The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-04-23
TO APOLOGIZE TO MISS BEERS
FOR AFFRONT GROWING OUT
or NAVAL ACADEMY DANCE.
Capt. Bowyer. the Academy suDerintend.
ent. to Make Amends to Prof. Beers
and His aughter-Result Of the In'
vestigation Ordered BY the President.

WASHINGTON. April 22.-Capt. John NJ
Bowyer. superintendent Of the Naval
Academy at Annapolis. will formally
apologize to Prof. Henry A. Beers OF
Yale University and Miss Katherine
Beers. his daughter. for the recent anront
offered to her at Annapolis.
BY direction Of President Taft Secre-
tary of the Navy Meyer has made COM
plete investigation Of the affair. President
Taft is particularly interested in the
case because Of the fact that he studied
under Prof Beers at Yale many years
ago. Capt. Bowyer voluntarily offered
to make an apology IL the Department
thought such action desirable. Secretary
Meyer thought that an injustice had been
done to Prof Beers and his daughter and
it is understood suggested that Capt.
Bowyer apologize for the incident.
According to the investigation made
by the Navy Department Miss Beers was
employed ss a companion to the wife OF
Lieutenant Commander William T. Tar
rant. who is engineer oficer Of the battle
ship Michigan of the Atlantic fleet. She
was invited to one of the Naval Academy
hops" several weeks ago by midship.
man whose name has not been disclosed
by the Department. She attended the
dance and shortly afterward left An
napolis 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 academy which would indicate that
her presence at the dances was not de-
| sired.
One Of the officers on duty at Annapolis
suggested to the midshipmsn on the sup
position that Miss Beers was q domestic
that she should not have been invited
by him to the hop. The midshipman.
according to the report received at the
Department. replied that he disagreed
personally with the view Of his sllperiors
at the academy. There was. however.
nothing that he could do under the cir
cumstances. The inquiry developed that
Capt. Bowyer was responsible for the
suggestion that Miss Beers was not de-
sirable guest at academy social events.
Miss Beers's family learned Of the
incident and complained to the Navy
Department. Representative Korbly OF
Indiana. who read Of the affair in the
newspapers. also wrote letter to Secre-
tary Meyer protesting against the alleged
snobbery At the academy
The Beers incident may furnish al
explanation for the retiremsnt Of Capt
Bowyer as superintendent Of the academy
Officer Of the Navy Department deny
that his approaching relief from duty
at the academy is in any way an out
growth Of the affair. Capt. Bowyer
is in bad health. and his retirement ID
Explained on the grounds that his physica
condition is such that he will be unable
to continue the arduous duties as superin.
,tendent OF the academy without endanger.
ing his life. At the same time there il
little doubt that there is some connection
between the two circumstances.
Prof. Beers is an intimate friend o
President Taft. and it is understood thai
the President has been particularly EN-
barrassed by the aifront to Miss Beers.
Capt. Bowyer will remain at Annapolis
until his successor has been selected
He has been superintendent OF the AGA
DENY since June 2. 1909. He is Q native
OF Indiana but was appointed to tn,
service on September 80. 1870. from
Iowa. He formerly commanded tn
battleship Illinois OF the Atlantic fleet.