Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1909-08-20


death at Annapolis naval academy in
| October, 1907. Of Second Lieut.. James y.
/ Sutton, Of the United States marine
corps, which verdict has been approved
I by the judge advocate general of the
navy and by Beekman Winthrop, assist
ant and acting secretary of the navy.
Findings of the Court
The court also finds:
That Lieut.. Utley failed in his duty as
senior officer present, under Article 2G6. l..
S. Navy Regulations, 1909, in permitting
Lieut. Sutton to away and arm him
| SELF instead of calling on those present for
assistance and following Lieut.. Sutton, pre-
venting his arming himself, by force II
necessary, and turning him over to the
custody of the officer of the day.
That Lieut. Beyan, officer of the guard,
failed in his duty as officer Of the guard i'll
not disarming Lieut.. Sutton by force, while
in front of his, Sutton's tent.
Lieut.. Willing, the officer of the day
failed in MS duty as officer of the day i'll
not Immediately assisting by force i'll help
ing to disaIm Lieut.. Sutton when he arrived
on the scene before the fatal shot was
fired.
That the charges of wilful murder and
conspiracy TO conceal it, made by the com
plainant, Mrs. Sutton, mother of Lieut.. SUIT
ton was purely imaginary and unsupported
by even a shadow Of evidence, truth, or
reason.
May Drop Proceedings
The court recommends, however, that
I
perience of Lieuts. Utley, Willing and
Bevan at the time, and of the altogeth-
er unusual condition of excitement, the
threats and danger during the afore-
mentioned fray, that no further proceed
ingS be taken.
The report is signed by j. Hood, COM
mander United States navy, president of
| the board, and Henry Leonard, major
United States marine corps, judge adv0-
cate Commander Hood also filed a mi
nority report i'll which he says he CON
ours IN the majority report, and in addi-
| ton he is of the opinion that Lieuts.
Utley, Adams, OSterman. Willing and
Bryan showed a deplOrable lack of
knowledge of their duties and oblga-
| tons as officers holding commissions III
the marine corps; and the testimony CON
corning the whole depIorable affair indi-
Gates state of discipline then existing
in the marine school of application. dis
credItable TO the service, and argues
strongly against the practice of commits
Sl0nlnS and putting into positions of re-
sponslblllty. young men without proper
previous training.
He is also of opinion that Iieuts Will
ing, Beyan and Utley should have been
brought to trial at the time. for neglect
OF duty; and Lleuts. Adams and OSter-
man should have received milder punish
ments Tor engaging III a CRAWL unbecom-
ing officers and gentleman: and he CON
! ours IN the recommendation that no
further proceedings be taken at this time
only because of their youth and mex
perience at that time, and because of
their beng, IN a sense. victims of a SyS-
tenn for which they themselves are not
responsible.
Winthrop Makes Criticisms.
In approving the findings and recon-
mendationS of the court and the Judge
advocate general Acting Secretary Win
thrOp says:
by its concurrence in the opinion of
the court and of that expressed in the
minority report. the department indi-
| Gates its thorough diSapproval Of the lax
state of discipline shown by the evidence
to have existed at the marine school of
application prior to, and at the time of
the death of Lieut.. Sutton. The results
of this laXity have brought serious dis
credit not only on the officers directly
responsible for the efficiency of the insti-
tuition but unfortunately Gu the marine
corps as 4 whole
Sister Not Surprised
That is rather rough, isn't it?" said
Mrs. Rose Sutton Parker, the sister of
Lieut. Sutton, when the verdict was
read to her But | cannot say that /
am surprised she added.
Neither my mother nor l can say
anything about the matter at this time"
Mrs. Parker continued. Attorney Arthur
A Birney, who represented Lieut.. Rob
ert 4. Adams. expressed pleasure at the
result. He said lie did not see how the
| court could do otherwise.
While they decline to discuss their
plans. it is almost certain that Mrs. SUIT
ton and Mrs. Parker will bend every eff
fort to have Congress make an investiga-
ton of the case.