The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-01-23
FOUR JURORS ARE
CHOSEN AS TRIAL
Of SNOWDEN OPENS
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room. all of the colored witnesses
were separated from the white and
placed in the far corner.
Judge Duncan interrupted a verbal
tilt between the opposing counsels dur
ing the selection OF the talesmen.
He delivered an Impromptu lecture
on the difference between strong. weak,
and circumstantial evidences
The Jurors selected from the first
panel were: Granville Simpson.
farmer-the first juror is Automatical-
ly designated as foreman; Caleb Bor-
tel, stonecutter: william z. Lochk-
wood, storekeeper and Frank Wheel
er, storekeeper.
Undertaken Challenged.
The first man TO be disqualified as a
Juror was an undertaken, David David
son. He was challenged by the defense.
presumably on account OF his occupation.
+. Fan Henson, a farmer, declared that
his wife had read about the case to him
in the papers, and that he had formed
an opinion that could not be changed by
an earthquake. He was excused
Michael Hennessey, a trucker. was ex-
cused because he declared that he was
Opposed TO murder" as a capital pun
ishment
Henry A. johnson, q farmer, was ex-
empted" by the court because he had a
barrel of pork in the railroad station that
was liable to spoilation. The cout ruled
that the pork was needed by the city Of
Towson, and the Juror was needed by
the State.
Thomas whelan was excused be-
cause he expressed a prejudice against
negroes.
Considerations ScrupIes.
Most OF those excused by the court
had conscientious scruples against
capital punishment.
The panel was exhausted at 1880,
end another was drawn by the clerk
of the court. The sheriff and his
deputies then were sent out by Judge
Duncan to secure the necessary tales
men.
After twelve jurors had been &C
cepted the defense challenged c. H.
Bartel, the second, and L. J. Wheeler,
the fourth, jurymen accepted. John
b. Koener was accepted in the place
of Bartel, and William B. Klohr in
the place OF Wheeler. The panel was
again complete, but the defense chal-
lenged William LockaBd, which left
another vacancy In the panel This
was filled by William H. Timmons.
Jury SwOrn In.
The jurors were sworn in and en-
Joined by the court. The indictment
was read by William P. Cole. clerk
of the court. Recess was taken at
-. 49, NkA
court will convene until o'clock. The
jury, in the custody of the sheriff, was
taken to q local hotel for lunch.
More than two score of witnesses
have been subpoenaed, but IL is not
believed that all of them will be used.
The State, according to Attorney
Green, should complete the presenta-
ton of its case in two days after
the jury Is drawn, which process is
expected to consume only q few
hours.
On two negro women the State
will rely to prove that Snowden was
seen coming out of the Brandon home
on the day of the murder, while the
young husband was at work at the
naval experiment station across the
Severn river.
Detectives Pohler, Kratz. and
Dougherty, OF Baltimore, will be
used to show Snowden's actions when
arrested; to tell how he did not even
ask what he was wanted for when
taken from the ice wagon he was
driving in Annapolis on the day of
his arrest.
The detectives will also testify as
to conflicting statements made To
them by Snowden; how he first denied
having been near the Brandon home
on the day OF the murder and later
admitted passing the house.
Snowden's wife was laundress for
the Brandons, and he had often call
ed for she weeks wash money. Con-
trary to his usual custom he did not
report for work on the day of the
murder, but showed up on the day
following, bearing bruises on his
body and scratches on his shoulders.
which he claimed to have sustained
in a fight with his wife. The State
will contend they were inflicted by
Mrs. Brandon in trying to defend
herself
Valentine Brandon, husband OF the
woman, who was about TO become a
mother, is expected to prove a ma
terial witness. He will tell OF her
physical condition, OF kissing her just
before he went TO work early in the
day, of how she was in good spirits
and how he found her dead upon his
return, with a bruise on her head and
signs pointing to strangulation. A
theory one time advanced was that
the child-wife tainted and feel against
the ice box, suffering the bruise and
fatal injury on the head. Finger
prints on her neck disproYed such
a theory.
Fair Verdict Assured.
States Attorney Hartman has as
sured the officials OF Anne Arundel
county that a fair and impartial YER
dict will be rendered here. He has
held several conferences with Attor.
ney Green, and together they have
what they claim is an open and shut
case against the negro Snowden.
Brady declines to give any intima-
tIon Of the line OF defense that will
be offered.
Contrary TO the usual order OF
things. the jury will not be made up
OF tobacco-chewinG farmers with corn
tassle boards. Baltimore county is
"citified." and most OF its
population live in the city OF Balti-
more, but outside its corporate limits
where the night between the State
and city factions for annexation is be-
ing SO bitterly waged.
Judge Robert ]. Duncan will con-