Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-08-12
Expert in GuoShot Wounds De-
cIareS Suicide Theory Unten-
able; GrueSonoe Array Of
Skulls to Prove it,
CASE OF PROSECUTION
ASSUMES UGLY ASPEC 7
Evidence of Doctor Schaeffer
Of Army Medical Museum
Apparently Leaves Murder
as Only Solution of Mystery,
JBy Morning journal Special Leased wirel

JBy Morning journal Special Leased Wirel
Annapolis Md, Aug. IA grue-
some feature was this afternoon intro
duced into the inquiry regarding the
death of Lieutenant James y. Sut-
ton, ir., Of the United States marine
corps, when the legal representative Of
Mrs. sutton, the mother of the dead
lieutenant, brought to the witness
stand Dr. Edward NJ Schaeffcr OF
Washington, an expert on gunshot
wounds.
The people in the room. spectators
and interested parties, all crowded
around the table and gazed with the
kcenest interest upon the doctor while
be placed upon the table Slistening
skulls to the exterior Of one which he
affixed. in little humps of Wax steel
rods intended to Indicate to the mem
bcrs of the court the course of the
bullet in the skull Of Lieutenant SUIT
ton. The doctor stretched himself
upon the table and showed by panto-
mine how, in his opinion as an eX-
pert, it was quite impossible that Lieu
tenant sutton could have fired into his
own head the snut tlIat Killed him.
The witness declared Lieutenant SUIT
ton could not possibly under the cir
cumstances described in the testimony,
have exerted sufficient pull on the re-
volyer TO discharge it.
When court adjourned the cross eN-
animation Of DR.. Schaeffer was in pro-
grcss
The evidence Of Sergeant Todd,
touching which considerable interest
has been aroused by a published in
tervicw, while it did not confirm the
interview i'm whole did bring into the
official evidence some points not inI
consonance with testimony given prev
iously by members of the marine corps.
u, H. Taylor, undertaken, and James
~ Widenfeld. who prepared sutton 81
body for burial, both testified there
was no evidence that either Of Sutton's,
arms had been broken. Widenleld
said there were no indications that heI
had been beaten though the witness
had made no examination for PROOF.
Professor Gilbert Coleman of the
naval academy, stated that he vas I'M
the company of Lieutenant sutton
from lunch to about midnight of Oc-
tobcr II, 1907. (the night of sutton s.
dcath) then leaving the lieutenant
with Miss May stewart of Pttsburs
Pa, at the assembly room of the ho-
tel. Lieutenant Sutton. he said. Was|
in a condition of perfect sobrietN att
that time. Lieutenant Allen II. sum
"a
the hotel the same night Lientenants
Adams. Osterman and Utlcy and that
an of them were perfectly sober Lieu
tenant Sutton, he said, entered the
room and offered those i'm the party
a drink from a bottle of whisky, when
all declined. Lieutenant sumner sald
he afterward went to camp. Atter ms
arrival there hc saw Lieutenant suit
ton leaving the camp armed, without
his coat Later he heard shots and
going in the direction, saw Lieutenah'
sutton on the grass. He also saw
Lieutenant Rocker who appeared tol
have been injured and taking him into
camp, found his clothing torn by q bul-
let which was found in his garments
The witness Identified as his own a,
card on which he had written; sutton
] am a damn fool Consider the gun
business cut out" This he had signed
He said this was written by him Tor
the purpose of humOring whlm ol
Lieutenant sutton on which occasion
the latter was very much intoxicated
The witness hoped it would be a means
of inducing sutton to go to his note
pcaceably
Lieutenant sumner testified that Sut-
ton was not of good reputation among
the other student officers and that hel
did not believe him to be a truthiui
man. Mr.. Davis declined to ask ihe
witness any questions.
Sergeant a. +. Todd, corporal "l
the guard on the night of Lieutenant
Sutton's death. took the stand iie
said he heard an unusual noise in the
guard room and there found lieutth-
ants Adams and Osterman. who asked
MN for weapons. saying there was
trouble in the camp. They got no Wei
pons. shortly after he heard shots
llred. Later Lieutenant Rocker. inl
civilian attire. came to him and said
he had been shot. The witness iounu
IN Rockers pocket a drill regulation
oook. he said. in the pages OF whicn
he found bullet There WAS marx.
from blow Of some sort. over Rori-
Aers heart He also found holes IN
rockers clothing and underwear Hei
anew nothing of the finding. next NOR