The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-08-09
DETECTIVES BAFFLED
. BY CRIME, UNABLE TO
FIND SINGLE MOTIVE

were underneath her head; the red
stains had spread beyond her loosened
hair. A great dent was In her fore
head. Her eyes were closed in death
and her clothing was in diBarrAy.
About To Fall
Look at THAR said Sheriff sulli-
van. He spoke sharply, dramatic
ally.
The husband looked, stepped back
ward as though about to fall,
clenched his nsts, and then extended
hIs fingers tragicAlly. and paused
them rapidly across staring eyes.
'oh, my God; oh, my oodr' said
the husband at last This is the
arst dead person ever saw In my
anybody have committed such q
crirnoH Baby, baby, my baby"
The sheriff led the husband away.
A little while later they took Valen-
tine Brandon down town to see the de-
tectives He was under suspicion than
and they wanted his story. Until
o'clock this morning they ~sweated"
him and then became convinced OF his
innocence and the reality Of his grief.
simultaneously there came the state
ment OF Mra Thomas King. wife Of
Naval Academy Instructor. who said she
saw Mrs. Brandon and talked with her
long while after the husband had
gone to work. This conversation was
about 10 o'clock. Mrs. Brandon had
been dead several hours when her body
was found.
Back Door Locked.
The back door to the Brandon home
was locked. The screen to the win
| = 49, han Ala
turbed. Evidently the murderer en-
tered through the front door. Shsr-
rIff Sullivan has q theory that Mrs.
Brandon might have been called to
the rear entrance and ovsrpowsrsd a.
she opened the back door. which was
afterward locked By the slayer be-
fore he departed by the front en-
| trance.
Charley Sands, q small boy who de-
| Iivered icaNo the Brandon home. called
about nd and knocked repeatedly At
the rear ech He was unable to
arouse anyone and finally left the Ice
on the porch. where it melted during
the afternoon while the woman Of the
house lay dead within
BaltIAore sBsutAs CalIsA.
Lieutenant schGnberEsr and Detee-
tfves Pohier. and Rrat1, Of the BGIti-
more detective bureau, came to An
murder mystery. They were all salts
fed eventually that no suspicion
whatever attached to the husband.
A postmortem was held last night
It revealed . slight bruise on the
knee and finger prints on the throat
OF Mrs. Brandon. It II apparent that
she was not only struck on the front
Of the skull, which was crushed, but
also choksd. The postmortem, how
ever. showed no evidence Of other as
sault. The inquest was adjourned un-
til next Wednesday pending . report
OF the detectives.
When ArG Brandon's body reaches
Washington late this afternoon It will
be taken to the home OF the hus-
bands mother at eI4 Sixth street
northeast The funeral will be from
| there.
Randall Haislup. the father OF the
murdered woman, came to Annapolis
last night He II . bricklayer with
q large family. Mrs. Brandon was one
/ Of nine children Her mother was
unable to come TO the scene of the
crime.
Valentine Brandon's mother arrived
at Annapolis last night. With her
arrival the young husband. who 10
but twenty-ons years OF age, partial
ly regainOd his composure. He has
rallied repeatedly against this awful,
brutal crime" and his grief As he
| talks Of his wife and the expected
baby is peculiarly tragic.
Back OF the Brandon home Is q ne
gro settlement High weeds are be-
hind the back fence Of the Brandon
yards and in this fence II . knot-hole
which IL In direct line with the kitch.
| en- of the dead woman's home One
theory IL that q passing negro might
have seen Mrs. Brandon alone in the
| kitchen and entered the house for the
purpose Of assault
The Brandon house II two stories
high, but the .Brandons occupy only
the lower half. The upper flat "a
unoccupied. II IL possible some one
may have secreted himself there and
gone downstairs on his mission OF
murder while Mrs. Brandon was alone
One OF Mrs Brandon's shoes wal
! In The