The Washington times., 1909-08-18

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ment indicates its thorough disapprovsI
Of the lax state of discipline shown uy
The evidence 10 have existed at the
Marine School of Application prior to-
and az the time of, the death of Lieu
tenant Sutton The results of this lax
itv have brought serious discredu. not
only on the officers directly responsible
for the efficiency of the institution, hut
unfortunately on the aMrine Corps as d
whole
Uttely Criticised.
Under the head Of opinions. tho
court says;
THAT Lieutenant Ctley failed in his
DUTY as senior officer present. under
Article 266 United States Navy Regula-
lions, in permitting Lieutenant Sutton
to run away and arm himself, instead
of calling on those present for assist
eLco and following Lieutenant Sutton,
preventing him arming himself, by
force, If necessary, and tuning him
over TO the custody OF the officer Cf
the day.
THAT Lieutenant Bevan, officer Of the
guard. failed in his duty as officer OF
the guard is not disarming Lieutenant
Sutton by force. while in front OF his,
Suttou's, tent
THAT Lieutenant Willing. the officer
OF the day, failed in his duty as Off
Ger Of the day in not Immediately as
sistfng by force in helping to disaTm
Lieutenant sutton when he arrived on
the scene before the fatal shot was
fred.
Then come the two paragraphs before
given stating that no Criminahty pos
sibly lies against anyone but Sutton, and
that the charges of ''wilful murder BY
Mrs. Sutton are without foundation.
In view of the youth and decided in
experience of lieutenants Utley, VIII
ling, and Bevan, the court concludes
that no further action be taken.
Is Second Inquiry.
This Is the second investigating body
which has found that James n. Sutton
killed himself
It has been stated that one reason
why Mrs sutton. the dead lieutenant's
mother has made such a hard fight
To clear her sons name OF the stigma
Of the suicide, is that they are Cath
oiics. and that so long as the suicide
theory is uheplp by the authorities,
he cannot be buried in consecrated
ground.
The Sutton case has been one Of the
most remarkable IN the history OF the
navy. Mrs. sutton and Mrs. Fl Rose Sut-
ton Parker, Ter daughter, have fought
for two years TO have the Sutton name
cleared.
Mrs. Sutton determined TO fight the
findings OF the 6rst board, which said
suicide" because to her and to sew
eral other members of the family came
dreams in which the spirit of Lieuten-
ant Sutton appeared and declared that
he was innocent OF self-destructiOn, and
asked that his name be cleared.
Gets Second Hearing.
II took months OF weary work TO
gather evidence to convince the Navy
Department that there should be an
other inquiry. but MIS-. sutton finally
won her point and the inquiry was or
dered by Secretary Meyer.
Mrs. Sutton Mrs, Parker, and Henry
F. Davis. their lawyer. have been at
Annapolis for weeks listening TO the
story o. the tragedy as told by the liV-
ing officers who were present Through
all the days Of the hearing Mrs. Sutton
has been In the courtroom listening TO
felloW-off1cers speak disparagingly of
her son.
Today she was overcome and would
see no one at her apartment IN the Bur
hngton, where she is stopping.
Davis Has Plan.
1.-THE judge advocates handling Of the
ease IS fifty supplemented by the courts
action, which makes the inquiry a mere
curtain-Taiser 10 the main perform
snce." said Attorney Davis this after
noon
rs there to be main performance"
he was asked.
Have you ever been to a play and
witnessed a proIogue2" he asked by
way OF reply. THE inquiry that has
Just been concluded is nothing more
nor less than a prologue"
viii you state what the main per-
formance Is to be?''
II viii not at this time, and I have
asked Mrs Parker and Mrs. Sutton not
20 give out any statements at all" said
the attorney. All 7 can say is that
we are not going to stop here, but 1 can
not tell you now what we expect 10 /
do"