New-York tribune., 1909-07-19
SUTTON INQUIRY TO-DAY
r4NT LAY WITNhS'h''
rs.;r testimony Expected to Oppose
the Theory of Suiode.

adj
--e-s-v about the case 49, .-s S-i.,d. yx
me o- o15oer met death in q quarrel at the
tns' u 80. NJ his brother officers instead OF nv
hsnos . ,sn,self IS h was adjudged 10 have oone
He CORNER hoard Of inquiry winch 0o"uUo' ''-
q u..i7ation soon after his death
tne -, Owens the chauffeur who drove sui
"a. +b-ee companion officers on the nisnt
ton a"o - -. from the Carvel Hall Hotel to a
80 the marine camp where hai hou!
70! r,.,on Was found dead with a ouIiet "ouiin
"a. b..5 told a remarkable story to-oaF' "nicH
n-.-rises 70 clear up. when he repeats u as VII
ses before the hoard many VI ' ff
-. ,rio- 10 the shooting.
'1s '1t- .rs rcints IN OEens's story which contra
.ha theory Of suicide and make him very
important witness
ovErs's STORY OF THE NIGHT
.e--.,n had hired me 10 take him out 10 the
= tn my autor1oblle from Carvel Hall that
Iebt.~ said Owens, and when he came our OF 'lo
-, Lieutenant E. S. Adams and two ofher ofil-
.-s we're with him. Sutton invited them 10 rloe IN
-. ,.r Adams got on the front seat with me and
-. .,-.s other men sat in the rear seat We went
-. z-inv George street 10 the Oklahoma gate or
=. Naval Academy grounds. where the sentry
tls ue III When told there were officers IN the
c.- he let Us through. and We took the lower ROAD
,-,ss College Creek out toward the marine camp
SUTTON and his companions IN the rear seat
-
-. - .-e time When We got 10 within short
si.sncs ~ the camp I was told 10 stop Adams
.rrned down from the front seat, and taking or
t,s cost ard hsr, threw them on the ground ne
--sse rush for Sutton he and the two otheF
.c.-s snt out q the car The two officers grabbed
sr,ton hr the arms and I heard Sutton say 60
sEav. Adams I don want any trouble. Ihen one
- the officers told 10 beat it
AS turned the car around saw Adams start
,r tor Sutton again and heard Sutton say. Well
70 he wants TO fight 7 will fight him Then went
down across the bridge and met Grirhth. another
chs7~AJr coming back with his automobile
Owens said he did not hear any shots In cross
,,r TIE bridge on the return trip ne said he told
+ba sentry stationed there Of the trouble between
~. officers and that Sutton and Adams were Two
~ The men The sentry replied. Owens said. that if
,bev gave Sutton q fair fight ne would lick them
ell
MANY WITNESSES SUMMONED
Tieu.enant Rocker. who left the service shortly
z+rsr the tragedy. ard has not since been found,
srs Lieutenant Os,erman. classmates OF Sutton,
rs-e said 20 re the other occupants Of Owens's
nz- Adams and Osterman are expected 20 be wit
rssses again et the present hearing John F.
Griffith the other chauffeur. who took a party 10
TIE marine camp just ahead OF O~-enss party on
the fatal night. summoned 2 witness. and Is
.znec,ed 10 corroborate some Of Owenss testimony
A. the former investigation witnesses vere
called outside Of the naval service. A large num-
ber Of lay witnesses have been summoned TO re-
port tomorrow n Captain John NJ Bowler. super
ir1endeBt ot TIE Naval Academy.
All the witnesses Rill he turned over for exam
nation 10 Major Harry Leonard, OF the marine
csrps lge advocate who is conducting the inves-
-irzton for the government Commander John
Food. L. : N is senior member Of the board Of
irqziry ard his associates are Lieutenant Henry
X Jenson L s. X, and Major W c Neville
Ism c
Mrs. Jsr7es H Sutton, Sutton's mother, and he-
dsuFhter Mrs. Parker. who were instrumental IN
setus 5he Nay Teps rtr1ent reopen the investi-
estiou arrived here tonight. Mrs Sutton believes
tbs evidence presented viii show that her son
klad in fight or in premeditated assault
hT ore ~ more Of t1s officers
The sentiment here in the matter IS divided. and
many theories are aaoat- Il is saidSo be the de"
sire Of the Washington naval offcials 70 court tbs
fullest Investigation of all the facts
Tie frs hoard Of inquest which Investigated the
circumstances attending Sutton's death met here IN
October l3. 1907 the DAY following the shooting.
snd after ~ inquiry reported the following its
finding in Tho case:
The hoard. having examined all fh~ tes+'-~-~-
hsTfns this that - thinks il is possible 20
procure, having thoroughr examined the tTo re
Fo1eTs the cartridges and empty shells found IN
thsm, The bullet taken from the head Of the de-
ceased and from the coat Of Lieutenant Rocker,
sn9 gone carefully over The testimony, finds as
ne, The board from. lew OF the body thrr-
II which il believes is all the evidence procUrable
fn5 IS perfectly reliable, unanimously and thor
ts;ion. I. (. ". g. committed suicide by shooting
@ @sEsslf in the head with a revolver at about 10
.sIE Marine Barracks. Annapolis, Nd, October Is,
The bard Is also convinced that no other person
tnsn the deceased was in responsible for
us death. that other person concerned in the
investigation was armed, and that there no
n ed i'm
HeSistely before his death
lie board has carefully looked into the case and
u It's opinion the death o. Second Lieutenant James
\ Sutton. L s G. vas not occaeioned by any
sd of duty in which he engaged when it oc-
curred
las Ending approved by Captain E J
1>asG, then superintendent Of the Naval Acsd-
ehF' on October l5 800. and the report forwarded
ie TIE Navy Department. The board consisted Of
commander J. A HoogerWerT. L. s. y, presi-
cent Surgeon T. A Cook. L. s. y. and Major
q H. Fuller. L. E NJ. g. members. and Second
lieutenant Edward s. Willing L. S. NJ. c,
corder
ACCORDING 20 the testimony given at the first in
sfues'ion, there had been quarrel between Lieu
tsasht Seton and several other marine officers
VIC we're returning from dance 20 the barracks.
mobile
me testimony terd7d to sEoT that Lieutenant
'-fon had gone 10 his quarters and obtained hi.
'NeI With the apparent intention Of shooting
- antagonists. lie fired one shot At Lieutenant
'"eFt r. Adams, which cid not strike him. Lieu
Hsh' EdSin p Rocker. another member OF the
5ei9 struggled with Sutton in an attempt to dis
N hin second shot from Sutton's revolver
a Rockers clothes. hut did not penetrate his
- ii@ VAS dszed. however hy the shock Of this
S."e' and feil TO the ground Lieutenant Adams
Nas standing by. IS said to have ex-
l"u have shot RaeILrr--,
b-oing 20 the testimony, Sutton, who had
b. ul'oVn to the ground in his encounter with
1er' shot himself in the head
pheRADATIoN OF SPANISH PRINCE