The Washington herald., 1909-07-18

Annapolis. Nd. July Il. - Who took
away from Lieut.. James n. Sutton his
Smith & Wesson revolver and handed Il
TO sergt. James de Hart on the night OF
October L, 1907, when Sutton met his
death in a scufie with several brother Of
fcers?
De Hart threw It away into the grass.
and II was found the next morning empty.
When was it taken away from Sutton.
and was It handed TO de Hart IN the
dark before or after Sutton was shot?
Was it empty when taken from the
young officer who was struggling on the
ground face down with several heavy
men pummeling him with might and
main, and was It fired after it was taken
away from Sutton?
These are the questions that Will
have TO be answered before the mystery
surrounding the death of the Portland
COreg) man can be explained. and a
woman believes she has the answer,
and that the verdict OF the court Of in
quiry that viii meet on Monday TO in
vestIgate for the second time the row
IN the dark will clear the name Of her
dead brother from the stigma OF sui
eide.
Sister Arrives To-day.
Mrs May Sutton Parker, the sister OF
the dead man. is expected here to-mor-
row, and upon the evidence that she
gathered IN a searching investigation
Of the tragedy made just after its oc-
currence viii depend the verdict Of the
court.
For the first sine IN the history Of the
American navy, woman win practically
set as inquisitOr when the Investigation
begins Monday. and It Is stated here to-
night that Mrs. Parker has a mass OF
testimony. letters. and documentary eyd-
dence that conflicts with the testimony
given at the secret hearings before the
board OF inquest which branded her
brother as a suicide nearly two years
ago.
These letters and documents and the
testimony are the result OF her unaided
efforts TO clear her brothers name, and
s. IS known that the reopening Of the
nase was ordered by Secretary Of the
navy GtOLkc Won j.. Meyer a1Ler ne had
Seen Mrs. Parker's papers.
Contain Important Statements.
They are declared % have certain
statements from officers mixed in the af-
fair absolutely at variance with their
sworn testimony before the board Of in
guest.
Mrs. Parker proceeded IN a very DIFF
ferent way from the board Of inquest
when she conducted her Investigation.
She was bound by no rules Of evidence and
she asked some pointed questions that
angered her witnesses so much that they
are said TO have told more Of the tragedy
than they did 10 the officials Of the Navy
Department.
One man is declared to have told her:
4 hated your brother with a terrible alb
horrence, but 1 did not XIII him
Another is said 70 have admitted au-
thOrship Of a letter found IN Sutton's
pocket referring 70 a prospective duel.
Mrs. Parker delved right into the wit
nesses and grueied them numerically.
Mystery of Pistol.
The officials Of the Navy Department
admit that the board OF inquest which
conducted the first Investigation was alb
solutely unable to determine who took
Sutton's revolver away from him.
De Hart said he did not know who
handed il to him or at what point IN
the struggle. The board of INQUEST was
also unable to determine whether Sutton
was killed from a bullet from a Smith
& Wesson revolver or a Colts service
revolver.
Tests were made in an effort TO deter
mine these facts. It was declared To-
night. and the weight Of evidence pointed
that Sutton was killed by a bullet from
his Colts service revolver, which was
taken from his hand at the moment the
fatal shot was fired
Both revolvers were Of the same cali
Der; both belonged to Sutton. and thew
were the only firearms in the group OF
officers in the row.
Both Sides Admit Row.
It is admitted by both the friends Of
Sutton and by the Navy Department on
cials that there was row when the
automobile in which were Sutton. Iieuts
L. A Ostermann, j. H. Utley. and
Robert Adams was driven up to the
Marine Barracks
Sutton had been at the Carvel Hall
Hotel with Miss May E Stewart. and
when he was about TO return home he
met the other three Iieutenants or the
porch Of the hotel and asked them 20
ride to the barracks in his machine.
The row started over the question as
TO whether Il was against the rules for
them to be returning after midnight. and
Sutton and Adams got into an alterca-
ton. They wanted to fight. and Lieut..
Utley. the senior officer present, separat-
ed them.
Trouble Renewed.
They started toward the camp. when
another row occurred. The testimony at
the inquest was to the effect that Sutton
was the aggressor and struck Lieut.. Oster-
mann blow behind the ear, Telling him
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