New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-12
rIACTS SUTTON DEATH
SELF-SHOT, SAfS
MEDICAL EXPERT.
,rt Todd's Story Conflicts Soith
rs,t;mony of Lieutenants-The
Sumner Challenge.

-, NJ inquiry tlis
'O' .,st,ve of Mrs. Sutton, mother OF the
"p' ,,.,,,enant. brought TO the witness stand
dsau n schaeffer. Of Washington. an eN-
d. .,o. wounds. who said Sutton could
~. killed himself.
~ - and interested persons alike
90 around the table as the physician
- on IT several skulls TO the exterior OF one
p' - 10 eHlxed. in little Jumps on wax steel
,.5,,s.e 10 the members Of the court the
:, the bullet in the skull of Lieutenant
Lieutenant Adams gave dramatic
TN yesterday Of the position Of Sutton
-, she fatal shot swas fred. Dr. sohaener
..p,, dramatic as he stretched himself
,bs table and showed by pantomime how,
.,s on,nion as an expert. IL was impossible
,..,,enent Sutton could have fred into his
- haas the shot that killed him
On, ~ the points upon which the witness
-, with special stress was the impossibilty
,,,or,ensnt sutton being able, under the cir
ns,snces described in the testimony. 70 exert
80, mil on the trigger Of the revolver to
80 aovn the hammer Of the weapon upon the
D.r,r,sre. The skulls and flow Of technical
.,,,,rg for repetition were much in evidence
ing the afternoon. and UP to the time when
.o,r, adjourned Dr. Sclaeffer was stii on the
s..,d under cross-examination by Mr.. Birney.
counsel 10 Lieutenant Adams.
The evidence Of Sergeant A. i. Todd who
,.,, on the stand at the afternoon session, and
,opchng which considerable interest had been
.-used by a published alleged interview with
.iu while II did not confirm the interview IN
rbole did bring into the official evidence some
,oin,s not compatible with evidence which had
been given previously by young officers Of the
marine corps who were more or less intimately
connected with the happenings which had their
climax in Lieutenant Sutton's death.
TODD TELLS HIS STORY.
Sergeant Todd who was corporal Of the guard
On the night Of Lieutenant Sutton's death. tool,
,he stand after recess He said he heard an IN
usual noise in the guard room. and there found
Iieu.enants Adams and Osterman. who asked
hin for weapons. saying there was trouble n
the camp They got no weapons. Shortly after
Re heard shots fired.
Later Lieutenant Rocker. in civilian attire.
came 10 him and said he had been shot. TIE
witness found in Rockers pocket a drill ECU
suon book he said, in the pages Of which was
bullet. There vas a mark as from a blow OF
some sort over Rockers heart He also found
holes in Rockers clothing and underwear. He
knew nothing OF the finding. next morning. Of
revolver on the parade ground. He denied por-
ions Of the Boston interview attributed 10 him
but said he did see the figure 81 a man running
and heard commands 10 halt and threats 20 fire.
followed by shots
Todd said he saw Lieutenant Rocker pass the
cDa-S- D 81
he said Lieutenant Rocker came into the guard
room and said My God Archie. I've oeen
shot The finding Of the bullet followed
The witness heard four shots fired. He &C
knoVledged having said he often wondered why
heTss not summoned as a witness. He believed
vas not his place 70 speak until summoned
hui said he had never tried 10 make known 20
any officer his possession Of knowledge OF the
happenings on the night Of Lieutenant Sutton's
death
Mr. Brney took the witness in detail over the
occurrences Of the fatal night The running
hgurt Todd said. was going from the vicinity
me camp toward the bridge over College
creek After the shooting he saw Lieutenants
Adams and Osterman in the room Of, the officer
o. the day.
IN response 20 questions Of Mr.. Davis, Todd
sao that II was Lieutenant Adams who asked
me witness ~ h. had any spare guns" saying
"ere was trouble in the camp and that he
wanted them for protection Osterman said
nothing. Two shots preceded the first cry to
nh which WAS not replied TO. After a brief
interval following the second cry Of Halt, you
are under arrest or III shoot" there were two
more shots fred. Todd reused Mahoney. SER
ssant OF the guard, a. soon as he heard the
A's' TWO shots The other two shots were fired
'lore Mahoney started in the direction from
~h'oh the reports came. He had gone only a
'Vn distance when witness heard some one
alehge Mahoney and tell him the trouble was
over and that he might AS well return to his
ro0m
Neh me witness put on the desk the bullet
s~ock Rocker, Lieutenants Adams. Will
De'an and others were in the room OF the
1 o. the day Rocker said nothing as 20
" where he had been shot and. the witness
10 made no attempt 70 find out
o said ne did not hear until next morning
lieutenant Sutton had been shot He was
ssAeo by any one il he knew anything OF the
e The first time the witness said that
VA, w toia MIN that any information he had
was when a newspaper man did so
sheheld' Mass. yesterday.
70 the Judge advocate the Witness sata IA
kro.,, -'@A as ms superior officers had
ssse OF the firing OF the shots. his duty
W not require him 10 make further renor, -
any one LUZ '''ei report 10
DEhrAKER FOUND NO MARKS
w. baylor an undertaken. and james ~
hos,o' who prepared Lieutenant Sutton,s
burial both testified that there was no
i,o,s. elat either OF Suiton's arms had he-n
aors "ledefeid said there were no indica-
v1,,,.s ne had been beaten although the
dsnce "o examination for such evil
Aeass,s'r Gilbert p. Coleman. Of the Naval
Lieu.,.,. ssla mat he was in the company OF
= sbo,, an n Sutton from luncheon time anil