Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-08-12
ToDDs TESTIMONY UAIMp0RTANT
Marine Sergeant Who Was Expected
to Give Sensational Evidence Con-
corning Killing Of Young lieuten-
ant. Throws no New Light Upon
Case-Grewsome Feature of Case.
(By Associated Press).

gruesome feature was this afternoon
introduced into the proceedings of the
court of inquiry into the death OF
Lieutenant James n. Sutton. Jr.. OF
the U. S. NJ c., when the legal rep
resentative of Mrs. Sutton, mother OF
the dead lieutenant, brought TO the
witness stand DR.. Edward NJ. Schaef-
fer, of Washington, an expert on gun
shot wounds.
The people in the room crowded
around the table and gazed with the
keenest interest at the doctor while
he placed upon the table glistening
skulls to the exterior of one OF which
he affixed, in little Jumps of wax,
steel rods intended to indicate TO the
members of the court the course or
the bullet in the skull of Lieutenant
Sutton. Lieutenant Adams had given
a dramass illustration of the position
of Lieutenant Sutton when the fatal
shot was fired The doctor was equal
ly dramatic as he stretched himself
upon the table and showed by PAN
somine, how in his opinion as all ex-
pert..it was quite impossible that
Lieutenant Sutton could ever have
fred into his own head the shot that
put an end to his life.
Couldn't Have PULLED Trigger.
One of the points upon which the
witness dwelt with special stress was
the imrossIbility of Lieutenant SUIT
ton being able under the circum-
stances described in the testimony,
to exert sufficient pull on the trigger
of the revolver to bring down the
hammer of the weapon upon the cart
ridge.
DR.. Schaeffer stated that he had
much experience in the examination
of gunshot wounds, and had per-
formed many autopsies upon bodies
which such wounds appeared.
Illustrating upon himself, the wit
ness assumed on the table the position
in which Lieutenant Sutton was de-
scri5ed to have besn on the ground
when shot. and declared that he, the
witness, was unable to pull the trig-
ger of the small Iistol he was using
in his demonstration. With any one
sitting upon his shoulders, he said.
IL would have been utterly impossible
for a man in Sutton's position to have
shot himself as has been described
10 have been done. Mr.. Birney cross
examined DR.. Schaeffer, questioning
him with an apparent intention to-
show that a man Of Sutton's age might
have done what one of DIT. ShaeEers
could not.
Todds Testimony Unimportsnt-
Sergeant Todd. who was on the
stand during the Afternoon session,
said he had seen Lieutenant ROeklerI
pass the guard room After The shoot
ing. he said, Lieutenant Rocikler came
into the g1ard room and said: Wy
God. Archie, I've been shot The
witness had heard four shots fired.
He acknowledge having said he had
often wondered why n was not sum
moncc.
Mt. Brney TOOK TIC NitheSS wv
the events Of the night The running
figure. he said. was going from 'ne
vicinity OF thc camp toward the
fridge over college creek. After the
shooting be saw Lieyensnts ADAMS
and Osterman in the rood e the Off
Ger OF the day.
In response 10 questions q NJ
Davis. Todd said that It was Lacuten-
art Adams who asked the witness II
h. had any spare guns. saying there
was trouble IN the company. aud nc
wanted them for protection.
Todd said he did not h-sr until
next morning that Lieutenant sutton
had been shot He was not asked
hy any one n he knew anything whai-
ever Of the trounlc. The FIRST TIM
witness aid. that anyone had toli
him that any information be- had. vas
wanted was when = newspaper man
AID % a. Wakefield. Mass. yesterday
Dr Schai Ter vas on TIE STAMP
uhcn TIE court atiourrcd