The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1907-06-13
WEST POINT HEADS
SUED FOR ISLANDER.
Mrs. Elizabeth F. Ayres Brings Action
and Officer Husband Will Aid Her
Says Son Was Prosecuted

WEST POINT, n. Y, June S.--Licut.-
Col. Charles G. Ayrcs today came to the
support of his wife, Mrs Elizabeth f.
Ayres of Virginia, in her action for $780,,
600 damages against the commanding
officers of the military academy. Lieut.
Col. Ayres declared today that the charge
that the influence of women at West
Point is detrimental to the cadets or
academy, is due to jealousy, and that
the criticism of Mrs. Ayres is a tissue of
talsehood by officers OF the army anxious
to hurt Mrs, Ayres.
Calls Military Trials Farces.
He added that to attempt to settle the
matter by appeal 20 military court
would be suicidal, as his experience has
convinced him that military invcSuga-
tons are Il farce and have been used for
years as means to destroy an officers
record.
In the course OF his statement Lieut..
Col. Ayres alluded to the action taken
by the secretary of war rs the result of
the conflict between Mrs. Ayrc5 and the
officers of the academy, which action, he
said, excluded Mrs. AyIcs from the acad-
envy.
In making his statement Licut.-Col.
Ayrcs said he deeply regretted the pres
ent situation, as he is greatly attached
to the academy.
Says Son Was Prosecuted.
As to the treatment OF his son, Henry
S. Ayrcs, a cadet at the academy, by
the commanding officers, he said that
Mrs. Ayres was first told more than Il
year ago by officers and cadets chat her
son was being singled ont for pcrsecu-
ton. The son, he said, has never men
toned this subject to his parents, but
had accepted his punishment. Other ca
diets were not punished as he had been
for the same ohcnSc. The boy, he
said, had already been recommended
three times to be given medal for saw
ing lives, and one Of his instructors had
informed Lieut.-Col. Ayrcs of his sons
gallantry and cahnncss.
Taft Cause of Suit.
Lieut. Col. Ayrcs declared that his wife
appealed to the authorities Tor protection
aud tried in the absence of her husband
to defend herself as any hlgh-spirited
woman might The result was, he said,
Il CoWardiy attack upon her and her
husband, the result OF years of malice.
The attack, he said, was first made upon
Mrs. Ayres and was given to the news
papers by those i'll authority at West
pOInt.
The upshot of Mrs. Ayrcs' appeal to
the authorities for protection, he added,
was the action of the secretary of war IN
excluding Mrs. AyrcS from the academy.
Wood Warned Ayres.
As to the reason of taking the mnttcr
h,, ,i,sI Of ..,.tr
court, Licut-Col. Ayrcs declared that II
major-g general told him fifteen years ago
never to appeal to any kind of a mil
tary tribunal, for he might rs we'll be
tried by CroCOdilcS. Iirtu-Coi Ayrus
said he had been warned repeatedly to he
careful rs an effort was to be made to
force him out of the army, and that
Gen. Leonard Wood was one of those
who had warned him. He declared that
this luminosity arose from his friendship
with Gen. Wood, whose firing line he
commanded ut Santiago. The lieutenant
colonel said he was one of the few men
who congratulated Wood when he WAS
made Il brigadicr general.
Sander Charges Filed.
The action of the secretary of war, he
added, was taken on the report of In
spcctor General Stephen s. Mills, who
was sent to the academy to investigate
the charges and counter-chnrgcs growing
out of the case. \ military court, Lieut.
Cob Ayres said would be composed of
such officers that the result would plain
ly be what is called a brace game"
The officer declared that Col Mills
will be compelled to answer to suit
for malicious SANDER and compelled to
prove his statements.
Lieut-Col. Ayres said he would support
his WfeS suit,