rest AT the
/ Kenmore Hotel, James Seymour Ayers
( ST, the father of the murdered man. arose
much refreshed this morning. He in
/ spected the room in which the crime was
committed and in response to an enquiry
! BY q Times reporter said:
The most remarkable feature of this
; case to my mind is the fact that so many
! persons heard the shots and the cries fer
I help and no one went to my sons assist
ance Port Austin. where We come from.
| is a little place Of only several thousand
[ inhabitants and Washington is a great
: city Of 200,1g0 people but no persons aP-
/ peal for nelp would have gone unheeded
| in my little town.
My boys habits had always been most
exemplary and he was a -.9se student
| He was born twenty-one years ago last
/ December. and IN all that time have al
/ ways held his confidence. Since he came
| to Washington / have had letter from
! him every week and the tone Of his epiS-
/ ties was always bright and encouraging
! lie had everything TO live for and the
| theory that he committed suicide cannot
/ be entertained. He was not a total alb
| staiuer from liquor, but I never knew him
/ to be under its influence. He attended
! school in his native town and graduated
/ from the Ypsiiauti Commercial College
/ Of YpsiIaEti, Mich, where he was noted
! for his athletic fedtS He made = kick
/ ing record Of five feet three and one-haIf
/ inches while there, and III wrestling
match with wrestler named Hubbard,
/ who weighed % pounds, he threw him
| 1t looks as though there might have
! been a woman in the case
| Since September he has been attending
/ the Dental College Of the Columbian Uni
I versity. and I had Just returned to him
/ the notification of his having passed his
/ examination with honors when 1 received
word Of his death The Investigation is
/ entirely in the hands Of the police I ex-
/ pect to return to Port Austin Monday
/ Mr. Ayers brother, Col. l.. r. AYERS of
! New York, arrived in Washington this
morning The two were together all dav
About II clock they visited the morglIe
I and again looked upon the features OF the
/ murdered son and nephew
/ James ByrneS, the most intimate local
! acquaintance OF the deceased. has charge
/ OF the funeral arrangements in this city
/ It has been decided that after the Cor0-
/ ner's jury has been Sworn over the body
/ tomorrow it will be turned over to the