The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-08-12
LEONARD CLOSES
WITH No ARGUMENT
Sutton Attorneys Taken
Back by Sudden Action
of Judge Advocate.

back in the realization that the begin
ming OF the end was here. solemnly
asked the judge advocate if he was
ready with his argument.
Major Leonard, tail. thin, and with an
empty sleeve pinned TO his left coatside
arose 10 his fun height, leaned for
ward just bit and said:
May it please the court. the United
States Government has no argument to
submit. The Government, despite the
astounding allegations that have been
made of efforts to conceal testimony
and cover the trail of criminals. has
used every means i'm its power to bring
before this court every witness known.
Officers have been brought from the
plains of Northern China, from the jun
giles OF The philippines. from smyrna
from almost every port in the United
states. and froa all points of the world
10 testify.
THE Government has laid before the
court every scrap of written testimony
and every scrap of writing that would
produce any clue or that gave the prom
ise Of producing any clue, and they have
al been followed in order to get every
line of evidence that bore upon the
issue.
Placed All Evidence.
Having placed before the court all
the evidence in my possession. as was
ny duty % do, ] have now to say that
unless counsel in their remarks should
make statements to which 1 deem it
necessary to reply, / have no other ar
Eument to make in this case.
The department and the Judge advO-
cate have no condition of facts they
desire 10 prove With me the sole OBJ
iect that has actuated every move was
10 produce in public and to lay before
the eyes of the people OF the United
States everything that bore in any way
upon this most unfortunate incident
i do EoJ feel disposed now to further
waste IL time of the court in setting
forth position that must have been
apparent TO every unbiased observer.
! feel now that the people the de-
partment and all parties TO the inquiry
should now be called upon 10 state
whether they. or any one in their
knowledge, know of anything further
in the way of evidence that may be
brought before this court by the depart
ment or the judge advocate which re-
lates to the subject matter.
II no such person appears, I feel
that he should forever hereafter hold
his peace
Function Closes.
Then the Judge advocate assumed a
second startling position as 10 his feel
ings in the present inquiry He said
his voice so tense that no one could
mistake the meaning
And now, I feel further that, with
the assistance of the learned counsel en-
gagged in this hearing, my function
closes. do now move and ask that the
court grant my request. that the regu-
lations be so construed by the court that
at the conclusion OF the last public
hearing Of this inquiry board he
directed 10 withdraw from them and
70 hold no further communication of
any kind with this court of inquiry until
its verdict shall have been reached. /
ask that my function after this court
retires shall be limited solely to a re-
cording Of its verdict and my necessary
signature thereto.
The obvious desira ability OF this
course Is so plain that / ask the court 10
support me in this position.
''Whiie not seeking criticism by this
action. I do not desire that I shall later
be called uDOn TO bear possible criticism
Of having had any part N or connection
with or relation to any finding this
court may reach other than 10 merely
lay before il 10 the best of my ability
the facts"
Major LeonaTd's earnestly expressed
desire that he he allowed to in future
disassociste himself with the court or
inquiry came as a surprise. but the
meaning Of the request was wei under
srood BY many who have followed the
case closely. The relations between the
Sutton attorneys and the judge advocate
are known to be strained. and especially
since the introduction Of certain conf
dental letters from Mrs Sutton 70
Harry NJ Swartz. Of Washington. at
which time Attorney Davis accused
Leonard Of acting in bad faith.
The Sutton attorneys made no COM
uaent on the judge advocates intention
70 wash his hands OF any responsibility
Tor the verdict