The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-07-19
TELLS HOW SUTTON
GOT DEATH WOUND
Lieut.. Adams Testifies There Was
Flash of Pistol as Sutton Raised
Arm-Supports Suicide Theory.

ANNAPOLIS, Md, July 19.-When
called to the stand as the first wit
ness In the Sutton inquiry this after.
noon, Lieut.. Adams Told of the meet.
ing in Carvell hall on the night OF
Oct. 10, 1907. Sutton. Osterman, Utley
and himself, he said. rode back To the
academy in Sutton's machine.
"All OF us were out after hours. -
said Adams. "Utley suggested that
we get out and walk to avoid detec.
ton. | suggested the same. Sutton
then called me ID coward. |
told hirn he should not talk that way.
He repeated his statement.
I'VE jumped out OF the automobi1
and | Logan To pull off my coat SUE
ton said: What are you going To do ?,
SAID: You are the man that's doing
the talking Utley said: Well fighI
this out i'm the morning Then We
started towards the camp. The other
officers were trying TO quiet Sutton
Then Sutton cursed Osterman and
struck him. Osterman struck back
Sutton reeied He had before said he
would kill me. The fight between
Osterman and Sutton continued.
Osterman OF"
Il suggested" continued Adams.
That we get rifles and revolvers TO
defend ourselves but we found they
were locked up in camp. We then
started for the officer of the day. En-
route we were stopped by Lieut.. W
ley. He said: You go down where
the fight was and see IL you can find
any clothes tnere?"
why did Utley give such an or
der?" asked Major Leonard.
II don't know said Adams. Il
started down the path, and saw some
thing white. IL moved and then rose.
II was Sutton He said: You are that
id Adams. Where are you going?'
told him to get the clothes. He said:
Like h you are. | am going to Kill
you He then shot at me three time s.
grappled with him and as we swung
around | saw Rocker. threw Sutton
to his face on the ground. He fell
with his right arm under MIN, and the
left arm up. | was trying to keep him
from using his pistol. Somebody
jumped on his left arm. | don't know
who. | was trying to keep him from
shooting. The next thing remember.
ed, was standing back OF him.
Then | looked around he con-
tinued. land saw Lieut. Rocker lying
on the ground apparently dead. My
Cod | said, He's killed Rocker AS
said that | saw Sutton still lying
fat, rise his right arm and turn his
head. There was the fash OF pistol.
the flame jumped three or four hich-
&c No Int Of
he, was shot. | became dazed then
and hardly knew what happened"
Because the navy department be-
lieves that the testimony gathered by
woman, unaided, with every circum-
stance against her, throws more light
on the case than did the secret hear
ing before the board of inquiry. a court
OF inquiry today began sittihgs at the
naval academy, TO determine the ex-
act manner In which Lieut.. James N
Sutton met his death on the GROUNDS
of that institution on the night Of Oct
~, 1907.
The story that Mrs. Rose Sutton
Parker. sister OF the dead officer. drag.
ged from unwilling witnesses in re-
markable inquiry she conducted, is the
most important part OF the case.
When she and her mother entered
the courtroom today, Mrs. Parker car
ried with her bundle OF papers, CON-
prising all she knows about the cir
cumstances of her brothers death, and
from this report, questions will be
put that may clear up the mystery.
Both women before the court conven.
ed declared hopefully that the stigma
OF suicide would be removed from the
dead officers name.
The court is not bound by the rules
Of evidence that ordinarily prevail IN
civil tribunals
The government has expressed Its
desire to get every fact that might
help to determine the manner )t
young Sutton's death and the response
bility therefor. Sutton's friends also
have urged that every bit of evidence
that can have possible bearing on
many points In the evidence given by
participants In the fight that precei-
ed the shooting of Lieut. Sutton and
which were accepted by the board.
about which the young mans mother
and sister say more is to be learned
Why did Sutton and his brother Of
ficers quarrel that night? The story
told by the officers is that a row start
ed In a discussion where the automo-
bile, which had been taken from Car.
vel Hall, should be stopped. The
Suttons declare this was too trivial a
thing to start quarrel and Mrs. Park
er points to- some letters she has.
which were written TO her brother, in
which possible duel Is mentioned.
Then, too, w. l, Ownes, the chauffeur.
who drove the party TO the barracks
and who overheard the quarrel in the
machine. but who was not called at
the former hearing. will testify.