Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1909-07-31
CHAUFFEUR SAW
SUTTONATTACKED
Says Lieutenant Was Forced to
| Fight on Night Of His Death.
|HlvY RESTS ITS CASE

. Mother and Sister of Sutton, Who
Claim a Verdict of Suicide or Acct
dental Death Could Not Be Based on
Real Facts, Will Testify Next
Week.
Annapolis. Md, July 24-The navy
practically rested its case in the in.
yestigation of the circumstances sur.
rounding the death of Lieutenant
James N. Sutton, of Portland, Ore,
who was adjudged a suicide by the
naval board of inquiry, which sat fol
lowing Sutton's death two years ago.
After a short session, Commander
John Hood, u s. N. president of the
court of inquiry, adjourned the hear
ing until Monday. With the exception
of Lieutenant Harold II. Utley and
Surgeon f. c. Cook, recently attached
to the battleship North Carolina, and
now on the way to this country from
Europe, nearly all the remaining wit
nesses are considered to be witnesses
for the interested parties outside OF
the service.
The Suttons, mother and daughter,
have contended from the start, that
neither verdict OF suicide nor even
one of accidental death, could be
based on the real facts, and that some
outside agency is responsible for Sut
tons death which, they declare, re.
suited from a mysterious bullet wound
in his head, inflicted during brawl
with officers of his corps. Mrs. Sutton
and her daughter, Mrs. Rose Sutton
Parker, will both testify at the hear
ings next week So far, four OF Sut.
toms brother officers in the marine
corps have testified that they were
present at the fight which started be-
tween Lieutenant Adams and Sutton
and each one of them swore they saw
Sutton deliberately shoot himself in
supposed At of remorse. after some one
had said that he. Sutton, had killed
Lieutenant Rocker. Their descrip
ton of the incidents just prior to the
shooting have varied in many re
spects. but they all agree positively as
to the alleged suicide.
BY far the most important testimony
to support the contention that Sutton
was the victim of an attack by fellow
officers was given by William |. Ow
ems, a chauffeur, who drove Lieutenant
Sutton and his brother officers out to
camp on the night of the shooting.
Owens told of taking Sutton. Lieu
tenant Adams and two other officers
in his automobile, on the morning OF
October 10, 1907, from Carvel Hall
toward the camp.
This was about / o'clock. Sutton and
his two companions talked and seem
ed to be friendly on the way out. Ad
ans did not have anything to say.
They went through the naval acad.
envy grounds, and nothing happened
until they got across the cemetery
bridge on the dump, when some one
told him to stop. Lieutenant Adams
jumped from his seat, threw off his
collar and then made a rush at Lieu.
tenant Sutton as the latter got out OF
the car The witness heard no argu-
ment which might suggest trouble be.
fore that.
The other two officers grabbed SUIT.
ton and the witness hard Sutton say:
Go away Adams. I don't want any
trouble" Then some one told him &c
"beat It."
"Why didn't you go them" asked
Major Leonard.
Forced Sutton to Fight.
81 wanted to stay and see the fight,
II there was to be one" said the wit
ness. Owens said he saw Adams make
another rush at Sutton, and heard
Sutton say If he wants to fight,
will fight him" -.l+Zl e 4gs'+aT.--A.
: Then one Of the officers called cor.
derry" Owens was sure they didn't
say sentry" or patrol" He told the
sentry on the bridge about the trou
BILE and the sentry said: IF they give
Sutton a fair fight he will whip them
all" Owens said he did not hear OF
the shooting until next morning. He
did not think any of the officers had
been drinking or that his car made
enough noise to drown the lowest
voice