Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-03
SETTLE DEATH HELD
SUICIDE BY NAVAL
BOARD OF INQUIRY
Finding Reached After TAX.
ing Much Testimony and
Viewing Lieutenant'S Body.
REPORT is FORWARDED
TO DEPARTMENT HEADS
Failure 10 Call Coroner Explained
as Due to His Lack of
Jurisdiction.

Lieut. Bruce Settle, U. s. N, an aide
at the White House, met death from
poison taken with suicidal intent, the
board Of inquest of the washington
Navy Yard. today advised the Navy
Department.
The boards opinion was reached after
lG mad viewed the body of Lieut.. Settle
sno taken q great mass Of testimony
from persons capable Of throwing light
on the circumstances surrounding his
death. The boards report was made
TO Capt. Claude c. Bloch, commandant
OF the Washington Navy Yard, who
ttorwarded 1t to the Navy Department
Rear Admiral David r. Sellers. the
Judge advocate general of the NAVY.
and his advisers examined the report
with view to establishing its correct
ness IN accordance with naval law.
From there 1t will go to the Bureau of
Medicine and Surgery and the Bureau
OF Navigation before it officially reaches
the desk OF Secretary Adams, who win
make the final finding in the case.
Text Of Boards Finding.
The boards opinion follows:
The board from view of the body
ana from the evidence before It identi-
ned the body as that of Bruce Settle.
late lieutenant, United States Navy, and
is OF the opinion that Bruce Settle. late
Lieutenant United States Navy, died at
about IL o'clock noon on December 20,
1880, at the United States Navy Yard,
Washington, d. c., while on duty at
That station, by reason of cyanide
poisoning, due to administration of
poison and that his death occurred not
in the line of duty, and was the result
OF his own misconduct, said misconduct
being suicide while OF a sane mind"
The board, of which Capt. p. w.
Foote OF the Washington Navy Yard
was senior member, had as additional
personnel Lieut.. Comdr. Lynn N. Hart
OF the Medical Corps and Lieut.. Comdr
Lucien 3. Green, I'd, commanding the
receiving station at the navy yard.
The opinion OF the board of inquest
was made public this afternoon at the
Navy Department after it had been re-
ceived from Capt. Bloch and referred
to Admiral Sellers.
Replies to Criticism.
Criticism that naval officials at the
Navy Yard neglected to call in the
District coroner in the death Of Lieut..
Settle was met today by Navy Depart
ment authorities, calling attention to
decisions by the judge advocate gem
eral, indicating that the coroner does
not have jurisdiction on the naval
reservation.
The Naval Digest, containing sum-
maries of selected decisions Of the Sec
rotary of the Navy and opinions Of the
Judge advocate general of the Navy, was
quoted by naval authorities as showing
that the District coroner Is without
Jurisdiction on Washington Navy Yard
property.
FTSha Tli0act I,as 1t,S. - go LII IL.
ence to coroners:
IF death occurs upon lands over
which the United States has exclusive
jurisdiction, and SNch death was not
caused by any act within the acknowl-
edged Jurisdiction of the State within
whose boundaries such land is situated,
then coroner could have no jurisdic-
ton in the matter and could not, under
the reserved right of the State to serve
them and hold an inquest.
Furthermore, such a proceeding
would be Of no use as a step in the
criminal procedure Of the State, because
the State would have no Jurisdiction to
try the offender. But If the body Of a
drowned person were found in waters
within the limits of the navy yard, and
no drowning had occurred at the yard,
1t would be proper to allow the coroner
W AAOA4 OLA 1144uCobs NIlCIG u sDGISOn In
the naval service who has been injured
outside the navy yard returns thereto
and dies from the injury, the coroner.
If he should so desire, should be per
mitted to hold an inquest, because the
injury was inflicted or occurred while
the deceased was within the jurisdic-
ton Of the State. a
Exception May BE Made.
"In proper cases, and when thought
advisable, but as not establishing a
precedent, or as acknowledging any
jurisdiction of the State to do so. a
coroner might be allowed, as a matter
Of courtesy. to come into a navy ward
to hold an Inquest, but before permit
ting such action the commanding on
Ger or commandant should feel con-
WINGED that such course would be adj
viSable or accomplish some desirable
end.
"a coroner has the right to hold an
inquest in case of accident resulting in
death. occurring within the limits Of
naval reservation where concurrent
jurisdiction exists
Navy Department officials said that
in as much as Lieut.. Settle was a naval
officer and died on naval reservation.
apparently no one thought of calling
in the District coroner.
On the other hand, it was said on
behalf OF the coroner's Office that the
District coroner is the only person
capable of arresting the President of the
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