East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1909-07-19

Washington. July is.-By order o.
I The Secretary ot the Navy, a speclai
court Of inquiry was convened at An
napolls today to begin an investigation
into the case OF Second Liei. James
" sutton 0f the Marine corps. who
died of a pistol shot wound on octO-
\ ber Is. 1907. al Annapolis and who
was al that time adiudged a suicide
by an investigating board. Ugly ru-
mors as 10 the cause Of Sutton's death
have lately been set afloat. and the
department Is determined 10 probe
the case 20 the bottom.
Captain John Hood Is presiden; OF
the investigating board convened to-
day. with Major Neville Of the Ma
rine corps. and Lieut.. H y. Johnson.
OF the Navy. as members. and Major
Harry NeOnard as recorder. The board
viii inquire into all the circumstance.
surrounding Sutton's deatn. and sew
eral Officers have been summoned a.
witnesses, one Of them having travelled
from the Far Eas, 10 be present.
Mother Starts Inquiry.
The inquiry is the result Of the pro-
testations Of Mrs. James Y. sutton.
mother Of the dead Lieutenant. against
the verdict Of the first board. Inter-
est is lent 10 the affair by the fact that
Cadet Roland sutton, a brother OF
the officer who was declared TO have
ended his life, Is al present suffering
from injuries said 10 have been sus-
tained al the hands OF the upper class
men az the Military Academy al Wes,
Point An inquiry is also ordered into
that occurrence.
Mrs. sutton. mother Of the dead Of
hce- and the West Point cadet, live
in Washington. Il is not known what
new proof she has submitted 70 the
J department in the year she has press
e5 her claims 10 influence It in re-
opening the case.
Case i Mystery.
Nava, ana marine corps Officers
never have been able 10 solve the
mystery of Sutton's death and the
sudden closing Of the case. Before
the c0ur. 0f investigation. which held
p o shtEt session over the body the next
day. the officers who were with SUIT
ton gave accounts Of what happened
which did not agree in some particu-
liars. The court understood from their
testimony that all four officers had
attended the dance at the naval acad-
envy and later had been drinking al
lCaryel Hall. About o'clock SUNDAY
morning they started In an autOmo-
bile for their camp. at the marine
school Of application. The motorcai
was dismissed outside the grounds
and in leaving the machine Sutton
developed 2 III Of stubbOrnness anc
seemed to be very despondent. Wit.
uesses said they grappled with him
undertaking 10 lead him to the camp
when he whipped out pistol and at
tempted to shoot himself In en-,
deayOring 10 prevent this it was ne
E cessary to throw him upon tbs
: ground: but somehow ne managed Il
I shoot himself in the back Of the head
These points brought out by th'
board led TO the verdict Of suicide. AM
the body was buried before his rela
tives had seen it. Friends Of younl
E Sutton have continued their effort
for an investigation, which at last hal
led the navy department to reopel
: the case. Their attorneys have pro
: duced before the department a mum
: Der Of repositions tending to shov
o that suicide was very improbable, con
sidering all the known conditions 0
the mans death.