The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-04-24
DAMAGING TESTIMONY
Durranl Asks a Girl to GO to the
Church and Be Examined"
IS UNUSUALLY CONCERNED
Another Crazy She Crank Who
Claims to Re the Famous
Gypsy Queen Mind Reader.
Says "He's Not the Man."

SAN FRANCISCO, April 23.-In the pre-
limInary examination of w. II. L. Dur
rant, the medical student accused of out-
raging and then ferociously numbering
Miss Marian Williams in Emanuel church
on the night of April II, James p. Hod-
son, who lives within few doors of the
church, testified that he was passing the
church when he saw q young man and
young woman at the church gate. The
young man looked him squareiy in the
face. Hodson recognized Durrant as the
man he saw. Thes accused will seek to
establish an alibi in the case of the Will
Jams murder and also in the case oil Miss
Lamont.
Another large crowd assembled at the
police court to-day TO hear the examina-
rion of Durraut, the alleged murderer of
Minnie Williams. Durrant appeared pale.
slightly nervous, his muscles twitched and
his lips worked slightly. The first witness
was Harry Partridge, classmate of Dur
rant at the Cooper Medical college. PART
ridge testified that he answered to Dur
rants name at roll call at one of the
clinics April 8, Durrant not being present
to answer for himself. April is the day
Miss Willis. who testified yesterday, said
she rode on the train with Durrant in Ala
meda. when it is supposed he called on
Miss Williams, the murdered girl.
Charles A. Dukes, another student, tes-
| titled that he saw Durrant at the ferry the
afternoon of the 18th inst. and in conver-
sation with the prisoner Durrant asked
| him to answer roll call at the clinic next
day, as he said he would be absent on
| trip to Mount Diablo with the signal corps.
| Durrant said he was at the ferry to see
1 Lac - fhn afn a
student who accompanied Dukes gave
corroborative evidence of meeting with
Durrant at the ferry.
There is little if any abatement of in
terest in the Durrant case, and Judge
Conlon's court was crowded to-day. So
far nothing startling has been brought
| out by the examination of the witnesses,
although several things have been brought
out that seem to make the case against
the prisoner stronger.
Another female crank appeared this
morning. She placed herself at the
prison door and was admitted to Dur
rants presence, and after some conversa-
ton with him, most of which was spoken
with her mouth almost touching his ear,
left him and went to Chief Crowley's
office and said: HE is not the man."
She said she had looked at his head and
1
murderer. She said she was the Gypsy
Queen, the most famous mind reader in
the world. She was elected by the officers
| without trouble.
Mrs. Williamson, the crank who created
such n sensation yesterday. was lowering
| around the prison again to-day, but was
| denied admission.
Several of Durrant's class mates at the
medical college were called as witnesses
and testified that Durrant had asked
them to answer to his name at roll cali on
| various occasions.
One of the students did this on April 8,
the day Durrant was seen in Alameda
talking to Miss Williams. Others testi-
fed to seeing Durrant waiting at the fer
ries on the day of the murder. Witnesses
we're called to show that Durrant was
seen near Emanuel church with Miss Will
liams on the fatal Friday night, and their
testimony could not be shaken by the de-
/ fense.
The most sensational and damaging
evidence as tending to show Durrant's
characteristics was that of Miss Lucille
| Turner, one of Durrant's Sunday school
| mates. She said she had known Durrant
| for a year, they were both members of
| the Christian Endeavor society. Durrant
/ had walked home from church with her
several times. Miss Turner said that on
one occasion Durrant had spoken to her
in words not those of gentleman. Dur
| rant wanted to make a medical examina-
| ton of her and he knew of place in the
| church, where such an examination could
| be made without anybody else being the
| wiser. Witness told him that her folks
could attend to such matters.
Several objections were raised to this
| testimony by counsel for the defense, but
| Judge Conlon overruled them all and the
evidence was admitted. Witness said
that her actions toward the defendant
we're not changed on account of the affair
as she knew that any GOODNESS on her
part would attract attention, but she
never felt as free with Durrant after the
occurrence. She told her aunt and sew
eral friends of the conversation with
Durrant. She said that Durrant had
given her a set of questions to answer and
a paper was handed to her which Miss
Turner said contained some of her writ
ing. The contents were not made public.
but it is surmised that they are answers
to Durrant's queries as to her condition.
| Miss Turner had not discussed her condi-
ton with Durrant, but they had alluded
it.
During Miss Turner's examination,
Durrant looked very pale and anxious
and has not shown such pronounced
symptoms since his arrest. He listened
TO every word and watched every move