The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-10-15

NAVAL EFIGER
kills. HIMSELF
leRoTHER OFFICERS HURT TRY.
ING TO 5plsARM HlM--A TRAe
EoYs ATsANNoPoLls.
ANNAPOLIS, Nd. Oct. 1t .-seconl
Lieutenant James Nnttle Sutton, Uni.
ted States Marine Corps. stationed al
1.-THE school Of application attached 70
the Naval Academy. and whose home
was Portland. Ore, committed suicide
by shooting himself. The top OF his
head was almost blown OF. He died
at the Naval Hospital within 20 min.
utes after the shooting. Sutton was
returning from hop at the Naval
Academy with several young officers.
( Classmates OF his at the school OF
application, when the shooting &C:
Cured. In an effort to disarm SUIT.
ton. Lieut.. R. E. Adams was shot in
the finger, and Lieut.. Edward P. Roel-
ker received a slight wound in ths
breast during the scuffle. It was at
first thought that Lieutenant Rocker
had been shot. and # was reported
that he was seriously injured. How.
ever, this was authoritatively denied
at, the marine barracks this morning.
There are reports around Annapo.
lis that Sutton made an attack upon
one or more OF his brother officers,
but this could not. be absolutely con-
flrmed. as the board OF inquest, which
sat In the case. Will make Its report
to the Navy Department. and its mem.
bers are sworn to secrecy. All the
witnesses of the occurrence were
called before II, and 1t is the custom
to caution them to make no statement
| in regard to the matter. However,
Col. Chas. A. Doyen, commanding Off.
Ger Of the barracks and school OF an.
plicatigh. stated freely the facts as
he had procured them from those who
participated In the affair.
All three of the young officers, with
others. had attended the hop at The
Naval Academy last night and had not
come Immediately to their quarters.
They crossed the wooden bridge.
known as the Government Farm
Bridge. across College Creek. connect.
ing the Naval Academy with the old
government farm, where the barracks
and camp are now situated, and ar.
rived opposite the camp in which all
the officers had their quarters. As
the party arrived at a point on tho
road opposite the camp. Lieutenant
Sutton pulled out pistol and attempt.
ed to shoot himself. Lieutenants
Adams and Rocker took the weapon
away from Sutton. During the scus.
fle the revolver was discharged, and
1t was at this time that Adams and
Rocker were injured.
Sutton, who was thrown to tho
ground, drew another revolver and
shot himself. Sutton. 1t was thought.
was not In his right mind. He was
OF morose disposition and was not
very friendly with his brother on
GERS. He remained much to himself.
It Is also said OF him that he was very
sensitive and inclined to take UNI.
bragg about matters that most per.
sons would pass over. He had been
admonished for miner infractions OF
discipline while at the School Of Ar.
plicatlon. but had not been in any seri.
GUS trouble. Reports some weeks ago
connected the dead officer and Lieu.
tenent Adams with some trouble. but
they were denied by the authorities.
Lieutenant Sutton was formerly a
mldshipmen at the Naval Academy
and was in the class which entered the
Naval Academy in the spring OF 1901.
Sutton was % years old. He was
the son Of J. N. Sutton, Of Portland
Ore. He resigned from the Naval
Academy after having been found do.
ficlent In some Of his studies.
The matter was promptly reported
by Colonel Doyen to Capt. Charles j..
Badger, superintendent OF the Naval
Academy, who appointed board OF
Inquest. with Commander John A.
Hookewerff as Its senior member. Tho
board met. at II o'clock and gave the
whole matter thorough investIga.
ton. The report OF the board will be
forwarded at once to the Navy De.
partment. sutton's parents have been
Informed and the disposition OF his