The Washington herald., 1917-08-16
inquest
FOR EVIDENCE
Suspect. Of Murder Of Mrs.
Brandon Is Expected
to Confess Guilt.

Postponement OF the inquest that
was to have been held last night at
Baltimore following discoveries made
by doctors and detectives at the
autopsy, in this city, Tuesday even
ing, was the latest development late
last night in the slowly dissolving
mystery surrounding the murder of
Lottie May Brandon. girl-wife and
expectant mother, at her home In An
napolis last Wednesday.
The order for the postponement
came, Detective Burlingame, of the
local detective staff, says, because of
desire on the part of authorities to
unravel further clues found at the
autopsy and during the day, in the
hope that more damaging evidence
might be found to make the case
against Snowden, the negro held for
the crime, stronger for the State.
. 1t Is still the opinion of the authori-
ties, especially Sheriff Sullivan, of
Anne Arundel County, that the color
ed man is the murderer OF Mrs.
Brandon. The discovery of bits of
dark colored flesh under the finger
nails OF the dead woman at the re-
examination Tuesday evening, and
the finding of scratches on the negro's s
face seems TO point to his guilt.
Evidence Favorable to Prisoner.
A new theory developed yesterday,
based on the findings OF DR.. Walton
Hopkins, the Annapolis medical man,
who FIRST examined the body OF Mrs.
Brandon, that points to the innocence
of the colored man held at present.
1t is said that the findings made by
the doctor on the body of the dead
woman indicated that the crime had
taken place within seven hours of the
examination at the inquest. The in
quest was held at o'clock in the
evening. This would place the time
of the murder at / o'clock in the af-
ternoon. Snowden, the negro. was
seen near the house some time in the
morning. The believers in the new
theory say that his tales of his ac-
tions in front of the house. that he
turned around simply to listen to a
comrade calling are true. The new
theory would place the guilt, in the
light of other evidence, on some other
man.
According to reports the inquest has
been indefinitely postponed. 1t will
be held, it is said. when confession
or a definite admission has been OBJ
tained from Snowden, who continued
all day long to maintain his un-
broken stolidity. Detectives say that
IL is simply a question of time until
he confesses.
Mrs. Grace Humiston, who was hired
by a Washington newspaper TO inVes-
tigate the crime and report the re-
suits of her Investigations for the pa
per, broke of diplomatic relations"
with the Baltimore police yesterday
as a result OF run in" with Detec-
tive Joseph Dougherty of the head
quarters staff. Detective Dougherty
refused to allow her to accompany
him on an automobile tour to straight
en- out one of the many angles Of the
case. according TO the Baltimore Eve
ming Sun. which gives the following
account of the event:
Mrs. Grace Humiston, lawyer, ana
teur detective, criminologist and news
paper woman, whose entrance into the
now famous Annapolis murder mys-
terry was greeted with a ripple OF
expectation, has stacked up" against
Headquarters Joseph Dougherty, OF
the Baltimore detective department.
in a battle of wits. as result of
which Mrs. Humiston and Detective
DOugherty have severed diplomatic
relations.
Not Permitted Along.
Detective Dougherty was going to
question the wife OF the Rev. +.
l.. Williams, colored, who was visit
ing on West River, and the min
ister Was in tue machine at the
time. As il happened, Mrs. Will