Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1917-08-10
Vigilance of Detectives and Other Police Authorities Has
So Far Been Frutess of Producing Any Tangible
Evidence AS to Murderer--Sleuths Busy
Running Down All Reports.
FUNERAL OF VICTIM TOMORROW
Body Now At Husbands Former Home In Washington
Theory of Former Sweetheart, Or Negro In
Crime Is Secuted Here-Case Has Com
pletely Baffed Everyone.

Although out OF town detectives,
Sheriff Sullivan and his force of dep
uties. States Attorney Nicholas H.
Green. and the city police officials
have been diligent in securing the
!, city and running down every report
that might furnish clue to the cul-
prit who committed the horrible mur-
der on Wednesday, when Mrs Lottie
Haislup Brandon, wife of Mr.. Valentine
Brandon, an employee of the Naval
Experiment Station, was found slain
in her home on Second street, the
tragedy is still surrounded in the deep
est mystery, and from present indi-
cations it is doubtful if ever the
guilty party will be apprehended.
The authorities have laid plans to
sift the matter to the bottom, but in
view of the maze of reports that are
in circulations about the city. it will
require a dozen or more sleuths to
fathom the situation The tragedy,
committed apparently in the broad
light of day, is the most horrifying
and cold blooded in the history of the
city, and many of the citizens of the
town declined to discuss the affair at
all.
A more pathetic side of the case is
furnished by the fact that Mrs. Bran
don, the victim of the tragedy, was
soon to become a mother. Her body
was prepared for burial at the under
taking establishment of James S. Tay-
lor and Sons, and was shipped to
Washington yesterday afternoon, and
the funeral, it is stated, will take
place from the former home of the
husband at 914 Sixth street, North
east, tomorrow. The husband ac-
companied the remains to Wash
ington, but returned to Annapolis last
night in company with his brother,
Lorence Brandon, and spent the night
at the Maryland Hotel. Mr. Brandon
left for Washington on noon car to-
day, and will attend the funeral to-
morrow.
In the meantime, the police officials
and detectives have been unable to
gather any tangible clue as to the
party who committed the murder.
The Baltimore and Washington papers
this morning carried stories tending
to implicate a stranger. said to be a
young man of Washington and an old
sweetheart of Mrs. Brandon's, but
little credence is given to such re-
ports here.
1t is admitted by persons who knew
Mrs. Brandon quite well, that she had
related to them that she had an old
sweetheat who was jealous of her at
tentions to Mr.. Brandon, who is more
of a youth, as he has only recently at
tanned his majority, and her subse-
quent marriage to him. 1t is further
said that Mrs. Brandon always kept
a picture of this man in her home,
though her husband had no knowl-
edge of it. thorough search of the
house. however, has failed to reveal
the alleged photograph, and further
more, Brandon asserts that the rela-
tions between himself and his wife
had been of the most congenial nature
ever since their marriage last Octo-
ber. The records show that they were
married in Baltimore in that month.
Discussing this phase of the case to-
day. Mr. Brandon stated that he had
never heard of his wife's alleged fond
ness for another man, nor did he
place any faith in the reports at all
Another report that has been spread
broadcast recently is that a man who
generally wore pink silk shirt had
been seated in the living room of the
Brandon home on several occasions
prior to the tragedy. Who this
party is, no one seems to know but
the police officials have been en-
deavoring to solve the point, as well
as the multitude of other rumors that
have been brought to them. Very lit
tie Importance. however. attaches to
the sweetheart theory
Detectives Schanberger. Pohler and
Kratz. of the Baltimore City Head
quarters, are in the city again today
with the hope that they will be able
to gather some tangible evidence. but
apparently they are as much at sea
as when they were first called in &c
| investigate. the case. Neighbors liv
| ing in the vicinity of the Brandon
| home have been further quizzed, and
every report is being run down in the
minutest detail But the situation Is
as much OF a mystery as it was yes
terday-
Another theory that has been adj
vanced by a number of persons is that
the crime is the act of a negro. but
very little attention is given this IN
officials quarters, it is said. The more
one thinks of the circumstances sur