New-York tribune., 1907-06-08
STIRRED BY YAYRES CASE
Department Surprised at Action of
Lieutenant ColonePs Wife.
[From The Tribune Bureau !


Washington, June THE Ayres family has prob
ably complicated its case before the War
department and in the army beyond any hope OF
! Dehg Strengthened out The announcement that
Mrs Ayres. wife of Lieutenant Colonel Charles G.
Ayres, T. S. A, intends to sue for damages in the
| amount Of 100000 Colonel H. l. Scott superin-
'ehdent or the Military Academy; Lieutenant Colo
mel X /" Howe. commandant of cadets; Captain
| j. w Oliver assistant instructor of tactics and
Lieutenant Colonel S. c. Mills inspector general.
Is received with surprise and disapproval by the
| War Department
Mrs, Ayres has been much in the newspapers of
| late while her husband has engaged official at
'ehuon Tor his arbitrary disciplinary methods
toward subordinate officers of his cavalry regiment.
III y AyFeS sent complaints to the President
against the officers at West Point for alleged
prejudice shown against her son. The situation
reached climax in the overcoat incident at West
Folnt on Easter Sunday. when Colonel Howe
uereu .he return to the authorities of cadet over
coats lent to girl visitors by the young men to
whom they We're issued. There was an investiga-
uon by Colonel S. c. Mills and it is as a result of
MS recommendations that Mrs. Ayres now pur-
poses to make that officer party her suit for
damages
The War Department has communicated to
Colonel Ayres the fact that it is desirable that
Mrs Ayres keep away from the Military Academy
While her son IS connected with the corps of
diets. There can be doubt OF the meaning of the
message and Colonel Ayres will be held responsible
for further disturbances created by his wife.
The newspapers to-day contain interviews with
Colonel Ayres. his wife his daughter. in which
they all intimate (Mrs. Ayres more specifically than
her husband) that there IS jealousy in the army
against Colonel Ayres, and that the at West
Point has been made the object of this animosity.
1t is also alleged that the fact that Colonel Ayres
is not West Pointer has added TO the prejudice
against the famly-an assertion which is declared
too ridiculous for denial.
In view of what has been communicated in
official way to Colonel Ayres to-day. his state
ments in the paper added to Mrs. Ayres's determi-
nation 10 four prominent army officers.
regarded as placing him in an embarrassing posi-
ton He has laid himself open to the exercise Of
departmental discipline in failing to suppress
agitation on the part OF members of his family
after the War Department had determined TO the
satisfaction of the Secretary OF War that there
occasion for making charges against
Colonel Scott his associates at West Point, or
the inspector general who conducted the investga-
ton No IN recent years has interested army
people more than this Of the Ayres family
Highland Fails n " June After reading
communication from the War Department, Lieu
tenant Colonel Charles G. Ayres tonight declared
that he would support his wife in the action she
has instructed her attorney to institute against
Superintendent Scott and other officers Of the West
Point Military Academy.
Colonel Ayres returned this evening from Ne"
York and found the letter from Washington await
ing him. While declining to discuss it's contents
he intimated that they touched upon the course
adopted by Mrs Ares He made II plain that ne
felt deeply the episode. ana ADDED ihat Ae
purposed to his wife through TO the fnlSll :,
Colonel Ayres said that he would not make pubH1
the letter from the War Department unth he hai
hands it would be placed tomorrow
West Point. y. y, June I'm the absence Of her
husband who had gone 10 New York for the day
Mrs Elizabeth Fairfax Ayres declined to-day to
discuss the details the suit for damages winch
It is reported she is to bring against several OF
the high officers at the United States Military
Academy Mrs Ayres said the case now is in the
hands of New York lawyer, and that the ioFilaI
uapers in the suit soon viii be served.
Should the case ever come to trial, as no" seeIuS
likely In view of Mrs. Ayress apparent dttetiiilHd-
ton 10 press suit, Il is believed that some l
esting sidelights will be thrown on the socal Hlo
at the academy. Under ordinary CircuihSLIdI,
any tanding in which the oIncerS OF tIS
would be thrashed out before court martial ana
the testimony never would be published- IN lIlS
case however. appeal is to be made 10 the Glvl
courts and any testimony probably VIII ne given
in public Mrs. Ayres lives Just outside the feser
yation in Highland Falls, and under recent ordcT
issued upon request Of the academy onlclalS, Is
denied the privilege OF visiting the academy
grounds The order Of prohibition. which Is said
10 have a large place in Mrs Ayress Complaint IN
support of her suit for damages. does not Apply
IN her husband. 0 to her SON VINO Is a CADET at
the academy. The order which was issued beIoI'
her husband had returned from the tour OF duty IN
the philippines followed long period Of msuh-
oficials The facts in the misundeTstan ndllG ar
disnuted and It Is believed that interesting teatl-
monv NAV he introduced by both sides II the case
trial.