Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1917-08-15
MURDER MYSTERY
REMAINS UNSOLVED
But Police Officials Believe Negro
Snowden Guilty Party
MORE ARRESTS ARE MADE
Accused Man, Under CrilliDg, Men
tions Names Of Frank and John
Henry Green. Colored

Although the county police officials
and detectives who have been en-
deavoring for a week to solve the
mystery of the murder of Mrs Lottie
May Brandon, found slain in her home
on Second street last Wednesday
afternoon, incline to the belief that
the negro, John Snowden, arrested on
Monday afternoon and charged with
the murder. is the guilty party, con-
siderable doubt is expressed in other
quarters as to whether or not the man
has any connection at all with the
crime.
The thorough grilling to which
Snowden has been subjected to at the
hands of the detectives has failed to
bring forth anything in the nature of
a confession The negro has admit
ted that he was in a saloon at the
corner of West and Second streets on
the morning of the tragedy, but has
stoutly protested his innocence of any
knowledge of the crime. However, he
has been formally committed to the
Baltimore City Jail under warrant
issued late yesterday afternoon by
Police Justice Charles o. Dulin,
charging him with the murder, and
the police officials, IT is said, are of
the opinion that he will break down
and confess ere long.
A multitude of rumors are still
emanating, and many theories are be-
ing advanced as to how and when
the young woman came to her death.
The big stumbling block of the whole
affair, is the fact that there is total
absence of motive for anyone to take
the young woman's life.
The newest development in connec,
tion with the case, if it could be call
ed a development, because it is based
entirely upon unofficial information,
is the report that at the second autop-
sy on the body of the young woman,
which was conducted in Washington
last night after her remains had been
exhumed, revealed indications of flesh
of a negro beneath her finger nails.
If this is true, of course, it would in
dicate that the dead woman struggled
with her assailant before she was
finally overcome. In connection with
this. il is stated, that Snowden bears
a number of apparently fresh scratch
marks and skin cuts about his face
which he cannot explain to the satis-
ported that the negro, when question
cd on this score, said that the
scratches resulted from a scuffie
which he had several days ago with
his consort, Edna Wallace, and it al
so is said that the negress has denied
having had any trouble with Snowden.
AT any rate, many of the officials are
almost firmly convinced that Snow
den is the man who committed the
horrible tragedy
Further grilled by the detectives in
the Baltimore City Jail yesterday af-
ternoon, Snowden is reported to have
stated that he saw one Frank Green,
colored, come out of the Brandon
home at certain time on the morn
ing of last Wednesday. AS a result,
Deputy Sheriff William d. X. Lee last
night arrested Green. and also John
Henry Green, but very little sus-
picison appears to be directed against
them, as a farmer. Mr. Wagner, who
lives near Woytych's Station, on the
Washington, Baltimore and Annapo-
, lis Electric Railways, stated that the
men had worked on his place last
Wednesday.
The arrest of Snowden was made
at the instance of statements made by
two colored women. Mary Perkins and
Edith Queen. who live across the
street from the Brandon home, who
positively assert that they saw Snow
den leave the house some time be
tween IL and II o'clock on the da,
of the tragedy. 1t is stated they wer.
afraid to make mention of the infor
nation which they had sooner thar
they did, for fear that they might ge
themselves into trouble. But thei
statements finally got to the ears o
Mrs. w Spencer Murray, living a
Acton" Murray Hill. where th'
mother of the two young negresses i
employed, and Mrs Murray yer,
promptly got in touch with the polio
officials. Snowden, when he was frs
examined Monday evening at tn
Court House was brought before tn
two women They positively identi
fed him as the man they saw leaving
| the Brandon house. and they still
stick by their story.
There is a maze of circumstantia
evidence against the negro, according
| to the officials, and it is said tina
| there will be some development of
definite. nature before tomorrow, pos
sibly tonight But there is a decide,
belief among many persons about th'
city that the negro is innocent ans
that the crime was committed b.
other than a negro. in other words
some one in the immediate neighbor
| hood.
The jury of inquest which was ap
pointed on the case on the night after
the tragedy was discovered, was ex
| Dected TO meet tonight and pass