Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-04-15
SAN FRANCISCO. Cal. Aprll Il.

The Emanuel Baptist church on
Foso- tlett street. between Twenty-second
IA" third in this city has been
the scene i. @-5 81 the most atroclous
murders ever committed in the state.
Yesterday the mutilated and murdered
body of Minnie Williams was found
in the library Of the adlGce Today the
nude body of Blanche Lamont was
found in the tower of the same church
The same hand. the authorities believe
slew both girls and w. II. Durant, the
young man suspected of both crimes is
now in custody.
Blanche Lamont and Minnie Will
liams were members of the Emanuel
Baptist church and members of the
Sunday school class. The former was
a student at the Normal school on
Powell street in this city; the latter
was a companion in family in
Alameda, across the bay from the city.
Both We're q years old, brunettes and
pretty and modest girls. Both have
been the recipients of attentions from
young medical student named w.
II. II. Durant, who is also the librarian
of the church and the secretary of the
Young Peoples Society of the church.
On April 3. Miss Lamont disappeared.
Diligent search failed to reveal any
trace of her whereabouts and her aunt,
Mrs. Noble, with whom she had been
living. was totally unable to throw any
light on the affair.
Miss Lamont came here several
months ago. being in San Francisco
for her health and at the same time to
attend the Normal school to perfect
herself as a teacher.
The last person seen in her company
was w. II. \. Durant. u young medical
student. who 1t seems, had been friend
ly with the missing girl. on Saturday
night at 1910 y. III. the mutilated body
Of Minnie Williams was found in the
library OF the church. The girl had been
assaulted and her remains We're cut
and hacked. the girl having evidently
died from loss of blood. on further
examination, 1t was found she had been
gagged. the assailant tearing part of
her underclothing and thrusting 1t
down her throat with a sharp stick,
badly decorating the tongue. Two witt
nesses state they saw u young man and
n young woman. the former answering
the description Of Durant and the latter
that of Minnie Williams, enter the
church. Following this clue, the police
at once put the residence of Durant
under surveillance.
Miss Williams lived with friends in
Alameda who gave her home until
she could secure a position. She had
been "a regular attendant of the
Emanuel church having formerly lived
In that neighborhood, but on the
separation OF her father and mother,
had moved to Alameda Friday morn
ing the Morgan family, with whom she
had lived packed their household
goods, intending to leave for Tacoma
and Miss Williams had removed her
near the church. Friday evening she
was to have attended meeting of the
young peoples society Of the Emanuel
church at DR.. Vogel's house.
At 7;15 y. m. SHE left Mrs. Voy's house
to attend the meeting, taking latch
key with her. she never appeared
there. About this time Durant left his
home in the same vicinity bound for
the same meeting. At s o'clock Durant
met Phillip Perkins and asked him
some questions about trip to Mount
Dlablo, which the signal corps OF which
he was a member was to make next
day. At $3.50 p. m. he appeared at DR..
Vogels residence and none were
merrier than he during the remainder
of the evening. AT II O'Clock he left
with a party,of young people and went
home. The next morning Durant arose
early and went with his comrades of