Evening star., 1909-08-26
MRS. SUTTON AMAZED
Had Made Ready to Disinter
Sons Body.
CANT UNDERSTAND DELAY
Catholic Priest and Surgeons Were
on Hand.
DEPARTMENT KEEPS SILENT
Mother Of Dead Marine officer Ad-
mits She Has Asked for
an Explanation.
DEPARTMENT KEEPS SILENT

Mrs. Rosa 3. Sutton is still greatly
amazed to know why the disinterment of
the body of her son. which rests in Ar
lfngton cemetery, was suddenly postponed
by the War Department. Her efforts TO
get satisfactory reason from the quar-
termaster generals office for the unex-
pected change Of plan. she told a Star re-
porter today, have failed of results.
Il received the permission four days be-
fore the date set for the disinterment,"
said Mrs. Sutton. Tuesday night at :
o'clock | received word from the depart
ment that the arrangements had been
made for the following day. l had en-
gagged surgeon and a naval surgeon had
been appointed to be present. There was
never any talk of an army surgeon.
Suddenly. an hour or so before we
started for the cemetery yesterday, l was
Informed that the matter had been post
poned. That is all I know about it.
would like to know more, and expect to
soon.''
1t seems as II there had been q general
agreement among officers Of the army
and navy in this city to abstain from
further public discussion of the case of
Lieut.. Sutton. At the War Department
1t was stated this afternoon that there
had been no developments there in the
matter. The application of Mrs. Sutton
for permission to exhume the body of
her son in the Arlington National ceme-
terry Is still under consideration.
Owing to the Importance of the in
terests involved, the subordinate officials
temporarily in charge declined to act
in the matter without specific instruc-
tions from those responsible for the policy
OF the Department. 1t is stated at the
department today that II Capt Humph-
~ Yfo II ant
actually gave Mrs. Sutton permission to
open the grave and remove the remains
he acted without proper authority from
his ofhcial superiors His action has
not actually been disapproved. but it is
described as simply premature"
Has Not Been Rejected.
According to high official of the War
Department the application has by no
means been rejected and undoubtedly
will be granted. The only delay in ac-
tion in the matter is due to the desire to
proceed regularly and in proper form. He
explained that it was felt that a few days
delay in the disinterment could not pos
sibly make any special difference to the
parties in interest, and consequently the
application was held up until Secretary
Dickinson's views on the subject could
be ascertained. He was communicated
with at Detroit and is now on his way to
his summer home near Nashville, Tenn.
1t is expected that word will be re-
ceived from him either tomorrow or
next day. In the meantime the situa-
tion remains unchanged.
The officials of the War Department
almost unanimous in the opinion. pri-
vately expressed. that Mrs. Sutton s
request will be granted SO far as the
opening of the grave is concerned and
that she may have the body examined
If she so desires by a private physician
but that such examination will have no
Official status whatever. AS one Off
cial put 1t. The government is bound
In It's treatment of this case to stand
on its own records. both as to the
original autopsy made by naval sur
geons and as to the manner of Lieut..
Sutton's death as determined by the
naval courts of inquiry"
Therell Be No Trouble.
II Mrs. Sutton desires to have the re-
mains of her son. Lieut.. Sutton, removed
from the Arlington National cemetery to
another cemetery it can be arranged
without much trouble A statement to
that effect was made in the Office of the
quartermaster general of the army today
in response to direct inquiry.
It was explained that the privilege OF
burial in national cemeteries attaches to
all members of the army, navy and Ma
rine Corps. and is entirely optional with
the family of the deceased. There Is the
same privilege OF removal. 1t is stated,
however, that disinterments at the Ar
lington cemetery are extremely rare.
there being no records of any for many
years back.
The question of religions does not, it is
stated. enter into the matter at all. but it
was added that there are probably more
Catholic soldiers buried In Arlington than
soldiers Of any other religious denomina- :
ton.
That church always provides for the
conservation of the graves of it's mem-
bers, and the grave Of Sutton at Arling-
authorities desire to take such action.