Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1917-10-15
IMPORTANT CASES
FOR THE GRAND JURY
Judge Moss Delivers Charge TO
Grand Inquest Today.
OPENING DAY OF COURT.
New Judge Calls Attention to Serious
Conditions Prevailing Along
General Lines.

Calling attention to the vast amount
OF important work that lay before
them for investigation, with particu-
Tar reference to the Brandon murder
of August 5 last, when Mrs Lottie May
Brandon, wife of Valentine NJ Bran
don, government clerk employed al
the Naval Academy. was slain in her
home on Second stret in the western
section of Annapolis, Judge Robert
Moss the newly appointed Associate
Judge of the Fifth Judicial Circuit,
and who is a candidate for election to
the full term of Is years. delivered the
charge to the grand Jurors of Anne
Arundel county upon the convening of
the Circuit Court for the regular Oc-
tober session.
1t was the first time that Judge
Moss has charged a grand inquest, as
he was appointed to the Bench by
Governor Harrington, only two months
ago, following the sudden death of
Judge James r. Brashears Besides
the matters to which Judge Moss
made special reference, his remarks
also covered the usual general ques-
tions that will be subjects of the in
uuiry Judge Moss spoke of the SER
ious conditions now confronting the
Nation because of the great World
War, and in this line, he urged the
jurors to appoint special committee
to visit the Army cantonment at Camp
Meade, this county, stating that while
the government officials having super
vision over the camp are thoroughly
capable to handle the situation. there,
yet he said it was up to the county to
manifest sufficient interest to see that
persons of immoral character are not
permitted to loiter thereabouts and
thereby throw improper influence
about the citizens soldiers who are i'll
training for the new National Army.
Judge Moss impressed upon the
members OF the inquest, the fact that
the jury is confronted with the inves-
tigation OF more serious cases than
has marked the program of work of
any previous grand jury. He furnish
ed a brief summary of the more inn
portant cases, showing that there are
six murder cases; two of assault with
intent to rape; IA for larceny; two for
pocket picking. and five for common
assault
Benjamin Watkins, Sr. a former
Judge of the Orphans Court, and a
resident of the First district, is fore
man of the Grand Jury.
Referring to the Brandon murder
case, which was the most horrible
and also has been the most mystify-
ing crime of the sort ever committed
about Annapolis, Judge Moss urged
the jurors to spare neither time, la
Dor or expense in order that the
guilty part or parties may be brought
to justice, and he gave assurance that
the case will be speedily disposed OF.
This is the case in which John Snow
den, young negro, long confined TO
the Baltimore City Jail, where he was
subjected to the third degree on sew
eral occasions, is accused. Snow
zen is now confined to the county jail
here and it is not unlikely that the
case will be among the first taken up
by the grand inquest
In connection with the strenuous
war time conditions, Judge Moss also
referred to the government regula-
tions relating to the registration OF
young men for the military draft, and
also those pertaining to the registra-
ton of idlers, and he urged them that
il they knew of any "slackers" OF
eidlers- that the names of such per
sons should be reported to the States
Attorney of the county.
A matter purely of a local nature
which Judge Moss emphasized was the
provisions of the City Code relative
to the sale of intoxicating liquors
to drunkards, those against whom
the liquor dealers had been given no
tice to serve. and those whose ac-
tions showed evidence that they had
been imbibing freely. You can walk
about the streets and spot the meT
who are too frequent drinkers" Judge
Moss said, and the provisions of the
Code should be rigidly enforced
Judge Moss also impressed upon the
jurors a rigid adherence to theiI
cath. stating this as the best guide IN
order that developments in course o.
tfeir Investigations should be cloth
cd in absolute secrecy. Reckless
driving by automobilists over th'
county roads and the number of acci
dents resulting therefrom, together
with the inadequate. measures fol
safety at the railroad crossings alsC
we're included in the several recon-
mendations made TO the jury for theil
investigations.
The tardiness of three OF the pane
. OF jurors in reaching Annapolis, de
layed the proceedings in connection
with segregating the grand jury fol
rearly half an hour. The late one
were ]. Grant Calhoun, William F
Kuethe and Arthur c. Whittemore
hut they furnished satisfactory ex
cuses as TO why they We're delayed
Just before the grand jurors wer'
chosen. Judge Moss. speaking from
i tha Pench. served notice in term