Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1918-01-26
FEAR OF RACE RIOT
PROTECTED SNOWDEN
Testimony Shows Identity Of Ac-
cused Withheld Throngh Ad-
vice Of COlOred Race.
TODAY'S TESTIMONY IN CASE
Manicuring Murdered Woman's Finger
Nails Point AT Issue-ldentifi-
cation Of Accused Questioned

caElOn OF accused Questioned
While police and private detectives,
together with newspaper men from
Baltimore, Washington and Annapo-
lis were looking for the murderer Of
Mrs. Lottie May Brandon for week
or ilore, a portion of the negro popu-
lation Of Annapolis was discussing
report that john Snowden. colored,
now charged with the murder, was
seen TO come from the Brandon home
about the time the murder is thought
to have taken place, if the testimony
OF Mary Perkins, colored, is to be
believed
Mary Perkins. who was the star wit
ness for the State yesterday at Tow
son on the third day of the trial, said
that on the day Mrs. Brandon was
slain she and her sister, Edith Credit,
were in the front room OF their home
when she heard a noise in the Bran
don house Looking out the window,
she said she saw chair fly across the
front room of the Brandon home.
She called to her sister Then there
was more noise. she said and an in
slant later a negro walked out Of the
front door of the Brandon home.
looked up and down the street, and
walked away
That night, the witness said she
heard that Mrs. Brandon had been
killed. She testified further that she
had told number Of persons what she
had seen and was advised to keep il
quiet for fear OF race riot. Later,
she said, after those she had told had
told others she confded in a promi-
nent white woman, who notified tho
authorities The negress identified
Snowden as the man she saw leave
the Brandon home, as also did her
sister
Leroy Sisco, colored, testified that
ne saw womans elbow come
through the partly opened door. Later,
he said, the woman disappeared as
though she had been pulled back into
the house and the door closed. Will
lam A. Smith testified that the boy
gave him the same account OF what he
had heard and seen
Edna Wallace, colored. Snowden's
consort, testified that she may have
scratched Snowden, which was con
trary to the testimony of Detective
Pohler that she denied having caused
| the scratches on Snowden's face She
admitted. however, that she had cor
responded with Snowden since his ar
rest and had promised TO stick by
him"
TOday's Testimony.
Testimony today was very largely
devoted to following the body of Mrs
Brandon from the time it was taken
from her house for the first autopsy
until it was inferred in Washington.
This was with the evident intention
of meeting the indicated idea of the
defense that probably the body was
tampered with during that time.
P0ins AZ Issue.
The main point at issue was not
alone as regards to wounds, but as
touching a contention of the prosecu-
ton that at the second autopsy in
Washington particles Of human skin
were found under the finger nails OF
the murdered woman. This is OF i'm
portance as bearing on how Snowden
may have gotten the scratches on his
face
Undertaker's Testimony.
John NJ Taylor the Annapolis un-
dertaker, was the first witness under
/ examination by States Attorney
Green He told Of taking the body
from the house to the Emergency
Hospital, where the autopsy was per-
formed, and thence to his undertak-
ing establishment on Fleet street
Under cross-examination by the de-
Tense he was led very deeply into all
Of the gruesome details surrounding
the embalming of dead body
The defense then look up the ques-
ton Of Mrs Brandon's finger nails,
and Taylor said that he cleaned her
nails with pair Of blunt scissors.
The scissors were introduced in evi-
dence.
However, on redirect examination
by the State, Taylor said. II don't say
took all the dirt out made no
special effort to get between the nails
and the flesh"
Do you mean to say that you did
this thoroughly said States Attop
ney Green.
No" answered Mr. Taylor
Was Body Tempered Witha
The State then put on Valentine \.
Brandon, husband OF the murdered
woman. who accompanied the body to
Washington from the time it was de-
liyered at the West street station at
$50 the afternoon after the murder,
until it reached Washington, and was
there turned over TO 3. A. Sardo, a
Washington undertaken
Mr.. Sardo has also been summoned
to-account for the body from this time
on. Pending his arrival from Wash
ington a recess was taken by the
Court After Mr. Sardo's examination
It IS expected that the Court viii ad-
journ Immediately until Monday morn
ing.
Mr.. Munf0rd's Testimony.
Following Mr. Brandon the prose-
cution put on the stand G. w. Nun