The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1911-04-23

ly gave out a statement that plainly
elbows that the explanation" therein
attempted is highly unsatisfactory to
him. and that he has by no means re-
linquished his determination to get at all
the facts. .n ~ ..
May BE the scapegoat.
The Beers incident may furnish an ex-
PLANTATION for the retirement Of Capt.
Bowyer as superintendent Of the Acad-
emy, and the opinion is freely expressed
that he is to some extent the scapegoat
Of pernicious and un-American class
distinction that is steadily growing into
official recognition in army and navy
circles
Officers of the Navy Department en-
phatically deny that his approaching re-
lief from duty at the Academy is in any
way an outgrowth Of the affair. Capt.
Bowyer is in bad health. and his with
drawal from the Academy is explained on
the ground that his physical condition is
such that he will be unable to continue
the arduous duties of superintendent of
the Academy without endangering his
life. At the same time. however, there
is no question but that there is some
connection between the two circum-
stances.
Prof Beers Is an intimate friend OF
President Taft, and il is understood that
the President has been particularly en-
barrassed by the Insult to Miss Beers.
Capt. Bowyer will remain at Annapolis
until his successor has been selected. He
has been superintendent of the Academy
since June 2, 1909. He is a native of
Indiana, but was appointed to the service
on September 30, 1870 from Iowa. He
formerly commanded the battle ship Illi-
nOis. of the Atlantic feet.
According TO the investigation made by
the Navy Department, Miss Beers was
employed as a companion to the wife of
Lieut. Commander William T. Tarrant.
who is engineer officer of the battle ship
Michigan. of the Atlantic fleet. She was
invited 10 one OF the Naval Academy
hops several weeks ago by a midship-
man, whose name has not been disclosed
by the department. She attended the
dance. and shortly afterward left An
napols for her home in New Haven. At
the time of her departure she knew moth
ing of the incident in which she figured.
Nothing was said to her while she was
at the Academ,- which would indicate
that her presence at the dances was not
desired.
Thought Her n Domestic.
suggested to the midshipman. on the
supposition that Miss Beers was a do
mestic, that she should not have been
invited by the midshipman to the hop.
The midshipman. according to the report
received at the department replied that
he disagreed personally with the view of
his superiors at the Academy. There
was, however. nothing that he could do
in the circumstances. The inquiry de-
veloped that Capt. Bowyer was respon-
sible for the suggestion that Miss Beers
was not a desirable guest at Academy
social events. Miss Beers returned to
her home in New Haven without knowl-
edge of the rumpus that had been stirred
up in Annapolis. In some way that is
not known to the department members of
her family learned of the incident and
to the Navy Department.
Then Representative Korbly, who had
learned of the occurrence from the news
paper reports, called official attention to
the case, and asked the department for
information on the subject. which, so
far as has been supplied, is far from be-
ing satisfactory to him.
Representative Korbly entertains very
decided views on the dignity of labor.
the respectability of all honorable call
ings, and is strong in his denunciatiOn
OF class distinction by any one. especially
by official representatives of the republic.
Apology Not Received.
New Haven, April 22-Prof. Henry A.
Beers of Yale University had not re-
ceIved up to a late hour tonight any
letter of apology from the superintendent
Of the Annapolis Academy for an insult to
his daughter at Annapolis. Miss Beers
was not in the city. Prof. Beers said
that no apology as far as he knew had
been received by his daughter. He de-
clined to make any statement about the
matter. declaring that the whole affair
ar,r,nH.ir,rr q him