A Soul on Trial: A Marine Corps Mystery at the Turn of the Twentieth Century

by Robin R. Cutler

Marine Lieutenant James N. Sutton died on the grounds of the Naval Academy on October 13, 1907, and the Marine Corps would never be the same.

This is the true story of an Oregon mother's crusade to save her son's soul from the stigma of suicide and to confront venerated military institutions in her search for answers about her son's death. From the corridors of power to common city streets, Americans were fascinated by accusations of drinking,...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 074254849X
• ISBN13: 9780742548497
• Release Date: September 2007
• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
• Length: 400 Pages
• Weight: 1.54 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Very Extraordinary!!!

"A Soul on Trial" is a very extraordinary book to read. It is a well written book about the truth of James N. Sutton's life and how the military tried to discredit his reputation, cover up, and claim that he committed suicide. A mother who was willing to risk everything, including her marriage, to clear her son's name. The visions from her son, that are so true and very inspiring to someone like me who has those visions and understands that part of life. Even the instincts that something was wrong with James, are truly things that I can relate to. A book that was wrote from the heart and showed how Rosa's husband and family didn't doubt her visions. It shows their strength, perseverance and faith in God to see them through the trials and tribulations. I believe that Robin's book was inspired and directed by our ancestor's to reveal the truth about the things that continue to go on in the military today. She has shed light on a subject that not many people want to hear and one that will open the door to help other families when a tragedy like this happens. I was unable to put the book down, as it spoke to my Spirit in such a great way. This a must read for everyone.

A Fascinating Read

This book reminded me why I love nonfiction. Nothing is more compelling than a meticulously research account of true events motivated by intense feeling. A mother's quest to clear her dead son's name after his mysterious death as a young Marine Corps lieutenant at the training academy takes the reader into courtroom drama, forensic investigation, and a unique account of the interface between the world of facts and visits from beyond the grave. Cutler tells an engrossing tale of a citizen mother pitted against the closed,and often imperious, ranks of the military establishment in her quest to clear her son's name. The story is also presented in the context of the sweeping social changes of the early 1900's that made such a challenge to the military establishment possible. Cutler is a consummate historian and skillful writer. Excellent.

Another comment from an expert on this topic!

Other reviews, excerpts and lots of new photos related to this book can be found on the website www.asoulontrial.com, or google Robin R Cutler. See also www.arlingtoncemetery.net for recent photos of Jimmie Sutton's grave and moving stories of our troops who gave their lives for their country since 2001, plus others. Prof Thomas C Mackey writes: In this excellent historical narrative, Cutler sheds light on many aspects of the social, cultural, military and legal history of the Progressive Era. Her appreciation of the historical context combined with good control of the legalities at stake make this intriguing story about the Sutton case hard to resist. A Soul on Trial exhibits a nice feel for the new worlds of women in the early 20th century. She also offers us a detailed portrayal drawn from aggressive digging into archival documents, of the culture and traditions of the Marine Corps. We see in the Corps' handling of the media scrutiny regarding Jimmie Sutton's death that everything old is new again. A super story about military justice and the way military culture and civil society and relate to one another.

An excellent book

A Soul on Trial provides a fascinating glimpse into family life, politics, and military crime in the early twentieth century. I particularly enjoyed learning about the role a mother took in challenging military assumptions on the death of her son Rosa Sutton was a courageous and dedicated leader ahead of her time. The rich story, compelling narration, and detailed historical references make A Soul on Trial an excellent book that both serious and casual history buffs can enjoy.

An extraordiay story, very well told!

"A Soul on Trial" is a fascinating read that combines the story of a Mother's dedication to her son and her battle to clear his name against Cutler's vividly painted scene of the politics, justice system, news media, and religious attitudes and para-psychological experiments of the early 20th century. The book reads like a novel, and yet the riveting sequence of events took place largely on the campus of the Naval Academy. Newspapers all over the country published play-by-play accounts of the story and daily trial updates as front page news. The book reads seamlessly, and at the back, Cutler's beautifully documented footnotes further illuminate the events for interested readers. I was so immersed in the story that I continued to read the footnotes to prolong my time in the early 20th Century. "A Soul on Trial" is a must-read for historians of the period, and I highly recommend it for those who saw the media hype of the O.J. Simpson case as unprecedented, for anyone following the current debate on U.S. military tribunals, and for all mothers who would fight to defend a son's, and now a daughter's, military record.