Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 July 1909 — DENIES SITTING ON SUTTON [ARTICLE]

DENIES SITTING ON SUTTON

Sergeant Contradicts Testimony Given by Marine Corps Officers. Annapolis, Md., July 23.—Sergeant James De Hart w’as the most interesting witness in the inquiry regarding the death of Lieutenant James N. Sutton. He denied the stories told by several officers who stated that they had seen De Hart and others holding Sutton to the ground by sitting on him. It was apparent no one of the officers wanted to assume the responsibility of having any weapons about him immediately after Sutton’s alleged suicide. De Hart testified that some officer handed him & revolver with the curt command to “take this." It was dark and he could not see who the officer was. The sergeant

soon afterv arrt threw the revolver into the bushes on his way to the barracks, and on going out to look for it next morning, could not find it, he testified.