Evening star., 1909-07-12
Mother Says Son Was Slain;
Engaged to Wed Miss Stewart

when the court of inquiry which has
been called by Secretary of the Navy
Meyer to meet July 10 to investigate
the circumstances of the tragic death of
nv son has heard the sworn testimony
of witnesses whom I shall offer the
whole world will know that my boy did
not take his own life. but that he was
the victim of brutal murder"
This statement is made by Mrs. James
y. Sutton OF Portland, Ore. according to
New York newspapers. which this morn
ing publish long interview with her
from West Point
For nearly two years she has been
making a determined effort to have the
government authorities reopen the In
vestigation into the mysterious death of
her son. Lieut. James Sutton of the
Marine Corps. which occurred early on
the morning of October 13, 1907. while
he, with other officers. was returning
to the officers quarters at the Naval
Academy.
Determined to Clear Name.
"My son was neither an angel nor
saint" Mrs. Sutton continued. but there
was not one drop of a towards blood in
his veins. Determined to clear his name
of the stigma which was placed on it by
the board of investigation which con-
vened in Annapolis a few hours after
his death. / have been working single
handed for nearly two years to have the
Navy Department reopen the case.
President Roosevelt and Secretary OF
the Navy Metcalf declined to hear my
appeals. but Secretary Meyer was con-
WINGED that an injustice had been done
my son and he Immediately ordered that
q board of inquiry should convene to hear
the sworn testimony of all witnesses.
1T is unnecessary for me to make
charges against any one or to say that
my son was the victim Of prearranged
plot The whole story will be brought
out before the court of inquiry and JUS
tice will be meted out to the guilty.
Says Truth Was Suppressed.
tremendous influence was brought to
bear on the Navy Department to have
the verdict of the board of investigation
stand. The verdict, mind you. held that
my son had committed suicide.
I'VE have found witnesses who will
contradict all the testimony introduced
at the hearing conducted by the board of
investigation.
"There was absolutely no truth in the
statements made at that time that my
son had been drinking heavily on the
night of the tragedy. He did not attend
the dance given at Carvel Hall the even
ing of October IL. neither did Miss
Mary Elizabeth Stewart of Pittsburg.
ease
Waited for Fellow-Officers.
Jimmy and Miss Stewart were to-
gether until ten minutes TO IL. Then my
son waited for some of his brother ON
GERS who had invited him 10 ride out to
the officers camp with them"
Mrs. Sutton is confident that Miss
Stewart, who will be asked to testify be-
fore the court of inquiry, can be of great
service in clearing up the mystery. AL
though Lieut.. Sutton and Miss Stewart
had only known each other for a short
time before the marine officer met with
his mysterious death. the young woman
wrote Mrs. Sutton that she and the lieu
tenant had fallen in love the first time
they had met.
From letters l have received from Miss
Stewart, and from the contents of let
ter written by Jimmy two days before
his DEATH she said. II am certain that
they would have been married within a
month.
His death came as a terrible shock to
Miss Stewart, and / do not believe that
Can Be Of Aid.
If Miss Stewart will appear before the
board of inquiry. as | believe she will.
she can give testimony which will aid in
clearing the name of my son and the
man she loved
Shortly after the suicide verdict OF the
board of investigation had been approved
by the Navy Department she wrote me
that the evidence upon which this unjust
finding had been based was manufactured
for the occasion
The defeat of United States Senator
Charles W. Fulton of Oregon for re-elec-
tion and the election of Gov Chamber
lain. democrat. as his successor Mrs
Sutton said was partly due TO the fact
that Senator Fulton made no serious ef-
fort to have the Navy Department reopen
the investigation which had been con
Quoted by the board named. by the super
intendent of the Naval Academy
after we found IL impossible 10 obtain
any satisfaction through Senator Full
ton," she said. my husband, whose
health has been steadily declining since
the death OF our son, appealed to Presi.
dent Roosevelt, but was not treated with
even the courtesy of a reply 10 his letter
The letter was acknowledged by Secre-
taryr Metealf. who said IL would be duly
considered. but We heard nothing more.
Finally i came east and took up the
fight 10 avenge my sons DEATH
Snubbed by Newberry.
A morning newspaper quotes Mrs. Su.
ton. from West Point in the following
criticism of the Roosevelt administration
My experiences with the Roosevelt ad
ministration were enough to discourag,
any seeker after justice, but ] kept on
determined to spend the rest of my life
II necessary, in seeing the true story o.
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