Rensselaer Journal, Volume 10, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 May 1901 — WASHINGTON TRAGEDY. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WASHINGTON TRAGEDY.

The mystery surrounding the killing nf James S. Ayres, the government census clerk, in his room at the Kenmore Hotel In Washington on Mag IS, was cleared up last week by the confession of iars. Lola I. Bonin# that ah# wan the woman who was seen to leave the room by way of the fire escape after the shooting. She declares the shooting occurred in a struggle for possession of the revolver.

(Woman who confesses to having killed James S. Ayres at Washington.) The story she told to Major Sylvester, chief of police, as related by him. is as follows: “I knew Mr. Ayres rather well, but never had any relations with him other than those of a fellow-boarder. He made a confidant of me in many particulars, and, being older than ha, I felt justified in reproving,him about March 4 for drinking too much. Ha resented my interference to that extent and quarreled with me. From that time until the night of the shooting we scarcely spoke. W ‘l had retired on Tuesday night when a knock came to the door after 1 o’clock. I arose and found Mr. Ayres with an overcoat thrown about him. He told me that he had baen takes ill and had a chill. He asked me to get him medicine or do something for him. I invited him to step inside untl I could look for a box of bromo-laxa-tive tablets, but they were not to b# found. “He then said he was going back to his room, and besought me to follow him there, as he wished io have a talk that would explain our differences before he left the hotel for good the next day. I agreed to this, and put on some clothes, stockings, and a wrapper. “I reached Mr. Ayres’ room almost as soon as he did, and he drew me in and quickly locked the door behind him. "Ayres caught me, and then I discovered a pistol in his right hand. H# pointed the weapon at me and said ha would make me listen to him. In my fright I caught hold of the pistol with one hand over the other and in the

struggle between us for its possession it went off; how many times I don’t know. All I know is that I realized Mr. Ayres had been shot, because the blood ran down his arm and on to the pistol, covering my hands and his. “Then he fell over on me, and, being a foot and a half taller than I, bore me to the floor with his weight This fall saturated my wrapper with his blood, and, after crying for help, I stepped on to the fire escape and reached my room. There I washed my hands and blood stained wrapper and waited for the morning." The police learned that the woman had been receiving the attention of Ayres for months, and, knowing he was going away, went to his room and after a quarrel shot him. There is evidence that there was a struggle for the posse l ~i n of the pistol.

MRS. J. I. BONINE.

JAMES S. AYRES.