The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-04-18
.DESERTI0N,
DISMISSAL
--SUICIDE
SOLDIER SAC RIFIcES
/ CAREER AND LOSES HIS
SWEETHEART
SAYS He WENT TO
PRISON TO SAVE WOMAN
Letter Left By Victim Recalls
the Aver Case al West
Point Academy


from the United States army tol
avoid taking the witness stand
against a woman because he believed
his testimony would cause her i'm
prsonment
Dismissal by the father Of The girl
he loved because of his deserion.
Suicide because OF MS dismissal.
These are the main facts In tie
tragic life of II William Henrick
son of Anchor, H.. who committed
suicide in cheap room at the Man
haitian hotel, South State street and
Peck court,
Letter Explains Act
The story Of his life was made pub
lie in a letter he wrote 10 Henry Fri
day, wealthy farmer or Anchor
who is father Of the girl he loved
'rhe letter read:
When this reaches you my trou-
bles will be over. ! want to tell you
Why did this and | think that you
will understand left the army at
West Point, N ". because | re
fused TO go on the witness stand
agains woman. A deserter can
not go on the witness stand in the
army, so ! left
i knew all about the case Of Col
| Ayers wife at West Point military
academy, 190G-l907, and some of the
1 officers were aware Of the fact.
1 worked for the dentist next door to
| COL Ayers and saw it all. 1t was
the only way for me TO keep from
sending woman to prison went
] myself You asked ME once why
! deserted, and The above is the truth
Il loved Minnie for a long while,
but never said anything to her be
cause did not think it was right for
a military ex-conyict to bother a
good girl She asked me herself 10
take her to the dance and was
fool enough to think she cared fof
me The rest you know / hope
you can forgive me for he trouble
have caused YOU
Story of Aver Case
The Aver case llenrie.sen mem
toned in the letter as his cause for
deserving from the army was IN
celebrated affair in which the wife OF
an army officer was barred from the
West Point reservation fo"owing an
Easter Sunday "oyercoat episode
Y Mrs. Elizabeth Fairfax Aver. wife of
Lieutenant Colonel Charles c. Aver
and member Of a prominent Virginia
family, was the woman
On Easter sunday 1907, cadets at
West Point loaned their oyercoats 20
girl companions because the day was
chilly and Colonel Robert Lee Howe,
c0mmandant OF the army school, or
de ed sergeant to collect all the
coats, as leaning any part OF a uni
form is against army rules. Mrss
Aver made rhe incident the subject
of bitter criticism directed at Colonel
Howe and other officers at West
Point
Reported to Capital
Her attacks became so bitter thal
the matter was reported to The Wa,
department, and President Taft, then
secretary of war, ordered an invest-
cation The criticism of Airs. Ayers
was not The only matter aiken up by
he investigators Her personal con-
duct was investigated. As a result
she was expelled from West Point
She retaliated by filing suit against
officers at the point ami her husband
looN her part. charging persecution
by army officers.
Henrickson apparently believed his
testimony would have the most seri.
Gus results for Mrs. Ayers in bting-
ing on evidence not learned in the
investigation TO avoid this he de-
serted, for deserters are convicts and
cannot take the witness stand in any
army investigation or court martial.
A marked man because of his de-
sertion, he returned to his home and
fell in love with a young lady Miss
Minnie Friday His record was
known, hut he braved the displeasure
Of the girls father because he be-