New-York tribune., 1909-07-24
HEAR TWO CHAUFFEURS
THROW LITTLE LIGHT.ON
SUTTON CASE.
Government Practically Rests-Re-
manning U'itnesses Called at
Request of Other Side.

Annapolis Nd July 23-The navy practically
rested its case in the sutton hearing to-day After
a short session Commander Hood adjourned court
Until Monday. With the exception cf Lieutenant
Harold r. Utley and Surgeon F. c. Cook, recently
ched to the battIeshp North Carolina, and new
the way TO this country from Europe nearly all
the remaining witnesses are considered to be Wit
nesse for the interested parties outside Of the ser
vice As UtIey and Cook are not expected here be-
fore August I. the inquiry next week viii take the
color CT the other side"
Most Of to-day's session was occupied with the
testimony Of the two chauffeurs William L Owens
and Edward Griffith. Owens testified that he drove
Sutton ard party of young officers from the Car
vel Hall Hotel to the marine camp on the night OF
the shooting and Witnessed quarrel and an inter-
ruPted fist fight between Sutton and Lieutenant
Adams as he left his passengers near the parade
grounds. adjacent to the camp
He told 10 beat it, Nhe said and came back
10 town lie did not learn Of the shooting until the
next morning. Griffith. Who had driven Lieutenant
Potts and another officer TO the camp Just ahead OF
Owens. testified that he met the Sutton party on
his way back He stopped because he saw Ovvenss
car standing STILL and thought had broken down
He did not see any fight tr hear any loud words
ne said His testimony IN other details cOrrob-
GRATED that OF Owens Both chauneurs are mers
boys and seemed somewhat awed by their sur
. roundinzs
Lieutenant Rocker, who is supposed to have
Deen hit by a bullet from Suttons revolver dur
ing the quarrel has not vet been found although
his testimony Is considered most fnportanr Tba
list Of witnesses remaining TO be examined consists
OF Lieutenant CtIey, Surgeon Cook. Iieutenanx
Iernphn NJ Potts. jr-, Professor Gilbert P Cole
man, Of the Naval Academy: Frank Fogs OF
Washington, Private Charles Kennedy ard NJ
Sutton and her daughter
Major Leonard judge advocate OF the court satd
aIter adjournment to-day that the witnesses On
hand ought to be disposed Of by Wednesday. ana
tnen an adjournment taken until the absent wiz
nesses arrive.
SUTTON COUNSEL SATISFIED
3 Henry E Davis OF Washington counsel for
sutton mother expressed himself as satisfied with
the developments in the case this week we ara
entirely satisfied with the progress and Develop
/ nent Of the case" he said We have discovered
nothing in the way OF surprises and what has de-
! veloDed in the nature OF the unexpected has been
/ conrrnatory OF our opinion OF the affair and has
strengthened our belief Nothing has developed to
change our Judgment and theory OF the case
Inc Suttons. mother and daughter have contend
ed from the start that neither verdict OF suicide
/ nor even one Of accidental death could be based
/ on the facts. and tha- some outside agency was
/ responsible for suttor's death which. they de-
( clare. resulted from mysterious bullet wound in
his head inflicted during a brawI with officers OF
his corps Mrs Sutton and her daughter Mrs.
Rose Sutton Parker, will both testify at the hear
ings week
So far four OF Sutton's brother officers in ths
marine corps have testified that they were present
I at the fight which started between Lieutenant
/ Adams and Sutton. and each one Of them swors
they saw Sutton deliberately shoot himself in a
supposed fit OF remOrse after some one had said
that ne, Sutton. had killed Lieutenant Rocker.
Their description OF the Incidents just prior 70 the
shooting have varied IN many respects but they
all agree positively 10 the alleged suicide Colonel
I Charles A. DOyen, senior officer Of the marine
barracks that time has corroborated the testi-
mOny OF the other witnesses as far as his observa-
tion went The testimony % Surgeon George Pick
reu and OF Sergeant De Hart contradicts the evt-
/ de1ce Of the others material points
Charles Kennedy. a private a navy ward
Norfolk. Va. Who was subpcenaed at the request
OF Mrs Sutton's counsel. will arrive here to-ulOr-
He is said 10 have been eyewitness to
Sutton's death
sUTTONs NOSE NOT BROKEN
Surgeon Pfckren was recalled for a moment be-
fore Mr.. Davis resumed the cross-examnation of
Sergeant De Hart when court opened to-day. Major
Leonard wanted to know il the condition Of Lieu
tenant Sutton's when Surgeon Pfckreu ex-
amined the body. would indicate that II had been
broken and restored with paraffne. had been
reported. Surgeon PtckreH said that no such con-
dition existed
Nj Davis asked Sergeant De Hart when he arss
saw Lieutenants Bevan and UtIey on the night OF
the shooting
Just after Sutton had accosted me saw Lieu
tenant Bevan running down the road after Sutton.
shouting. You are under arrest. said De Hart
I don't remember when Lieutenant Utley came
upon the scene
There are two contradictory things IN your tes-
tirnOny. continued Mr. Davis You
companied Lieutenant Sutton to the place where
the fight occurred for the purpose OF getting his
coat while you show that you had some knOwI-
edge Of his relation TO affair when you asked
him TO use his fists instead Of the revovers."
The witness said he with sutton because
the lieutenant ordered him 60 and did re- :
member OF having any other reason for accom-
panyfng Sutton. He couldn't remember whether
they found Sutton's coat or not Sutton ran on
ahead Of him. De Hart said II soon after
that ne heard the shots
De Hart could not remember how many shots
were fred. but he certain they all had been
fred before he reached the scene and Sutton's
officers we're in the group about sutton when hs
came UP.
De Hart said he reported that night to Lieu
tenant UtIey that he had thrown away the rsvOIve-
which had been handed him UtIey told him TO go
out and get it early next morning 1t the
following day that he asked Utley who gave him
the revolver the night before and Ctley said hs
did not know the witness testified. He did not
find it morning. but Lieutenant Ctley after
ward told him IL had been found
Owens. the chauffeur. was the next witness He
told of taking Sutton. Adams and two other Of
fcers in his autoIsobiIe from CarveI Hall toward
the camp. Lieutenant Adams sat on the seat with
him. and Sutton and two other officers. whose
names he did not know. sat on the rear seat
ADAMS SILENT ON RIDE
This was about / o'clock Sutton and his two
companions talked and seemed be friendly on
the way out Adams did have anything 70
saw They went through the Naval Academy
grounds Nothing happened until they got across
the cemetery bridge the dump" when some one
told him 70 stop Lieutenant Adams jumped from
his seat and of his collar and coat and made
a rush at Lieutenant Sutton the latter got OUT
Of the car The witness heard no argument which