Overview

Secrets, Spirits, Scandal, and a Nation Watching When Marine Corps Lieutenant James N. Sutton died in a brawl in 1907, his mother, his sister and his ghost all challenged the Navy's suicide verdict. By 1909, Rosa Sutton's crusade to save her son's soul from the stigma of a mortal sin had become a national sensation. Marine combat hero Judge Advocate Henry Leonard would prove the perfect foil for Mrs. Sutton. But soon newspapers across America weighed in on ""one of the most remarkable inquiries of its kind"" in the history of the Navy; millions of citizens now had a stake in Rosa's cause. What really happened to ""Jimmie"" Sutton? For most people, that became less important than his mother's right to know.

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9780997482331

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Reviews

""This is an exhaustively researched case study, yet at the same time it is so captivating, dramatic, and vivid that readers will feel as if they are sitting in the inquiry room sweating through the humid Annapolis summer with the hearing's participants. This book could easily become a screenplay, and it is narrative history at its finest."" H. Michael Gelfand, Journal of American History ""A fascinating work of nonfiction... The author meticulously presents the facts surrounding Sutton's death. She also conducts a historical examination of the training of newly commissioned Marine Corps officers prior to World War I, military court proceedings at the turn-of-the-century, and the media's influence on the military, executive, and legislative branches of government... This book is an invaluable historical reference."" Major Keith Forkin, Marine Corps Gazette ""Cutler's well-written and painstakingly researched account is a page-turner with surprises throughout."" R. Gregory Nokes, Oregon Historical Quarterly "" ...A gift to the expanding archive of Marine Corps History. . . A superbly evocative description of a crime and time."" Chas Henry, Leatherneck ""A Soul on Trial is first a real-life murder mystery, with a wonderfully twisted plot involving a nervously secretive military, an outraged public and even a troubled ghost. And thanks to Robin Cutler's meticulous research and talented storytelling, it is also a compelling portrait of America in the early 20th century, a country caught between the honorable beliefs of its past and the driving energy of its future. All of those elements combined to make this a provocative story and a terrific book."" Deborah Blum Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, professor and author of several books including Ghost Hunters: William James and the Search for Scientific Proof of Life After Death (2007) and The Poisoner's Handbook (2010) From 2015-2025, she was Director of the Knight Science Journalism Program at MIT. Deborahblum.com.

Author Information

Historian, blogger, and filmmaker Robin Cutler has worked outside of academia for most of her career. After a lifetime spent primarily in New York City, Washington DC, and Virginia, Robin joined her daughters and their families in California in 2020. For more details, reviews, galleries, and her blog visit her website at Robin R. Cutler.

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