Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-08-12

include only the men who say they are
former secret service men, but IL IN
cludes almost every naval officer nere'
elmost every National Guard oncer.
and the streets are filled with men In
both those branches of the service
They are receiving letters from their
relatives and friends In Washington ana
Baltimore offering possible solutions OF
the mystery of the crime, Suggesting
the names Of possible criminals Gnder-
meath all of their evident effort 10 pc
Of service lies the fact that the RESIDENTS
of Annapolis want this city made sure
and safe for the women who Will De
obliged to live here when the troops
have gone to the front in Europe
Every train which comes from WASH
tngton or Baltimore apparently brings
more persons who are Interested IN the
case. One of the arrivals late this ar
ternoon was Mrs. Grace Humfston. tho
New York woman lawyer, who is cred
fled with having played a leading part In
Inducing the detective department of the
city of New York to solve the mystery
of the murder of Ruth Cruser, slain py
the Italian motor cycle repairer who is
now in Italy and whose extradttlon the
United States government is endeaNor-
ing to obtain. In the train with MIS-
Humiston came many well known news
paper men. Preceding her there was
corps of detectives from Il private de-
tective agency in Washington. All ap-
parently have theories as TO how Mrs.
Brandon was killed.
The result Of the influx of visitors is
that the murder is being made spec
tacle. The Woodworking detectives
from Baltimore and the newspaper men
who are here who have been employed
in the unravelling Of many murder
mysteries in the past are Obliged TO
answer so many questions, TO take SO
many newcomers over the same oiu
ground, the same old cold scent. which
does not produce either a murder
weapon or a motive, that they have
little time left for their actual work;
Question after question is asked ana
answered, very frequently the same
question over and over again. So the
work has been, day after day. until
the detectives and the newspaper men
have been obliged to hide themselves.
in order to trace their clues to form
their reports in peace far from the
curiosity seekers who love to gather
in the shade of the great big old trees
in front of the courthouse where An
napolitans pass the time of the day and
the evening.
Last night while conferences with
neighbors of the murdered woman Were
: being held in the sheriff's office at the
back of the old courthouse the news
paper men kept what they intended
to be lonely vigil at the courthouse
ratings in front of the building, from
half past in the evening until
ten minutes past in the morning, the
hour at which the conference, which
was attended by the states attorney,
the sheriff of Anne Arundel county and
the Baltimore detectives. ended But
This vigil was not allowed to be the
lonely watch intended, for every An
1Apo1itan who could make an excuse
to his family for being out at such a
late hour also came and hung over the
courthouse ratings, bringing his let
tiers and tips from relatives in Wash
angton and Baltimore. In these letters.
tips and remarks of Annapolitans,
Washingtonians, Baltimoreans and Wis
4tors from more remote communities.
everything that has happened in the
house whore the murder was committed
has an especial significance different from
lively at work investigating the crime
since the day it was discovered.
No Blood Stains Washed Out.
Some theorists have endeavored to
obtain clue from the fact that two
saucers were found upon the kitchen
door. These saucers were found evil
IDENTIFY as Mrs. Brandon dropped them.
for all signs point to the fact that she
was seized in her kitchen. as she was
washing her breakfast dishes, choked
into insensibility there and then drag
ged through the kitchen, past the
kitchen table, pulling the tablecloth
door of the refrigerator with her body,
her knees. perhaps, as she was pulled
past and thrown On the bed in the bed
room, which Immediately adjoined the
kitchen. That. at least, is the theory
of the police surgeons who performed
the autopsy.
The correspondent of The Star is en-
abled to state of his own knowledge
that Mrs. Brandon was probably wash
ing dishes when her earthly activities
ceased, for he made an examination, in
the presence of and with the consent
OF the police detectives and the sheriff,
and brought out the fact that no per-
son had washed anything containing
blood in that kitchen sink. notwith-
standing the fact that, apparently, Mrs
Brandon had been murdered in the
most bloody manner ten feet away and
that the kitchen sink would have Of
Tered the easiest method for murderer
to remove blood from his hands or
clothing.
This is just comment These side
that every one here is talking about
tonight. On the other hand it must be
remembered that aside from those who
are omcially charged with the respon-
sibility of bringing Mrs. Brandons
murderer to justice. there are many
Annapolitans and others here, such as
the former secret service men whose
presence has been indicated. the naval
officers and their families, etc who are
sincerely devoted to the cause of JUS
tice and who are spending anxious mo-
ments. such those spent by some OF
them last night over the courthouse
faidfng. in the endeavor to find a So
luton for this crime. not only because
a poor young woman was brutally
treated. but because they must con-
families If such a brute remained near
Amman u