Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-07-22
LIEUT.. BEvANs TELLS
STORY OF SUTTON'S DEATH
Continued from Page One.)

Lieut.. Rocker was expostulating
with Lieut. Sutton about putting his
(Sutton's) revolvers away but besides
that, took no action" replied the wit
ness.
Asked if there was any interval be-
tween the time someone said MY God,
he has killed Rocker and the time
Sutton shot himself as testified by the
witness, Lieut. Bevan said it was only
q few seconds.
Are you positive that Lieut.. Sutton
caused the revolver to be fired at the
time he was shot?" inquired Major
Leonard.
Yes, / know that no one present
was in contact with the revolver ex-
cept Lieut. Sutton" Bevan answered.
Arthur E.. Bierney, Lieut.. Adams
counsel. questioned the witness. The
latter told OF conversation with Sui
ton about six weeks prior to his death
in which Sutton said the life in tn"
navy did not attract him and that some
day he would shoot himself.
What led up to the conversations"
asked Mr.. Birney.
TT was merely a conversation in
which Sutton spoke of his experiences
at the academy and his examinations"
said Bevan.
i Counsel for Suttons mother began
his cross-examination of the witness.
. Mr.. Davis took the witness back 10
the happenings in camp prior to the
fight in which Sutton lost his life. He
wanted to know If Lieut.. Utley had
not told Lieut.. Bevan, when he met
him on the way to camp. where he,
Bevan, had been informed by the cor
poral Of the guard. that Sutton was
misbehaving himself that 1t had been
necessary to place Sutton under ar
rest early in the evening. The wit
ness did not recall this talk with
Utley.
Mr.. Davis read from Lieut. Bevan's
testimony at the previous hearing in
which he said that Utley told him of
Suttons arrest.
The witness did not recall that he
SO testified.
What did Sutton say when you
placed him under arrest in camp"
asked Mr.. Davis.
Il don't recall his exact words, it l.;
hard to recollect everything that was
said and happened after two years but
I think he said: Damn the arrest, l
am going to get my mess jacket and
things and clear out Of here forever.
or words to that effect" the witness
answered.
Lieut.. Bevan said he met Lieut..
Willing, the officer of the day on his
way to the place from which the shots
seemed to be fired. Lieut.. Willing
was coming toward the camp and l
was fhurrying away from it,. he con-
tinued. He did not see Sutton after
he left camp until he found him on
the ground.
How long was it after you saw SUIT
ton leave camp until you heard the
shotc?" asked Mr. Davis.
Il estimate it at two or three min
utes," returned Lieut.. Bevan.
would that be about the time it
would have taken Sutton to go from
camp OF rapid pace to the spot where
the fight occurred
1T Is my impression it would have
taken him just about that length of
time"
The witness said it was his impress
sion that he heard six shots fired prior
to the time Sutton fired the last shot
which ended his life.
did you see Lieut.. Rocker lying on
the ground near Sutton?' asked Mr..
Davis. Yes"
: "Was he lying on his back or his
face?''
II don't remember that"
When he found Sutton there were
two men on him he said, the body lying
face downward with his head toward
the barracks and the body at right
angle with the path. Rocker lay
further away from the path than SUIT
ton.
Mr.. Davis requested the witness to
narne the men and describe their posi-
tons about Sutton's body when he
came up. Bevan could not recall the
scene with the same accuracy he did
yesterday and confused some of the
men ard their relative positions whom
he said, were present. yesterday. II
am only describing faint image of
the surroundings l believe l had in
my mind. I may have confused the
men then for my mind was not on the
at the time, but on the