The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-07-23
DIED HATING LIFE.
Sutton Planned Suicide,
Says Marine COmrade.
SISTER WILL TAKE THE STAND.
Witness Denies Officers First Beat
Him to Death With Fists and
Then Shot Into His
Prostrate Body.
SISTER WILL TAKE THE STAND.

Annapolis. Md, July 22.-Lieutenant
Edward S. Willing will finish his story
today before the naval board of in
quiry which is investigating the death
of Lieutenant James n. Sutton of
Portland. Ore. Only four witnesses
out Of the fifteen so far subpoenaed
by the government had been exam
ined.
H. w. Van Dyke Of Washington, of
counsel for Sutton's mother, says that
outside Of Mrs. Rose Sutton Parker,
sister Of Lieutenant Sutton, there will
probably be no witnesses beyond those
on the government list, which includes
number of witnesses subpoenaed at
the request Of the Suttons.
Both the direct and cross examina-
tion Of the four young officers of the
marine corps who were present at the
fight when, as they have all testified.
Sutton shot himself, has been lengthy,
and the hearing will last for several
days yet
Henry e. Davis, chief counsel for
the Suttons. will today finish cross
examining Lieutenant Willing, now at
tached to the marine barracks at the
navy yard in Philadelphia. In few
minor points, referring principally to
the description of the immediate scene
of the tragedy Mr.. Davis succeeded in
showing discrepancies in Lieutenant
Vikings testimony at this and the
former inquiry.
In essential particulars Lieutenant
Willing's story differed little from that
of his brother officers. Willing. who
was officer of the day at the marine
camp and was routed out by Lieuten-
ants Utley and Bevan when Sutton
was running wild in camp with two
revolvers prior to the tragedy, as
former witnesses had testified, was
the first man to say that he reached
the scene of the tragedy in time to
see Adams punching Sutton.
Lieutenant Bevan, who ran down to
the place where they had all heard the
first shots almost at this same time
as Lieutenant Willing, testified that he
saw no blows exchanged.
When Lieutenant Willing on cross
standing or on his knee with Adams
holding him by the back of the neck
with one hand and punching him with
the other it was too much for Mrs.
Parker. who sat directly opposite the
witness.
She smiled incredulously at Willing
and turning to Mr.. Van Dyke, one of
her counsel, said Indignantly: "Imag-
inc wild man, as they describe my
brother to have been. standing up with
revolver in each hand and taking q
punching like that. 1t is wholly in
credible
If subdued sneers and incredulous
smiles would have disconnected the
witnesses they would have been hope
lessly squelched by those frequently
directed at them by Mrs. Parker and
Mrs. Sutton.
Major Leonard, the judge advocate
; asked the witness if he thought the
punching Sutton got would have killed
him or if the witness had any way o.
knowing whether Sutton was dead be
fore the last shot was fired.
1t is known that Mrs. Sutton ha!
impressed upon Major Leonard he
belief that her son was beaten to deatl
and afterward shot
The witness answered these Ques
tions in the negative and said ther,
was no doubt in his mind that Suttol
pulled the trigger of the revolve
when he was shot.
Willing testified that he took the 81
caliber service revolver from Sutton
right hand after the shooting, bu
could not remember what became o
after that. 1t was supposed to hav
=; got into the hands Of Sergeant D
! Hart, who threw it away. He will
\ be witness.
; Willing, who stood within two fee
=. Of Sutton's head, saw no revolver a
p: the time, he said. Adams and Beval
thought 1t might have been the small
= er revolver with which Sutton sho
himself.
= Lieutenant Bevan created a stir i
a court when he testified that six week
4 prior to the shooting Sutton had toll
|. him that life IN the marine corps ha
q no attraction for him and that som
y day he would shoot himself.
!, There having been a current repoI
d that Lieutenant Sutton carried life II
euFance to the amount of $1,000
r which could not be collected If the dt
;, cision of the previous investigatin
Q board that he committed suicide is nc
q upset, Mrs. Sutton and her daughte
specifically deny that the lieutenar