Omaha daily bee., 1909-08-19

concerning the whole deplorable affair
indicates a state OF discipline then exist
ing In the marine school OF application dis
creditable TO the service. and argues
strongly against the practice Of commits
sioning and putting into positions Of re-
sponsibility young men without proper
previous training.
Others should Have Been Tried.
lie is also Of the opinion that Lieutenants
Willing, Bevan and Utley should have been
brought to trial at the time for neglect OF
duty; Lieutenants Adams and Osterman
should have received milder punishments
for engaging in a brawl un~becoming Off
GERS and gentlemen.
In approving the findings and recon-
mendations Of the court and the Judge
advocate, Acting Secretary Winthrop says:
BY It's concurrence in the opinion of the
court and that expressed in the minority
report, the department indicates its thor
ough disapproval Of the lax state Of dtsoi-
pline shown by the evidence to have existed
at the marine school of application prior
to and at the time Of the death of Lieu
tenant sutton.
In the beginning Of its report the court
says:
After carefully weighing all the evidence,
WI ich, as might be expected, after the
lapse Of time and in view of the excite
ment under which the principal witnesses
were laboring at the time of the occur
renee Of the matter under inquiry, is
peculiarly mixed and contradictory In de
tails, the court finds certain facts STANDING
out clearly, distinctly and beyond dispute
or cavil. and does so report. Accordingly
the judge advocate was called before the
court and directed 10 record. viz:
Facts I'm Case.
Facts:
l. That a quarrel took place in which
filthy language, unbecoming an officer and
a gentleman, was used by Second lieuten-
ant sutton towards Second Lieutenant
Adams, in the presence Of their senior,
Lieutenant Utley, about l a. m. october
10, 1907 ;that Lieutenants Utley and oster-
man interviewed and prevented a fight.
z. That because Of this Interference a
fight took place Immediately afterwards
between Lieutenants Osterman and sutton
in which Lieutenant sutton was the agrees
sor, calling Osterman a vile name ana
striking Osterman a blow from behind.
8. That Lieutenant Sutton was then or
dered under arrest by his senior officer,
Lieutenant Utley; failed TO obey SUCH
orders, ran away to his (~Sutton's) tent,
threatening to shoot all present, and armed
himself with two 3S-caliber revolvers.
4 That Lieutenant Sutton, having pos
sessed himself of two revolvers, ran amuck,
threatening all who came In sight, attet
first defying his senior officer, Lieutenant
Utley, and the officer of the guard Lieu
tenant Bcvan, who had also ordered him
under arrest.
s. That Lieutenants Utley and Rocker
and sergeant DeHart followed. Lieutenant
Sutton from the camp after his preach
of arrest. and came on him IN the rodo
leading from the barracks to the naVa
academy grounds, near the scene of tn,
previous fight, and Lieutenant Utley anc
Sergeant DeHart tried to persuade mn
CSutton) to disarm.
6. That Lieutenant sutton broke away
on hearing persons approaching from th'
direction Of the barracks and ran in tina
direction and while being chased by Lieu
tenants Utley and Rocker met Lieutenan
Adams and opened fire on him; in thu
general scrimmage that followed sho
Rocker in the breast and Adams In tn,
hand and when finally overpowered ant
thrown to the ground by Adams was KILLED
by a revolver shot from a service revolver
held in his own right hand and fired b!
himself without the intervention OF an!
other hand.