The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-07-24
ADAMS AGGRESSOR,
DECLARES OWENS
Chauffeur Describes Fight
Which Lead to Death.
KEEPS HIS SELFPOSsESSION
Day One of the Liveliest in the
sutton HeaFing-SerEt. De Hart
TO Change His TestimOny-Chauf-
feur Griffith Also on the stand.

Annapolis, July IA frank, clear-eyed
Irish boy took the witness stand in the
Sutton inquiry to-day. and gave the first
bit Of evidence TO Indicate that Lieut..
Robert I. Adams. and not Lieut.. James
n. sutton. was the aEgressor IN the FIRST
OF the several rows that occurred on
the Marine Corps reservation here the
night that sutton met his death
This witness was William Isaac owens.
now employed as a driver OF an express
wagon IN Annapolis. but on the night OF
October T. 1907. as chauffeur. driving a
public automobile in which Ldeuts.
Adams. Osterman. Sutton. and UtIey rode
from Carvel Hall TO the reservation.
He came into the court room near the
close Of the mornings session, and his
appearance created a mild sensation. sec
ond only to that Of the aristocratic Lieut..
Willing, whose presence on the stand
drew to the auditorium more admiring
women than any other witness who has
appeared.
Slender. blue-eyed. and self-possessed
was owens. His very attitude in the
witness chair was in sharp contrast to
the erect military men who had preceded
him. He lounged back in his chair with
one knee resting against the edge OF
the table. around which the officers OF
the court and the attorneys were gath
cred. But his testimony was straight
forward.
sutton Paid the Fare.
reservation one u the ofacers in the
party told me TO stop the machine" said
Owens. 7 stopped Lieut.. Adams got
out. took of his coat and threw It on
the ground. Then Lieut.. Sutton got out.
lie paid me the fare and stepped away
from the machine
Adams rushed at Sutton. The two
officers. whose names l don't know.
caught Sutton by the arms. Sutton told
Adams 20 so away. that ne did not
want any trouble with him. Then one OF
the officers told me to leave. I moved
away with my machine. but not far. be-
cause 1 wanted 10 see what was coming
off, Adams rushed at Sutton again. The
other officers still had hold OF Sutton.
Adams did not strike Sutton. I heard
Sutton say: II he wants a fight will
! fight him. Seeing me lingering the officers.
who had spoken before, called out: Or
Derby and 7 thought it was time for me
10 go. so I went away"
Both Adams and Osterman. who left
Carvel Hall with sutton that night, testi-
fed that Sutton started the row by tell
/ ing Adams he was a 'Gold-footed cow
/ ard when Adams agreed with Utleys sug-
gestiOn that they ought not to take a
noisy automobile into the reservation after
hours.
LiveIIest Day of Week.
In many respects, to-day was the live
! lest Of the week. When the court con-
! vened Sergt. James De Hart. a remark
able witness. was recalled after a long
seige yesterday. The grilling given the
slender noncommissioned officer by Al.
torney Davis, who is conducting the case
for the Suttons, was exceedingly severe
but try as he would the criminal lawyer
could do nothing with the enlisted man.
Davis hammered DE Hart all over the
! lot for more than an hour on a stretch
but when It was oil over il was tho
| lawyer. and not the witness. who was ex.
hausted De Hart started his testimony
AT q convenient point for man who di6