Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-07-20
ADAMS EVIDENCE
NOT SATISFACTORY
Was Not Able TO Recall Much
About Details Of Shooting
OF Lieut.. Sutton.
SAW HIM DRAW REVOLVER
Lieut.. Ostcrnan Said Party Of Officers
Did Not Want Sutton
With Them.

Annapolis, Md, July 20. Tho secohn
day,s session of the naval court which
Is sitting to investigate the cause for
the death of Lieut.. James n sutton
Us. NJ. c. OF Portland, Or. who either
shot himself or was shot during quar-
rel with brother officers on the nlgnt
sof Oct IL, 1907, opened today with
Lieut.. Robert r. Adams. U. s. NJ. g,
still on the witness stand. 1t Is ex-
$pected that the other young officers
OF marines who were with Sutton on
tile night ne met his death. including
Lieuts. Bevin and Osterman, will fol-
low Lieut.. Adams on the witness stand.
today. Osternan had fight with suit
ton an hour before Adams met him and
he began blazing away at Adams with
two revolvers, according to Adams tes-'
| timony. Mrs. Sutton's lawyer began
10 question Adams today about an In
literview he had with sutton's sister.
Mrs. Hugh A. Parker, shortly after
young sutton's death. Mrs. Parker.
who is attending the hearing with her
mother had wanted to question all the
| Young officers who were supposed to
know something about her brothers
| death. She had asked Adams to grant
liher a talk alone and tell the truth
about the matter, accordingsto the tes-
| timony.
Mr. Davis. counsellor sutton's moth;
| err. wen t. over the scene OF the shooting
again With, Lieut,s3Adams and dwelt on
1.-the details of distances and time, IN
i an EFFORT to place the exact spot where
and the time at which Sutton was shot.
ADAMS MEMORY POOR.
5 The witness could onl " reinemb Der a p 4.
A 3proxir1ately these details, He said ne
4 was sure Sutton wore an o ercoat tara
Il did not remember NJ Sutton taking !,
1 Off any time previous to the first a +
A tercat ton between him and Sutton
u when they 81 DO TIL stri ed - the Waist
4 preparatnrysst fighting.
Il The lawyer read excerpt from .1,teu1
4 adams testimony at the first INQUIRY
4 and pointed out some of the discrepalnl'
Y {cfes.
The witness insisted hat Whe e. :, !,
"A the testimony seemed to vary tha at ms
81 answers at the present inquiry were
+ the correct ones.
III want you to state again if yot
a Lieut.. Sutton kill himself MT
"a Davis asked
.ftAs have said, Il saw Sutton dr r,
4 q. repolyerffrom under him IN ms rlRn11
hand like this Sllustrat -,g , ,ns .n ~
II tion) turn his head to the rlght any an.
iS Are i saw the fash jump about sly
4 inches the lieutenant replied.
e Mr. Davis pressed the question as Y
n Iwhather sutton fired the fatal sho
b with the large service revolver Or I'M
4 small one. !, 4,
. Tenant "but it was my idea that h
yahot himself with a small revolver
Mr. Davis called the witness atten
Z ton to his testimony OF yesterdaaS,.il
4 which he said quite positively that
was the small weapon.
81 a have told you half dozen TINE
!, this morning that did noe p l"sl 81
II identify the gum said the witness. ~
e didn't seem as IL it was as large as IN
IS service gum.
i THE witness said he was assigned 7
!. the gunboat Allen, which cruised U
IS and down the coast OF China short
!, after the Sutton affair. !.
~ Was Lieut.. sOsterman WITH sou o..
7 asked Mr.. Davis.
:. "IJe was not replied Adams. 81
: The witness said he had not see
Z Osterman for, some time until ne nt
; him at the present inquiry.
7 Mr.. Davis referred to a reported, y
: terVieW with Adams in q New = or
2 paper Of July {. in which Adams WE
$ quoted as saving that the Suttons wei
t irving to trump up murder chars
: against two who. we're innocent an
& asked the witness II he said anythlr
i, like that.
!. e MAJ. LEONARD OBJECTS.
7 Mai. Leonard. the Judge adyocat
u ohiected to this line OF question:
- on the ground that it was not pertin1e
y ..This witness knows what he
= charged with" said Mai. Leonard. y
:. knows there are no charges again
y him as far as the department Is Co
cerned.'
q !, Mr.. Davis. argued that II besides
/ tanning counsel Adams had made
r statement that he considered himse
L accused of murder, II had dlre
" bearing on his credibility as W.
i Commander Hood. presiding, rul,
Or that Adams did not have to ansW
l. the question.
ID Mr.. Davis questioned the witness
q regard to his interview with Nj
Parker. Sutton's sister, soon after 81
81 Ibid Mrs. Parker ask you at II,
,,areSa statement of the tru