Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-22
WOUND SELF-INFLICTED.
IN OPINION OF EXPERT
Vikings Approval of Beating May
Get Him in Trouble.
OFFICER OF DAY AT THE TINE
Reprimanded in Court for Hardness.
Revolver and Holster Produced
in Court by Counsel for
Mrs Sutton.

The court OF inquiry that is
hearing testimony regarding the
death of Lieut.. James N. Sutton
of the Marine Corps, shot on the
barracks grounds here the night
OF October II. 1907, resumed its
work this morning with more OF
the aspect of criminal trial and
less OF that OF mere investiga-
tion to demand facts in general
than at any time hitherto.
The sides of accuser and ac-
cused are plainly marked. The
Suttons make no concealmcnt OF
their attitude any longer after
yesterdays testimony.
Mrs. Sutton announced openly
her belief that her boy had not
taken his life and had not been
shot to death, but that he had
been beaten to death and shot
afterward to conceal the manner
in which he was killed and make
it seem that he had taken his own
life.
Attorney Henry E. Davis, for
the Suttons. says he hopes To
prove during the course of the
trial that Sutton had never had
his guns out of his tent on the
night of his death, and that, in
spite of the testimony of brother
officers, he died an unarmed man.
In the face of these accusations
Maj. Leonard, the Judge advo-
cate, expressed the view this
morning that the present investi-
cation is bound to result in the
same verdict as at the first in
vestigation-suicide.
Surgeon George Pickrell, U.S.N..
who attended Sutton after he was
shot, testified at the inquiry to-
day that the bullet entered SUIT
tons head on top, near the back
and little to the right.
This has been a much-disputed
point. Other physicians have tes-
tilted that the wound was lust
back of the right ear.
Surgeon Pickrell stated that the
shot was fired within two feet Of
Suttons head, and, in his opinion,
could have been self-inflicted. He
said that Sutton's body showed
no other injuries which might
have caused his death.
The witness identified a belt
and holster which. he said. was
strapped on Sutton's leg the night
of the tragedy.
Special Dispatch to The Star.
ANNAPOLIS, Md, July 2o.-The court
of inquiry into the death of Lieut.
James n. Sutton Of the Marine Corps
took on a real criminal court atmos-
phere this morning when Attorney Hen
ry E. Davis for the Suttons startled
| Lieut.. E. s. Willing. the witness at
| the time. by suddenly producing a re-
| volver and asking Willing II it was the
| revolver he picked up on the parade
ground early in the morning after SUIT
| toms death.
The gun came from leather bag under
| the table at Davis feet. 1t appeared SO
suddenly that Willing was slightly star
tied.
Willing took the revolver to examine it.
He was turning 1t over in his hand when
the judge advocate, Maj. Leonard. got
| nervous.
| ed?" he anxiously asked Davis. when he
had admonished Willing to "be careful
ut is not loaded" said Davis. II broke
it and looked at it before presenting it
to the witness.
II don't like to monkey with gum
said Leonard to Davis. soto voce.
Neither do T. replied the Washing
| tonian. grinning at Leonard.
Willing said. after carefully looking
over the revolver. that he could not say
positively 1t was the revolver he picked
! up on the parade ground. He did say,
| however that 1t was the same make and
the same caliber as the gun he had found
that morning.
Holster Produced in Court.
Attorney Davis flashed another exhibit
when DR.. George Pickrell. who followed
| Willing, was on the stand. Pickrell was
the first surgeon to Sutton after he
was killed.
In examining Sutton's body. Dr. Pickrell
| said. he found strapped to his thigh a
plated leather holster of peculiar de-
, sign.
Us this the holster" Davis asked, when
on cross-examination Pickrell reached
that point of his story.
He handed out Mexican leather hol-
ster and cartridge belt. Pickrell identi
fled the holster. but said there was no
belt with 1t when he saw 1t on Sutton.
only the straps which held II to his thigh.
The surgeon described the wound in
Sutton's head, which he testified as an
expert was made by a bullet fired from
weapon held less than two feet from SUIT
toms head. The eyes of everybody in the
courtroom sought the faces Of Mrs. Sui
ton and Mrs. Parker to see what effect
the surgeons description. delicate though
il was would have the mother and
sister Of the dead lieutenant