Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1917-08-13
CONFLICTING REPORTS PROBLEM FOR SLEUTHS
But They Have Been Busy Engaged In Running Down
Every Little Detail With The Hope of Solving
Mysterious Crime That Is Now Five
Days Old.

Although reports few thick and
| fast about the city today and last
night. to the effect that the corps of
| detectives had arrived at solution of
I the Brandon murder mystery. COM
, mitted on Wednesday last, and that an
| arrest would be made some time be-
fore this forenoon, no one has been
taken into custody and the authori-
ties are still apparently as much per-
picked as they were yesterday II
also is reported, however, that the de-
tecivs. aided by other officials of the
city and county, are diligently working
on various reports that have been
brought TO them with the hope that
they will be able to forge the links in
chain of circumstantial evidence
that will result in an arrest probably
before darkness today.
According to the best information
that can be gathered, the detectives
and other authorities who have been
following the case, are practically
unanimous in their belief that
woman is concerned in the case.
This woman, it is said, is party who
lived in the neighborhood of the Bran
don home. The theory advanced is
that there was a measure of jealousy
between the dead woman and the
party against whom the suspicion is
directed, that the two engaged in
quarrel in the kitchen of the Bran
don house; that a death grapple en-
sued; that Mrs. Brandon was finally
thrown across>the bed and strangled,
/. and the blow in the head finished the
CHASTITY crime. All of this, however,
is based upon circumstantial informa-
ton, as far as could be learned today.
AS has been previously stated in
The Capital. the theory that some
ravenous negro brute committed the
act has been dismissed, nor is much
weight placed upon the several re-
ports that Mrs. Brandon was seen as
late as 10 or II o'clock on the morn
ing of the dax that the tragedy was
committed. The belief prevailing
among persons about the city is that
the unfortunate woman was sent to
her death some time during the early
hours of that day. The whole case
has apparently resolved itself into a
|, maze of conflicting statements and
reports, and unless the half dozen
detectives have something of the
tangible nature concealed, the vicious
crime is no more near solution now
than it was on the afternoon that the
mutilated body of Mrs. Brandon was
first discovered.
Marshal Carter, of the Baltimore
City Police Department, and Detec-
tive Dougherty, regarded as the chief
of the homicide squad of that city,
are among the additional sleuths who
came to the city last night with the
hope Of lending some assistance in
unraveling the mystery. And besides
them Mrs. Grace Humiston, the New
York woman who solved the mystery
of the Cruger case of a few months
ago. after the New York detectives
and police officials had failed in their
efforts, is also at work on the mys-
terry She came here largely at the
instance of the owners of the Wash
ington Times. This paper seems to
be exerting unusual efforts to probe
to the depths and come upon the mur-
dered. and has had a corps of news
paper men and experts here. Crimi
nologists and other experts from New
York and elsewhere are in the city
today They with the detectives,
have been running down every re-
port, in the hope that the mystery
may be cleared up within a few
hours. Mrs. Humiston, by the way,
is of the opinion that the murder was
committed by woman. Other per-
sons still hold to the belief that man
/, did it.
Whatever the outcome may be, the
case is the most battling that has ever
| confronted the authorities of this city
and county. and residents of the city,
thoroughly aroused hope for an early
| solution.
Much dissatisfaction was expressed
over the action of Brandon in send
ing kilograms to Mayor Preston and
Governor Harrington declaring that
the case was not being properly han
died He explained that the papers
were prepared for him by Wash
ington newspaper and he merely
signed them. He added that he was
sorry that he had adoDfed that course
and felt that he should not have acted
so hastily.
Mayor James F. Strange announced
that he will lend every effort to cap
ture the murderer. He received word