Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1909-08-14
SUTTON LETTERS
READ IN COURT
Mother Of Lieutenant Wrote
"BTutes Killed Jimmy"
SHOT TO HIDE CRIME


Gays Sen Came to Her After Death
and Told Her He Was Beaten TO
Death and Shot BY Adams--pe-
serIbss tlls Wounds, and Says Dead
Son Begged Her TO Live and Clear
His Name.
Annapolis, Nd, Aug. l0.-The read
ing OF the record of last Saturday.
when the board of inquiry investi-
eating the death of Lieutenant James
". Sutton, U. S. NJ. c., on the govern
ment reservation here about two years
ago, conducted the proceedings of that
day In secret, and the cross-examinas
ton of Mrs. Sutton, the mother of the
dead ofiicer, occupied practically all
OF the meeting OF the board. No
sooner had Mrs. Sutton taken the
stand to testify than Major Leonard.
Judge advocate, demanded that the
letters OF Mrs. Sutton. read at the
closed session on last Saturday, be
read in public. along with the record
OF the whole meeting.
The letters were four in number,
and they we're written to II. M.
Swartx, clerk In the marine corps
paymasters' ONCE In Washington, ID.
c., by Mrs. sutton. The first asked
Swartx II she could write with conf
dence as to his sympathy.
Called Sons chums Wild Beasts
A second letter to Mr.. Swatrz gave
version OF what occurred on the
night of Lieutenant Sutton's death,
and also detailed wounds which Mrs.
Sutton wrote had been inflicted upon
her son. She referred frequently to
those who were with Lieutenant SUIT
ton at the time he was shot as wild
| beasts"
In this letter the name OF Miss Mary
H. Stewart, of Pittsburg, was men.
toned. Mrs. Sutton asked Swartz to
| find out from Osterman and the 9th
ers who were In the automobile with
Sutton on the fatal night what had
actually happened preceding the shoot
Ing.
In the third letter to Swartz, Mrs
Sutton says: THE love between Jim
ME and myself was the greatest that
could exist between two persons. II
Jimmie met with an accident, | felt
II tonic. Well, the night those
beasts were laying their plans foi
| Jimmie an awful fear came over ms
and my two daughters; we could not
| talk, and each kept away from the
other for fear of betraying our feel
ings. The next day Mr.. Sutton came
/ In and asked IL ! could stand some
awful news. He told me that Jimmie
was reported to have killed himself
Shot to Hide Crime.
"Oh, Cod Mr.. Swartz." the writer
exclaims, 'if Jimmie had not spoken
to me would have died. Then Jim
mie' came up to me and said
Mother, dear, don't you believe 1t;
never killed myself Adams killed
me; they beat me to death and then
Adams shot me to hide the crime. He
| told me how they laid trap for him;
how he walked into IT.; how Utley
grabbed him to pull him out of the
| automobile; how they held him and
Osterman beat him; about his fore
head being broken, his teeth knocked
out and the lump under his jaw. and
how, when he was lying on the
ground, someone kicked him in the
side and smashed bis watch. He beg
ged me not to die, But TO live and clear
his name Well, after three weeks,
proved some things be told me were
true, and after repeatedly demanding
the evidence after four months l got
1t, and within the last month l have
proven everything he told me.
Nothing could separate Jimmie
from me, not even death, and Adams,
Utley, Potts and Osterman will never
know a moments rest on earth. Why
should they?.'
Mr.. Birney. counsel for Lieutenant
Adams, demanded TO know upon what
evidence Mrs Sutton based the fore
going accusation. She replied that
the testimony, to her mind. proved it.
together with certain letters that she
had in her possession.
The fourth letter was dated May 16.
In 1t Mrs Sutton told OF having re-
ceived a letter from young Owens, the
chauffeur, and said that she would en-
close copy of that letter to Swartz.