Goldsboro semi-weekly argus., 1909-07-24
AIMS DECLARES
SUTTON SUIClDED
Mother and Sister of Dead
Man Are Present
at Inquiry
MANY D|SCREP PANC|tS

Declares There Is a Plot to Send Him
to the GallOws-Adams Illustrated
His Testimony by Re-enacting the
Tragic Scene i'm the Court Room.
Annapolis, Md, July 19.-The open
ing session here today of the court OF
inquiry which is conducting a second
investigation into the death of Lieu
| tenant James Sutton. of the United
States Marine Corps, was replete with
dramatic situations.
The court assembled in the big au-
ditorium of the Academic Building.
The very 1argeness of the hall added
to the atmosphere of solemnity.
Lieut.. Robert E.. Adams, Sutton's
I former classmate at the Academy, and
one of the principal actors in the
midnight fight which cost Sutton his
life nearly two years ago, occupied
the witness stand during the entire
session, and told graphic story of
the incidents leading up to Sutton's
death.
Under the severe cross examination
OF Henry E. Davis, counsel for Mrs
Sutton, the young officer sat facing
Sutton's mother and sister during his
examination.
His brother officers, Lieutenants
Bevan and Osterman, fanked by Ad-
ans two lawyers, sat farther down
the inquiry table. Maj. Henry Leon
ard, U. S. M. c., the Judge Advocate.
and the three members of the board
completed the impressive setting, in
their white service uniforms.
At one point in his testimony, Lieu
tenant Adams and an orderly enacted
the struggle with Sutton in the court
room. The witness chair was remov-
ed and they both lay prone upon the
cross examination when the inquiry
adjourned until tomorrow morning.
Mr.. Davis succeeded in bringing out
number of discrepancies in Adams
testimony today, compared with his
version of the tragedy at the former
investigation when the board of in
quiry found that Sutton died by his
own hand.
A ride to the marine camp in an
automobile with Sutton and two other
officers of marines, Lieutenants Utley
and Osterman, an alteration between
Sutton and the witness and a deferred
encounter when the senior officer in
terferred, as the automobile was to
stop short of the camp with the inten-
ton of avoiding being caught return
ing after hours; later accidental
meeting of the witness and Sutton. on
the border of the woods near the bar
racks and the fight between the two
men with Sutton armed with a re-
volver in either hand and firing five
shots, the last of which he directed at
his own head while lying on the
these were the points in Lieu
tenant Adams testimony.
The witness said he had risen from
he PROSTATE Sutton, who, he believed
70 be exhausted, and stood a few feet
back of him when he saw Sutton raise
lis right hand and fire a bullet into
lis own head. Just previously one of
he officers who had come upon the
scene had cried that Lieutenant Ed
ward P. Rocker had been shot and
killed, the witness said.
Adams had made no attempt to take
he revolver from Suttons hand when
le broke away or was pulled away
rom him, he said, in reply to Lawyer
Davis oft-repeated question
Sutton had previously threatened to
ill and was generally avoided by the
marines because of his wild talk and /
.ctions, according to the witness.
After the session Mr. Davis said i
hat it was not his intention to fasten /
he responsibility of Suttons death !
Lpon any one, but that every eff, t !
would be made to discredit and ref lie .
he suicide theory /.
Rocker is an important witness J
Vho has not yet been located
Mrs. Sutton's counsel said tonight !
hat Miss Margaret Stewart, of Pitts ,
urg, the young woman who was rith :
utton most of the evening before he +
net his death, might be called as a :
fitness. {.