The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-12-25
Edgar Saunton MaCIay Who De-
nounCed Admiral SchIey as a
Catiff and Coward, Has Lost
His Position
HAD FIRST BEEN
ASKED TO RESIGN
He Refused to Do SO Claiming He
Was Entitled to a Hearing but
the President Exercised His
Prerogative and SummariIy
Dismissed Him

Washington, Dec, 24.-Secretary Long
has discharged Edgar Staunton Maclay
from his position as a skilled laborer
in the Brooklyn navy yard, Mr.. Maclay
having refused to resign when re-
auested to do so.
Mr. Maclay is author of naval his
tory, and in its last volume sharply
criticized Admiral Schley and de-
nounced him as a caitiff and coward.
Secretary Longs action was taken
by direction of the President, and after
a conference between the President and
the Secretary, who took to the White
House with him a letter from Maclay
in response to the request for his
resignation sent by the secretary last
Saturday.
In this letter Maclay submitted that
he could not be removed or be COM
PEELED to resign without definite
charges being made against him and
without having an opportunity to an
swer those charges.
Although the civil service rules gives
employees of the public service the OPP
portunity of answering charges that
may be preferred against them, the
President exercised his perogative In
the present instance, and requested
Maclay's removal, it being held that
the latter was aware, unOfficially, If
not officially, of the reasons which act
uated the executive in taking tine
course determined upon.
Secretary Long said that action taken
today would dispose of the case finally.
Mr.. Maclay's letter to secretary Long,
replying to the request for his resigna-
ton is as follows
"NaVy Yard New York.
"Ofice of the General Storekeeper.
R"Dec. 20, 1901.
Rear Admiral Albert S. Barker,
u. S. N, Commandant Navy
Yard, New York:
Sir have the honor of &c
knowledging the receipt of your
communication of this date, in
which you forwarded the folio wing
communication of this daIe from
| the honorable secretary of the navy:
Il am directed by the Presi-
dent to ask Edgar S. Maclay,
special labOrer, general store
keeperss office, Navy Yard New
York, to send in his resigna-
ton"
II respectfully submit that 1 was
regularly appointed to my present
position after having passed
clerks examination in connection
civil service regulations, and there
fore, cannot be removed or be com
PEELED to resign without definite
charges being made against me and
without having an opportunity to
answer those charges. I have been
in this office Is months, have been
promoted for efficiency and, so far
as I know, my work has been salts
factory to my superiOrs. I have
violated no rules or regulations of
this office or of the navy yard, SO
far as l am aware.
such being the case, I feel that
it would not only be an injustice to
myself to resign under such cir
cumstances, but it would be estab-
fishing a precedent that vitality CON
Germs thousands of civil service
employees, both national and state.
Every respectfully yours,
EDGAR S. MACLAY."
Secretary Longs dispatch to Rear
Admiral Barker, directing Maclay's
removal, was as follows:
washington Dec. "a, 1901.
Rear Admiral A. S. Barker, u. S.
N, Commandant Navy Yard,
New York:
by direction Of the President,
Edgar S. Maclay is discharged.
Notify him. LONG"