The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-06-11
TAFT TO Be SUED
BY COLONEL s WIFE.
SECRETARY or WARS LETTER
TO MRS. AYREs DRAWS HIM
INTO THE SCANDAL.
BAR FROM RESERVATION
At West Point Where Son Is a Student
Makes Her Practically Isolated
From Outside World--May See
Him Only When III.

\ west SOlHl N. T., June lott wa
4 announced today that Mrs. Elizabetl
! Fairfax Ayres plans to sue William
H. Taft, secretary or war, for dam
ages because Of letter of instruction,
that the secretary sent to her hus
band, Colonel Chr4les G. Ayres, Four
lteenth Cavalry u. S. A., forbiddine
his wife to go on the West Point reser
i yation. Mrs. Ayres, who terms the
letter insulting and despicable," has
turned 1t over to Mann Trice, her at.
| torney, and the course to be pursued
Twin depend upon Mr. Trice's advice.
Colonel Ayres, who has just return
ed from the Philippines, and who is In
the East on furlough, received the sec
reiary's order few days ago. Al
though neither he nor Mrs. Ayres win
imake the text public. its purport Is
well understood at West Point. It
states that Mrs. AYres is not to be
permitted to visit the reservation
while her son, Cadet Fairfax Ayres. is
at the academy, and retains good
health. Should Cadet Ayres become
seriously nicapacitated however Gen
eral Ainsworth, the Military Secretary,
may grant her permission to visit her
son in his sick room.
Colonel and Mrs. Ayres are living at
the West End Hotel i'll Highland Falls
few hundred yards from the limits
of the academy reservation
Accuses the Officers
Mrs. Ayres refused t make further
comment on what she has termed the
"scandalous treatment to which she
has been subjected by certain officers
stationed at The. Military .Acaremy.
She has threatened to sue Lieutenant
Colonel Robert Il. Howsze, command
ant Of cadets; Hugh l.. Scott, superin-
tendent Of the academy; Lieutenant
Colonel Stephen G. Mills, formerly of
the Inspector Generals Department.
and Captain L. S. Oliver for damages
about 100000.
The order from Secretary Taft up.
holding The academy officials and for
bidding Mrs. Ayres to go upon the
reservation was expected by the off
GERS stationed there. Before the order
was communicated to Colonel Ayres
Colonel Scott and Colonel Howsze had |
authority from Washington til
prevent the recurrence of such I'M
pleasant encounters as Colonel |
Howsze and Captain Oliver are said to |
have had with Mrs. Ayres The Incl |
tents with Mrs. Ayres were made the |
oasis of the official report to the Mil |
tary Secretary, which resulted in |
Mrs. Ayres determination to sue the
;fficers concerned.
West Point is thoroughly stirred |
'ver the incident. Now that the sec
etary Of War has been brought in as
me of the parties the interest has
'een intensified. Should the president
write an approval of what his secre.
airy has done he may even be drawn
n.
A Rigorous Order.
Under the order Mrs. Ayres cannot
ONE TO West Point even to take
rain. She must depend upon the
tito station at Highland Falls. where
rains do not stop so often as they do
{ West Point She cannot take
lew York train at Garrisons. just !,
cross the river, because the ferry that ,
onects Garrisons with the west shore :
he river rms only to the West
oint landing.
As the order was directed to Colonel
yres. it is practically impossible for
rs. Ayres to attempt to defy it. since :,
} do that would place her husband
the position of violating instructions
his superiors. Her friends are cen
lent that she will not do anything
at will embarrass her husband I'm
~ way.
The stories published in the New .
ork papers toby, lin which Col
el Ayres is reported TO have made
e statement that he had been warn
that bis friendship for Major Cen
al Leonard Wood would cost him
5 commission. were denied by Col
ell Ayres. He also denied having
ide other statements in reference 10
: wife's troubl thai an attempt to
tie the mater by appealing to a
litary court would be suicidal as his :
perience has convinced him that mil
~ Investigations are a farce and
We been used for y ars as a means
destroy an officers's record