Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-14
AN OFFICERS SUICIDE
SECOND LIEUT.. SUTTON KILLS
HIMSELF AT ANNAPOLIS.

! ANNAPOLIS Md, October 14.-Second
Lieut.. James Nuttle Sutton, U. 8. NJ. c.,
stationed at the school Of application at
tached to the Naval Academy and whose
nome was Portland. Ore. committed sui
clde by shooting himself a 30 yesterday
morning. The top of his head was almost
blown OF. He died at the Naval Hospital
within twenty minutes after the shooting
sutton was returning from a hop at the
Naval Academy with several young Of
flcers, classmates of his at the school of
application, when the shooting occurred
In an effort to disaum Sutton, Lieut.. r.
T.. Adams was shot In the finger. and
Lieut.. Edward p Rocker received
slight wound in the breast during the
scume 1t was at first thought that Lieut..
rocker had been shot, and it was re-
ported that he was seriously injured.
however. this was authoritativelY denied
at the marine barracks yesterday morn
ing.
Ihere are reports around Annapolis that
sutton made an attack upon one or more
OF his brother officers, but this could not
De absolutely confirmed, as the board of
inquest which sat in the case will make
It's report to the Navy Department, and
its members are sworn to secrecy. All
the witnesses of the occurrence were
called before it and It is the custom to
caution them to make no statement in re-
gard to the matter. However, Col.
Charles A. Doyen, commanding officer of
the barracks and School of Application,
stated freely the facts as he had procured
them from those who participated in the
affair.
Returning From a Dance.
All three of the young officers, with
others, had attended the hop at the Naval
Academy Saturday night and had not come
Immediately to their quarters. They
crossed the wooden bridge, known as the
Government Farm bridge, across College
creek. connecting the Naval Academy with
the Old government farm. where the bar
RACKS and camp are now situated, and
arrived opposite the camp in which all
the officers had their quarters. AS the
party arrived at q point on the road op-
posite the camp, Lieut.. Sutton pulled out
a pistol and attempted to shoot himself.
Lieuts. Adams and Rocker took the
weapon away from Sutton During the
scuffle the revolver was discharged. and 1t
was at this time that Adams and Rocker
were injured.
drew another revolver and shot himself.
Sutton, it was thought. was not in his
right mind. He was Of a morose dspo-
sition and was not very friendly with his
brother officers. He remained much to
himself. 1t is also said of him that he
was very sensitive and inclined to take
umbrage about matters that most persons
would pass over.
Had Been Admonished for Infrac-
lions.
He had been admonshed for minor in
fractions of discipline while at the School
Of Application, but had not been in any
serious trouble. Reports some weeks ago
connected the dead officer and Lieut..
Adams with some trouble, but they were
denied by the authorities.
Lieut. Sutton was formerly a midship-
man at the Naval Academy and was In
the class which entered the Naval Acad-
envy in the spring of 1904. Sutton was
twenty-five years old. He was the son of
J. N. Sutton of Portland, Ore. He re-
signed from the Naval Academy after
having been found deficient in some of
his studies.
The matter was promptly reported by
Col Doyen to Capt. Charles j. Badger,
superintendent of the Naval Academy.
who appointed a board of inquest, with
Commander John A. Hoogewerff as its
senior member. The board met at II
o'clock yesterday and gave the whole
matter thorough investigation. The re-
port Of the board will be forwarded at
once to the Navy Department. Sutton
parents have been informed and the dis
position Of his body will await word from
them.