Evening star., 1909-07-11
NOT AGGRESSOR IN ROW
Chauffeur Declares Adams Forced
Quarrel Upon Him.
UNDERTAKEN WILL TESTIFY
Expected to Say That Wound Would
Be Impossible of Self
inhiction.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star
ANNAPOLIS, Nd. July 10-Interest In
the second investigation of the shooting
October II. 1907, Of Lieut.. James NJ.
Sutton OF the United States Marine Corps,
which will begin here July 10, is growing
daily.
Day by day pieces of evidence are com
ing to light which make it certain that
a very different view will be put upon
the tragedy than that indicated by the
report of the first board-that Sutton had
killed himself after he had believed he
had killed another officer-Licut- Rocker
in fight that Sutton had forced.
William Owings, the chauffeur, who
drove the party to the marine camp the
night of the killing, is expected to testify
that Lieut.. Adams, not Sutton, began the
tight Other evidence is on hand to show
that Sutton was forced into the fight
from the beginning.
While, SO far as is known. there is no
proof that any one other than himself
shot Sutton, 1t is almost certain thai
there will be evidence that will show the
beginning Of the trouble in a new way.
Besides Owings. employees of Carvel Hall
Will probably he important witnesses at
the coming investigation.
Navy Department Statement.
\ statement giving the official reasons
for the reopening of the investigation OF
the death of Lieut.. James NJ. Sutton of
the Marine Corps, who died at Annapolis
from the effect of a. bullet wound In the
head received October L. 1907. has been
given out by Assistant Secretary of the
Navy Winthrop.
1t is to the effect that declarations have
been received by the Navy Department
that Sutton was not a suicide as the
1rst investigating board determined, but
was muruered and that the snot was
fired by officer of the Marine Corps
whose name IS not disclosed.
The Navy department adds that a sec
ond board of tnvest4eat,un has been ap-
pointed and Will meet at Annapolis July
L. All the Iurnier Witnesses ~no are
still In the service have been ordered to
appear before the court, and additional
WITNESSES Will be called. Should the evi-
,dencH snow that murder was committed
| the department will exert itself to the ut
most TO bring the offender to justice.
Undertaken to Testify.
One Of the witnesses who will be sum-
moned and who did not appear at the
first inquiry will probably De Raymond
Taylor, undertaken Of Annapolis, who
had charge Of Lieut.. Sutton's body after
1t had been removed to the Naval Hos
mas made Since the first inquiry the
wound which caused Lieut.. Sutton's
death was in q position which showed
that he could hardly have inflicted il
himself.
Taylor says the bullet entered the skull
at a point fully two inches behind tae
right ear and took a downward course.
There were no Signs of the hair bein.
even sinsed by the explosion. 1t seemed
to him that 1t would be impossible for Il
man TO place d heavy navy revolver la
such a position and shoot himself.
Stories of the quarrel which led to SUIT
tons death tally in all important particu-
lars, except that each witness testified
that Sutton shot himself after firing two
shots, one of which struck Lieut.. Roel-
ker of the Marine Corps and stunned
him.
It when the latter officer, since
dismissed from the service, fell and some
one exclaimed You have killed Rocker
that Sutton turned his weapon linn
sci, SO the evidence ran.