New-York tribune., 1909-07-20
CALLS SUTTON SUICIDE
LIEUT.. ADAMS SPENDS
DAY ON STAND.
Says Young Marine Officer Killed
Himself scith Last of Fire Bul-
lets-SOme Discrepancies.

Annapolis. July ls-The opening session here
to- day of the court Of inquiry which Is con-
ducting a second investigation into the death Of
Lieutenant James Nuttle Sutton OF the United
States Marine Corps. was replete with dramatic
situations After organizing this morning IN
the administration building the court assem-
bIed for the taking OF testimony In the big aud
toriurl OF the academic building.
Lieutenant Robert E. Adams. Sutton's former
classrnate at the academy and one OF the prin-
cipal actors in the midnight fight which cost
Sutton his life nearly two years ago. occupied
the witness stand during the entire session and
told n graphic story Of the incidents leading up
to Sutto-s death.
with nervous demeanor. momentarily con
fused at times and yet almost defiant under
the severe cross examination of Henry E Davis.
counsel for Mrs. Sutton the young officer sat
facirg S;lttons mother and sister during his
examination His brother officers. Iieutenants
Eeyan and Osterman fianked by Adams's two
LAWYERS. sat further down the inquiry table
Major Henry Leonard. L. S. NJ c. the judge
advocate. and the three members of the board
completed the sitting
At one point in his testimony Lieutenant
Adams and an orderly enacted the struggle with
Sutton in the courtroom The witness chair was
removed and they both lay prone upon the floor.
Tho witness was still under cross examination
when the inquiry adjourned until tomorrow
morning
ADAMS CONTRADICTS HIMSELF.
Mr. Davis succeeded in bringing out
ba- of discrepancfes in Adams's testimony to-
dav compared with his version Of the tragedy at
the former investigation. when the hoard of in
ouirv found that Sutton died by his own hand
How important they may be and what bearing
hay on Ad1nS'S
ure position in the case are expected to develop
more clearly as all the facts gradually
folded in court.
A ride TO the marine camp in an automobile
With Sutton and two other officers of marines
Iieutenants UtIey and Osterman: a quarrel
between Sutton and the witness and a de-
ferred encounter when the senior officer inter
fered as the automobile stopped short of
the camp with the intention OF avoiding being
caugllt returning after hours later accidental
meeting of the witness and sutton on the bor-
der of the woods near the barracks, and the
erbt between the two men. with sutton armed
with a revolver in either hand and firing five
shots the last of which he directed at his own
head while lying the ground-these were the
ponts in Lieutenant Adams's testimony.
The witness said he had risen from the pros
trate Sutton. whom he believed to be exhausted.
and stood a few feet back of him. when he saw
raise his r1Rnt manu- anu n SdAiCt
into his own head. Just previously some one Of
the officers who had come upon the scene had
cried that Lieutenant Edward P. Rocker had
beeu shot and killed. the witness said Adams
had made no attempt take the revolver from
Sutton's hands when he broke away. OF was
n,,1led away from him. he said, in reply 10 Oft
repeated questions. Sutton had previously
threatened to kill him. and was generally avoid
cd bv the marines because of his wild talk and
actions according To the witness.
After the. session to-day Mr.. Davis said that
il was not his intention TO fasten the RESPONSE
blitv for Suttons death any one but that
every effort would be made to discredit and re-
flute the suicide theory.
IMPORTANT WITNESS MISSING.
Rocker rs an important witness who has not
vet been found. His mother accepted service of
n subpoena for him in Washington II is said |
but his whereabouts is not known He left the
service soon after the Sutton tragedy Mrs
Sutton's counsel said tonight that Miss Mar
garet Stewart. OF Pittsburg. the young woman |
who was with Sutton most of the evening be-
fore he met his death. might be called as a witt
ness Her testimony would be material in re-
futingI the theory of suicide, he said. Miss I