The Washington times., 1917-10-30
CHANGE OF VENUE
GRANTED BY COURT
NSNOWDEN CASE
CONTINUED from First Page.)


will not be answered for severa
weeks, and possibly not before sew
eral months has passed, IL ever
Cocksureness on counsel for the de
fense who continue to assert thu
negro's innocence. and the charges
by A Theodore Brady. leading coun
sci for the negro, that the State II
asking q, change of venue, has vir
tually admitted a lack of evidence
has caused Lewiston OF opinion here
Death by AccidentF
The theory that Mrs Lottie NAY
Brandon came to death as the result
of an accident and not at the hands
Of another is more persistently ad
Vanced today than ever, as John
Snowden. the negro, faces the second
day OF his trial In which he IL
charged with having murdered the
young wife by strangulatIon.
Although Former State Senator
Theodore Brady, leading counsel for
Snowden, Is reticent about what line
OF defense will be offered, land merely
replies that his client Is innocent of
the charges against him, 1t is be-
lieved that he will base his argument
on the accident" theory.
That the defense Is holding back
until the opportune time to spring
what they consider q winning card
appears certain. Several witnesses
have been called, not before known
in the case, that may figure in q new
angle that the defense hopes to de-
velop.
The calm demeanor Of snowden
when the drawing of the jury was
resumed this morning and his ap-
"a - - A. NNal
in public since he was hurried to
Baltimore shortly after his arrest as
a precaution against violence, was
considered significant. Many re-
marked that he was the calmest per-
SON in the courtroom.
Snowden's composure did not ap-
pear feigned nor forced. This brought
many to the conclusion that he and
his counsel believe they have a sur
prise to spring.
The plea Of Judge Robert Moss,
who 10 presiding. that in 50 far a.
possible mature men be drawn for
the jury has met with response from
10Th the defense and States Attorney
Nicholas H. Green. The six men
drawn from the first panel OF twenty
ave are all past middle age. at least
four OF them being over sixty.
Judge Moss counseled the Eherin In
drawing the additional yenire OF
twenty men to be sworn this morning
to faithfully observe the law requir-
ing men over twenty-five years OF age.
The list includes some Of the Oldest
and most substantial citizens Of Anne
Arundel county.
State Challenges Limited.
The jurymen have been agreed on
much more rapidly than at irst antici-
pated. In using up the nrst venire
the State challenged two and the de-
tense six jurymen. Under the law OF
the State of Maryland. the State is
allowed only fifteen challenges, while
in q capital case of this nature, the
defense is not limited.
Most of those refused have been be-
cause they had formed or expressed
an opinion as to the guilt or limo
cense Of the defendant That there
is a disposition on the part of some
to have a desire to have nothing to
do with the Snowden case was indE
Gated In the examination of E. ].
Num-. He frankly told the Judge
that 81 don't want to have anything !
to do with this case"
Favorable answers to questions put |
by the court, however, resulted in his
being declared competent He was
by the defense.
The attitude OF this juryman toward |
the case is that of hundreds of An
napolis citizens. The killing OF Lottie
May Brandon Is buried in such deep |
maze and disclosures have been so
vague that II is hard to fnd a man
who Is not at sea even in answering |
the stereotyped query of tie court:
Have you formed or expressed an
opinion as to the guilt or innocence
of the accused?"
ThIrty-six witnesses Called.
The prosecution apparently expects
The trial to consume several days, i
,ince thirty-six witnesses have been
Whether any new evi-
ience will be introduced or whether
he names of new witnesses appearing
IN the list merely are for corrobora-
i've evidence is not yet known.
The defense has called half a
iozen witnesses, one of them being
Edna Wallis, common law wife of
who has also been called
Is a States witness.
It is admitted nat the State is
TO bui.d its strongest evil
ience about the testimony of Edith
CredItt and Mary Perkins, the two
legro women who live across the
Itreet from the Brandon home, and
Who have testified in preliminary ex-
that they saw Snowden
coming from the Brandon home on
he day and at the hour Mrs. Bran
lon is believed &c have been killed.
they claim never to have known {
prior to the tragedy.
Both women became hysterical in
he courtroom, aid had to be re-
moved, for q time. They were held
n jail here pending the trial, but
ave been given their liberty since 70
he beginning of the hearing.
Detectives To Testify.
Testimony OF the Baltimore detec-
ives, Joe Dougherty, John Kratz
nd Herman Pohler, may throw light ,
n certain conflicting statements said ,
o have been made to them by Snow (
en- shortly after his arrest. The de- ,
ectives have been closeted with
tate's Attorney Green for some time
Ince they arrived from Baltimore,
nd II is known that they have been
uietly working on the case ever q
Ince SnowdeD's arrest, investigating I
ertain of his statements and run I
ing down various angles that have !
eveloped. /
The theory that more than one per- \
on was involved in the killing of .
RS. Brandon Is stIll held by many
Tho have followed the case from its g
eginning. 1t may develop that the e