The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-25
COL. AYRES ON RETIRED LIST
ORDER ISSUED BY DIRECTION or
THE PRESIDENT.

His Record That Of . Brave Omcer -Onco
Commended by Roosevelt. wh0 Saw
Bis Calamity on the reld-Oftcn In
Trouble with His Brother O6hcers.
WASHINGTON, July 24.-By direction OF
the President a formal order was issued by
the War Department to-day placing Lieut.
Col. Charles @. Ayres. Fourteenth Cavalry,
on tho retired list from this date. on the
finding OF the retiring board which recently
examined him that he In incapacitated
for active duty on account Of disability
incident to the service. This step prao-
tioally ends ME- Ayres case. As the action
10 final.
The record OF Col. Ayres 10 that Of q brave
officer at all times, but tactless In 90 FAR
a. his associations with his fellow officers
are concerned. With them he has been
extremely unpopular. He has been tried
by oourt-martial several times and once
he was sentenced to dismissal from the
army, but President Cleveland came to
his rescue in reviewing his case and saved
him from that Disgrace. He served with
distinction In the Cuban campaign and
when he came up for promotion was strongly
recommended by President Roosevelt. then
Governor OF New York. who had had occa-
sion TO observe his ~gallantry on b field. At
that time Gov. Roosevelt wrote Of Ayres:
IF / had a regiment it would give me
the greatest pleasure to serve in a brigade
under Capt. Ayres. for 1 know he. would
take care of US and fight us to the end
On several occasions That letter has been
brought to the attention OF the President
when Ayres was in trouble with the depart
ment.
Several months ago Col. Ayres. while
serving with the Eighth Cavalry at Camp
Wallace, in the Philippines. had a disagree
able controversy with the officers OF his
regiment and preferred various charges
against them. In some instances these
charges were dismissed absolutely and In
one or two cases where there were trials
by courts-msrtial the accused was promptly
acquitted.
Iyres. who was then Major, was pro-
noted to Lieutenant-Colon ordered home
and transferred to the Sixteenth Cavalry.
Shortly following this Mrs. Ayres. who
had been living on the West Point Reserva-
ton, became involved in q controversy
with the officers there growing out OF the
so-called overcoat incident. Col. Howe.
~commandant OF cadets. preferred charges
against some Of the embryo officers at the
Academy because they had allows young
women TO wear their overcoats one cold
day while they were Witnessing a dress
parade. Mrs. Ayres criticised Col. How're
and several other officers severely and 10
alleged to nave written he War Depart
ment and to individuals roundly denounc-
ing the West Point officials.
On his return home Col. Ayres took a
position in defence OF his wife n was
quoted In a newspaper interview which re-
Aected upon the military authorities. The
War Department asked him for al eE-
PLANTATION. but he declined to give il. He
would neither sfirm nor deny that he a
made the statements attributed 20 him.
The department thereupon found itself
in an ugly position. as 1t did not wish to
order him before a court martial. A solu-
ton was found in a decision to nave him
ordered before a medical board for ex-
animation for retirement. The court was
convened in New York on the 18th Of this
month. Col. Ayres protested that he was
in good health and objected to retirement,
but the board found that he wal suffering
from a disease which would shorten his
life IL he remained in the service.