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TWO CRIMES DECEMBER 4 BEFORE JURY
Witnesses Give Testimony Before County Grand Jury On Murder And Lynching
LAWE IS HERE TO
ASSIST PROSECUTOR
Tribunal Concludes Regular
Work Reports One Bill For
Arson, Seven For Larceny
The Wicomico county grand jury this afternoon began an investigation into the two murders committed here on December 4 and the communist agitation which preceded it to determine who instigated the crimes.
The instructions of the court, issued yesterday by Judge Joseph L. Bailey, before it and more than 100 witnesses waiting to be heard the grand jury began the investigation at 2 o'clock this afternoon. The court room and upper corridors leading to the grand jury room were crowded with those whoso testimony will later be heard.
_he grand jufy completed with dispatch the- routine criminal work laid before it by State's Attorney Levin C. Bailey. It was tho lightest criminal docket to confront the regular jury term of court in many years.
Eight true bills were reported at noon. One was an indictment for arson and seven for larceny and robbery. This compares with 63 presentments at the September term of court.
Attorney General William Preston Lane, Jr., arrived at noon and conferred with tho state's attorney. The twto went to the grand jury room to begin the interrogation of the witnesses at the afternoon session. Grand jury seasons aro strictly secret and no informatior. can be given out concerning testimony presented the tribunal.
Judf:e Bailey instructed the grand jury to review the activities of an "outside organization" which aroused ,'the lower Eastern Snore counties, prior to the T.urder of Daniel J. Elliott, prominent lumberman and the subsequent hanging of Mathew Williams, confessed slayer of the manufacturer.
The reference to an "outside organization" was generally interpreted to mean the International Labor Defense a Communist organization having its headquarte, ~ in New York and a branch in Baltimore.
This organization sent a telegram to Judge Bailey today assailing the county tribunal investigating the two crimes as a "lynch jury." Another telegram was dispatched to Governor Ritchie demanding Judge Bailey's impeachment.
There was no indication this afternoon how much time the grand jury will consume in making the investigation or when tho results of the probe will be reported.
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