Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1917-08-11
COMMISSION LOCAL MEN GIVESPOL new LEAD
MIR. Brandon's Sister Says NeXt-Door
Neighbor Paid Undue Attention TO
Slain Woman.

| Slain Woman.
IA Annapolis, Md, Aug. 1.-SuSpected
of having information of the murder
of Mrs. Lottie May Haislup Brandon,
wife Of Valentine Brandon. stenog!
rapher in the employ of the United
States Experimental Station here,
Thomas A. King, Government en-
ploye at the Naval Academy, and his
wife were brought last night to the
Courthouse to be questioned BY
Sheriff Sullivan and Detectives kratz
and Pohler, from Baltimore.
King and his wife live in the house
adjoining the home of Brandon. The
detectives have learned that King ar
rived at Annapolis on July l6 and
leased the cottage. The detectives say
that he frequented the Brandon house
during the husbands absence and that
he and his wife talked with Mrs.
Brandon on the morning of her death.
1t was through information given
by sister of Mrs. Brandon that the
detectives and Sheriff Sullivan sum-;
moned Mr.. and Mrs. King, who since
the murder have been living at the
home of C. A. Friemel, merchan:
here. The child made the statement
that while on visit to her sisters
home she noticed that King was pay
ing undue attention to Mrs. Brandon
during the absence of her husband.
Mrs. Friemel made the statement
Thursday that she had been told by
Mrs. Brandon that she had love:
in Washington and that she kept a
picture of him hidden from her hus-
band. 1t was suspected that the lover
had committed the murder.
King, after, being questioned for
several hours, was released. He told
Sheriff Sullivan and Detectives Krat2
and Pohler that he knew the woman
only through their meeting as he en-
tered his home. Although not held
by the authorities, King is being kept
under surveillance. The detectives at
tempted and attempted to make him
change his statement, but ne stooc
steadfast TO the story that he knew
Mrs. Brandon only slightly and that
he was not in her home on. the day OF
the murder.
Mrs. King also was questioned tor
more than an hour. She is an artist
and cameshere last Monday, two days
before &the murder of Mrs. Brandon.
She stated to the detectives that or
Wednesday morning she and her hus'
band talked with Mrs. Brandon until
$50 o'clock, following their break
fast. Mrs. Brandon appeared, she
said, in good spirits. She and her
husband told the police that they
heard no outcry on the day of the
murder. !:
Both @Pohler and Kratz intimated
that; they felt there was possibility
That Mrs. Brandon had been selzec
while at the refrigerator in the Kit
chen of her home with fainting
speeil, that She fell, breaking the
door of the refrigerator, and that
she struggled and fought her way 10
the; adjoining; bedroom.
Detective Kratz expressed the opln'
ion from information he had received
that Mrs. Brandon, who was about to
hecome a mother, might have collaps-
.ed in the kitchen, struck her heaq'
causing the three decorations, ana
after reaching the bed selzeo her
throat with her fingers while dying
Kratz said that would account Tor tne
marks on her neck.
Neighbors say, they saw no person
in the neighborhood on the day OF the
murder who could be suspected OF en-
ter;np the home of Mrs. Brandon.