The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-07-21
PUTS|T ON SUTTON
Lieutenant Adams Tells of
Pistol Shooting.
TANGLED IN HIS TESTIMONY.
Witness Says Sutton Fired Four
Times at Brother Officers and
Then Shot Himself In
Remorse.


Of inquiry which is investigating the
cause of the death of Lieutenant
James N. Sutton heard the continual
ton today of the testimony of Lieuten-
ant Robert Il. Adams.
Lieutenant Sutton's death on the
night Of Oct. 12, 1907, resulted from
pistol shot wound in the top of his
head. The bullet afterward found
within the skull was apparently from
the same cartridge as is used in the
regular 3S caliber service revolvers.
The previous investigation by the
Naval academy authorities recorded
Lieutenant Sutton as having commit
ted suicide.
Attorney Davis succeeded in bring
ing out q number of discrepancies in
Adams testimony. What bearing
these contradictions may have on Ad-
ans future position in the case is
expected to develop more clearly to-
day.
Lieutenant Eoelker is an important
witness. who has not yet been located.
He left the service soon after the
Sutton tragedy.
Mrs. Sutton's counsel says that Miss
Margaret Stewart of Pittsburg, the
young woman who was with Sutton
most Of the evening before he met his
death, might be called as a witness.
Miss Stewart is now in Canada, but
her father has recently gone to urge
on her the advisability Of her testify
1 iifC. IL
Lieutenant Adams said that after a
quarrel on the way home from a
dance that night between Sutton and
Lieutenant Osterman he went back
to the scene of the fight to look for
his own coat He said:
II started down the path and had
gone thirty or forty PAGES when I
saw something white. 1t seemed to
arise, and voice said: That's that
d Adams. I'm going to kill you
He fired. l ran at him. He fired
again. We grappled. He fired third
time and hit me in the finger. AS we
wheeled around saw Rocker. There
was a shot and / cried. My God. has
he killed Roelkcr?' AS l stood up
there was flash, and I looked to-
ward Sutton to see him PROSTATE and
evidently dead
'When Sutton was on the ground"
said Lieutenant Adams, 81 pushed his
face into the earth with all my
strength to keep from seeing who it
} was. He struggled for twenty Sec
onds and then seemed to weaken"
,1tt nf
asked Judge Advocate Leonard.
II was too excited to notice that"
replied the witness.
did you hit Sutton at that time?"
Eyes. hit him when first crap.
pied with him." Adams said.
, Questioned by his own counsel, AR.
thur e. Birney, Lieutenant Adams
, said that Lieutenant Utley dismissed
, the chauffeur and paid for the auto
, mobile the night of the tragedy.
At the former hearing the testimony
was to the effect that Sutton hired the
automobile and paid for it.
Major Leonard asked the witness Il
he, Utley and Osterman were in uni
form on the night of the shooting
Lieutenant Adams said they were IL
their dark blue mess jacket uniforms
lis there any way, in your opinion, ;
man could carry a service revolvel
; while in the mess uniform without 1
being in evidence" asked Major Leon
ard.
mo, sir, think not" Adams replied
The witness said there were fou
, shots fired before Sutton fired the ia
tai shot. Sutton had a service re
volver in one hand and a smaller on
, in the other when he opened fire, tn
=. witness said. The third shot wa
: fired from the large caliber service re
volver, Adams said. He knew that be
= cause he was on top of Sutton ant
; saw the flash at his side.
~ was under the impression tina
/. this shot with which Sutton kille,
. himself was fired from the smaller re
volver," the witness said.
: Lawyer Henry e. Davis, counsel 70
4; Mrs. Sutton, cross examined the wit
!. mes. Mr.. Davis wanted to know |
! the witness relations with Sutto
!. were always agreeable. Lieutenan
Adams said he had little to do wit
Sutton. When he first came to tn
academy in July, 1907, he was toll
that Sutton had placed the officers @
the day and other officers in such ur
dignified positions by making theI
dance by threatening to shoot at thei
feet that the marines had decided t
have nothing to do with Sutton, th