Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1917-10-30
TRIAL Of SNOWDEN IN
BALTIMORE CO. COURT
States Attorney Green Springs
Surprise By Filing Motion
JURY WAS NEARLY COMPLETED
Eleven Men Had Reen Agreed Upon
And Action OF Prosecutor Came
Like A 'fhunderboIt

The Brandon murder case, in which
John Snowden. an Annapolis negro,
stands charged with the commission of
the crime, came to an abrupt ending
this morning, as far as the trial of the
case in the Anne Arundel County Cir
cult Court is concerned. Under a mo-
tion for change of venue, the case is
to be tried before the Circuit Court
for Baltimore County, and it is ex-
pectod Fl will be brought up within a
| few days
The motion for removal'wa filed at
the instance Of States Attorney Mich
olas II. Green, who viii prosecute the
case, and its announcement came like
thunderbolt from a clear sky to the
big crowd that had assembled in the
Court room to hear the beginning of
proceedings in the sensational case,
| for it was fully expected that the
Court would be able to secure jury
from the panel OF extra talismen who
had been summoned yesterday after
noon and last night, aftec the regular
panel had been exhausted and as re-
suit of which only six of the twelve
men to decide the fate of the accused
man had been agreed upon by the
prosecuting attorney and the counsel
| for the defense.
Action Expected Of Defense.
There had been persistent rumors
recently that a change of venue would
be asked owing to the alleged belief
that a fair and impartial trial of the
accused murderer could not be secur-
ed in the local Court, but it was fully
expected that such motion would
emanate from the counsel for the de-
fense. Such was not the case how
ever. The motion was laid before the
| Court by States Attorney Green. and
that furnished the real surprise of the
sudden termination of the case in the
local Court. Former State Senator A.
Theodore Brady Snowden's chief
| counsel. was virtually dumbfounded at
the sudden turn of affairs There was
| no argument of the point thus raised,
as it is supported by legal authorities
of the State in that a change of venue
| NAV be asked at any time before a
| iury is sworn SO it only remained for
the Court to pass upon the motion and
to effect an agreement between the
| rival attorneys as to the tribunal be-
/ fore which the case should be tried.
Move Unprecedented Here.
For the State to ask for the removal
of a case is said to be unprecedented
| in the history Of the local Circuit
Court, according to statements OF some
Of the Oldest practitioners at the bar
And. incidentally, there have been q
number of rumors as to why States
Attorney Green was moved to this ac-
tion. There have been various reports
circulated about the city, none Of
which. however. could be positively
nailed. Asked about the matter
| States Attorney Green simply stated
that the motion for change Of venue
was fIed through the usual procedure
and he added that the course would
he .fairer for the man, the county
State, and all parties concerned. Ht
did not give any specific reasons fol
the action. 1t is reported from re-
liable quarters, however, that after
Court adjourned yesterday afternoon
+ states Attorney Green intimated thai
the move Of today would be made.
Defense Completely Surprised.
Court was convened at the usua
time. $50 O'Clock, and no time was los
in calling the extra talismen- Foul
more Jurors were added to the six o
Yesterday from the list Of the extra p
Deputy sheriffs then scurried about e
secure others and one more was add
ed. thus leaving only one more to b
secured