Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1917-08-09

GOllCe OHlCldlS Ol AHHdpolis, Win
the aid of trio of Baltimore city
sleuths- Lieutenant Schan-
berger and Detectives Pohler and
Kratz. all of the headquarters force
are today endeayoring to unravel the
mystery surrounding the death of
Mrs Lottie May Haislup Brandon,
wife of Valentine N. Brandon. a
stenographer employed at thN Naval
Experiment Station here, who was
slain in her home on Second street,
in the western section of the city,
some tire Yesterday. Discovery of the
crime was made by the husband of the
unfortunate woman upon his return
from work shortly before o'clock in
the afternoon, and he Immediately re-
ported it to neighbors.
The tragedy is the most battling
that has ever occurred in the crimi-
nal annals of the city and besides is
a horrifying one in the extreme.
There is total absence of any motive,
and although the police officials and
detectives have been scurrying about
to gather evidence that might lead to
a tangible clue, they have so far been
unable to gain anything that would
furnish a basis upon which to work.
Last night the husband of the slain
woman was subjected to grilling
examination at the hands of the Balti-
more city detectives. and sleuths also
have examined number of other per-
sons, mostly neighbors and acquain-
tenances of the Brandon family.
With her skull crushed in at the
frontal bone and her neck bearing in
dications that she had first been
choked into Inconsistencies. the body
of Mrs Brandon was found yesterday
afternoon crumpled in heap across
the bed in her room. Mrs Brandon,
petite woman of 20 years, had been
in delicate health for the last several
months and soon was to become a
mother The finding of her lifeless body
as before stated, was first reported by
her husband upon his return from
work in the afternoon. Mr.. Brandon,
according to statements to neighbors
and also to the police officials, return
o'clock, and entering the bedroom of
his modest home, he saw his wife ly-
ing across the bed. Approaching her,
he says, she appeared to be i'll and
his first thought was that she had
been seized with a fainting spell, as
she had been subject to such attacks.
He Immediately enlisted the aid of
several of his neighbors and further
investigation revealed the fact that
his wife was dead.
Then a report of the affair was
made to the police officials of the city
and DR.. William S. Welch, a police
justice, who acted as coroner, viewed
, the body. His conclusion was that the
woman had been dead for five hours
or more Later DR.. Welch summoned
a jury of inquest. This body held a
brief session last night. heard evil
dence of several persons and was then
discharged until Wednesday of next
week, to await the outcome of the in
vestigation by the detectives and any
other developments Last night the
body of Mrs. Brandon was removed to
the Emergency Hospital in the
hearse-van of the firm of Undertakers
James S. Taylor and Sons, where an
autopsy was performed by several ol
the surgeons of the hospital staff
The autopsy did not reveal any inter
! ior trouble further than what has beer
referred to- There was rumor thai
the woman possibly had been giyer
some form of poison before the fata
blow was dealt her, but there was not
the slightest indication of anything OF
the sort. After the autopsy, the body
was turned over to the undertakers tc
be prepared for burial
When the body of Mrs. Brandon was
| viewed by the police authorities. i
was only partly clad, being clothed
in a negligee shirtwaist, and white
skirt. and no undergarments. it il
stated Although pale and haggard
she appeared as one might wher
! asleep. Upon further examination, i
was discovered that she had beer
dealt "a severe blow on the fronta
bone. just below the hair. and finger
nails pierced the skin where the mur
derer had choked her The body was
stone cold and those who viewed il
We're Mortified at the crime that had
been accomplished by low-life brute
One of Mrs. Brandon's stocking.
lay on the floor near the bed and the
other dangled from her ankle