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GRAND JURY REPORTS FOUND NO ONE REMOTELY
CONNECTEDJP LYNCHING
After Exhaustive Investigation For Three And Half Days And
Examination Of 124 Witnesses Body Was Unable To Find
Sufficient Evidence To Indict
FINDS COMMUNIST ORGANIZATIONS EXIST
IN OTHER PARTS OF STATE BUT NOT IN WICOMICO
'No Dishonesty In Levying, Or Expenditure Of Public Monies",
Is Reported After Tribunal Makes Preliminary Examination
Of Comity Board And Treasurer
Concluding three and a half days of investigation and the examination of 124 witnesses, the county e>rand jury at 5:45 o'clock this afternoon reported it had not unearthed sufficient evidence to return an indictment in the lynching of Matthew Williams, negro, confessed slayer of Daniel J. Elliott, here on December 4.
The report concluded an exhaustive inquiry into the murder of Mr. Elliott, the mob hanging of Williams and of communist activity which preceded the two crimes. The body had the services of Attorney General William Preston Lane and Assistant Attorney General Anderson, assisting State's Attorney Levin C. Bailey in presenting the evidence and the added aid of four Baltimore city detectives who for several days conducted a quiet investigation in the city.
The grand jury's report read: "After a thoroughly energetic and complete investigation of all the evidence, direct and indirect, rumors and every lead indicated by the evidence given by more than one hundred witnesses produced to us bj the Attoi-ney General and Assistant Attorney eneral, the State's Attorney for Wicomico county and members of this grand jury, we rind that there is absolutely no evidence that can remotely connect anyone with the instigation or perpetration of the murder of Mathew Williams."
Reporting the result of the probe of communist activity here preceding the crimos, the grand jury said:
"After a thorough and complete investigation of all the evidence direct and indirect, presented to us by Attorney General William Preston Lane Jr,, and Assistant Attorney General G. C. Anderson in reference to communistic activities, wo find chat while such organizations do exist in other parts of the state there is no evidence to justify the belief that such an organization exists in Wicomico County."
Reports have been current that Williams attending a communist meeting here on the night before he murdered his employer, a prominent lumber manufacturer.
Immediately after making its report, the grand jury was adjourned by Judges Joseph L. Bailey and Robert L. Duer, sitting in Circuit Court.
Among the witnesses who testified were physicians, nurses and orderlies at Peninsula General Hospital from which Williams was taken by mob le-ders. State, county and city police and scores of persons attracted to the scene of the hanging in court house square. These witnesses were unable to identity any of the mob loaders.
Concerning the charge to the grand jm-y made last Monday by Judge Bailey that from $100,000 to $150,000 was "illegally levied and woefully and wastefully spent" during the last year, the grand juiy reported:
"After a preliminary inquiry into the conduct of the office of the county commissioners c-fi Wicomico county and the county treasurer, we do not "consider that there is any dishonesty in the levying! or expenditure of public monies or paying of the same thru the treasurer's office. But due to the general condition of the country and the financial condition of the property owners of this county we strongly recommend economy in the expenditure of public monies wherever possible." The county board and Treasurer Charles W. Bennett, invited the grand jury to make a thorough investigation of those offices and return a complete report of what the body found.
Mr. Bennett and Rex. A. Taylor, counsel to the board, were among those to testify concerning the county financas.
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