New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-07-11
4YRES MAY. BE RETIRED.
Lieutenant Colonel Ordered Before
Board for Examination.

Washington July 1O.-By direction OF tho PTesi-
dent Lieutenant Colonel Charles G. AyFes, 14th
Cavalry. has been ordered before retiring board
at the Army Building New York City. on July II
next. The following officers have been detailed to
the board: Brigadier General John NJ X Davis.
Colonel Charles \. P. Hatfield. 18th Cavalry; Lieu
tenant Colonel William P. Evans. 18th Infantry
Major Guy L. Edie. surgeon: Captain Sanford n
Wadhams, assistant surgeon. and captain WLuaIn
T. Johnston. recorder. This board will make a
thorough examination OF Lieutenant Colonel Ayres.
physically and mentally with view ascertain
ing whether he Is incapacitated for duty.
The cause for the order, IL Is understood. was
the publication recently OF an interview with Colo
mel Ayers. in which he Is alleged TO have crttf-
cised army methods IN discussing ths trouble De-
tween Mrs. Ayers and the military authorities at
West Point. The retiring board is ordered IN &C
cordance with Section 126 Revised Statutes. which
reads: 1.-THE Secretary OF War. under the direction
OF the President. shall from time 10 time assemble
an army retiring board consisting OF not more than
nine nor less than five officers. twO-hfths OF whom
shall be selected from the medical corps The
board. excepting the officers selected from the
medical corps. shall be composed. as far as may
be- OF seniors IN rank to the officer whose disability
Is inquired OF"
has served forty-Ave years as commissioned Off
Ger is sixty-twO years old may be retired from
active service at the discretion OF the President
The board may inquire into and determine the
facts touching the nature and occasion or the DIS
ability OF any officer who appears to be incapable
OF performing the duties OF his Office and deter
mine whether not his incapacity IS an incident
10 the service in which case he may be placed on
the retired list Otherwise the Ofcer may De Wtoiiy
retired which. OF course. carries with 1t j COM
piete loss OF retired pay.
Colonel Ayers received his commission as a sec
ond lieutenant Of the 18th Infantry October 81.
1874 and has consequently been more than thirty
- ,ao-a IN rba commissioned service, but not
forty-ttve years SO Il he IS retired It must
be on account OF disability physically or mentally
marking him being incapable or performing the
duties OF his office
action OF the War Department In ordering Lieu
tenant Colonel Ayres before a board for exanina-
ton read more like a comic opera than lrs1ls-
cript OF actual occurrences
The trouble seems to have had its origin when
Mrs Ayres complained to the President that her
son Fairfax Ayres q cadet at West Point. had
been unfairly punished and Disseminated against
nv fine AUTHORITIES OF the Military Academy. Mrs
Ayres is reported TO have said that this alleged
III treatment OF the son arose from jealousy or ina
father.
apparently taken by Mrs. Ayres directly aimed
at her In reprfsal for her ventur1ng to crttcise
the officers in charge at West Point Lieutenant
Colonel How're. the conmandant or cadets last
Easter enforced order that cadets should not
lend any portion OF their uniforms to civilians
The civilians IN question were several women, 20
whom cadets had lent their Overcoats to protect
them from the raw and chilly wind that blew up
at parade sergeant was sent around to gather
up the coats. and against this action Mrs. Ayres
entered vigorous protest, both personally to the
commandant and In a letter 10 the PreSi-
dent She also complained TO Captain Oliver,
assistant instructor in tactics. in terms to which
he objected. IN letter TO the adjutant general as
tending to impair the discipline OF the academy
If allowed TO pass unnOticed-
Captain divers letter went through the regular
channels receiving the hearty Endorsements OF his
superior officers with the result that the Secretary
War to Colonel Ayres. requesting him to
prevent his wife from trespassins on the West
Point Reservation long as their son should be
a cadet the academy.
Mrs Ayres then gave notice that she intended
the officers who were responsible for her
exclusion from the grounds for 100000 damages
The climax capped when according to
morning newspaper yesterday, Mrs Ayres. desiring
visit her dressmaker IN New York sarcastically
telegraphed from Highland Falls TO the adjutant
general OF the United States for permission to
received il.
Lieutenant Colonel Ayres has consistently
tanned his wife In all her actions, and several In
terviews have been printed that represented him
as rejecting some Of his superior officers and
army methods generally When he was called
upon to confirm deny the accuracy OF the inter-
views he respectfully declined to do So