The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-25
Navy Yard EmpIoye Who Wrote a His
tory in Which He Called SchIey
Coward, CaitiR and PoItrOon.
HE DECLINED TO RESIGN
AND PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT EXER-
CISED HIS PREROGATIVE.
Admiral Barker Directed Through
Secretary Long to Notify Mac
lay of His Dismissal.

WASHINGTON. Dec. 24.-Secretary Long
has discharged Edgar Stanton Maclay from
his position as a skilled laborer in the
Brooklyn navy yard, Mr.. Maclay having
refused to resign when requested to do so.
Mr.. Maclay is author of a naval history,
and in its last volume sharply criticised
Admiral Schley and denounced him a
caitiff, poltroon and coward.
Secretary Longs action was taken by
direction of the President, and followed a
conference between the President and the
secretary, who took to the White House
with him letter from Maclay in response
to the request for his resignatio sent by
the secretary last Saturday. In this letter
Maclay submitted that he could not be re-
moved or compelled to resign without def
mite charges being made against him and
without having an opportunity to answer
those charges. Although the civil-servce
rules give employees of the public service the
opportunity of answering charges that may
be preferred against them. the President
exercised his prerogatives in the present in
stance and directed Macay'S removal il
being held that the latter was aware un-
officially, If not officially, of the
reasons which actuated the execu-
tive in taking the course determined
upon. Secretary Long said the action taken
to-day would dispose of the case finally.
Mr. Maclay's letter to Secretary Long, re-
plying to the request for his resignation.
is dated Navy Yard, New York, office of
the general storekeeper, Dec. g." and ad-
dressed to Rear Admiral Albert S. Barker,
u. S. N, commandant navy yard, New
York. 1t follows:
'Sir-I have the honor of Acknowledge
the receipt OF your communication of this
date in which you forward the following
communication of this date from the hon
orable secretary of the navy: L am directed
| by the President to ask Edgar S. Maclay,
| special laborer general store keepers Of
| flee, navy yard, New York, to send in his
resignation
Il respectfully submit that I was reg
| ularly appointed to my present position
| after having duly passed a clerks examina-
| tion in accordance with all the require
| mentS of the civil-service regulations, and
| therefore cannot be removed or be COM
| PEELED TO resign without definite charges
| being made against me and without having
| have been in this office fifteen months,
| have been promoted for efficiency and, so
| far as L know, my work has been salts
| factory to my Superiors. / have violated
no rules or regulations of this office or Of
| the navy yard, far / am aware. Such
| being the case, / feel that ii would not only
| be an injustice to myself to resign under
such circumstances, but il would be estab-
| fishing a precedent that vitally concerns
| thousands of civii-service employees both
| national and State.
| Secretary Longs dispatch to Rear Ad-
| miral Barker directing Maclays removal
was as follows: by direction of President,
! Edgar S Maclay is discharged. Notify
/ him