The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-09-04
TRIAL OF THEODORE DURANT.
District Attorney Barnes OPEN
ing Statement.
ne Tolls How Blanche Lamont, q Young
Girl About Twenty Years Old, Game to
San Francisco in september, 1894.
From Montana-How She was Last
Seen Alive w ith Durant as Kmanuei
Church.

eeon Ahve with Durant ne Emanuel
Church.
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. The actual
trial OF Theodore Durant for the muir
der of Blaache Lamont. commenced to-
day. Districs Attorney Barnes de-
iivered the opening address to the jury.
He said; TAT this point in the TRIAL,
and before proceeding with the evil
nence, it becomes my duty, as q repre-
sentative of the people, to make what
Is called the opening statement of the
case.
The opening statement should not
be regarded by you in the light OF testi-
mony, neither should It be regarded as
an argument upon the facts. II should
not have any weight with you, nor
should you consider 1t as mitigating
against the prisoner. 1t Is merely q
statement OF what the people expect to
prove.
I'VE will sh ow you that in the month
OF September, 1894, Blanche Lamont, a
young girl about 30 years Of age, came
to San Francisco from her home at
Dillon, Montana, and went to reside
with her aunt and uncle, Mr.. and Mrs.
Q. q. Noble, and from the time OF her
arrival here until April 3, she WAS en-
gagged In attending school. She was not
. society girl in any sense OF the word.
She was of quiet disposition, home
keeping and religious.
I'VE will show that Blanche Lamont
was acquainted with tho prisoner,
Durani; that he was in the habit OF ac-
companytng her home from church and
prayer meeting; that he Was caller
upon her at her nunt's house, that upon
the only occasion upon which she ever
went anywhere with any young man,
as far as we are informed, she visited
the park one afternoon in company with
Durant.
We will give you a history OF her
HE and her movements. as far as we
are able, up to the Ord of April, 1895, in
order that you may form just appre-
citation OF the character and the habits
OF this unfortunate young girl. We will
SHOW you her come ction with the de-
fendant, and we will show you the rea--
son why when the murdered body of
Blanche Lamont was found in the dark
ened belfry of Emanuel Church the
question sprang from the lips of every
resident OF this city and OF this country,
WHO is the murderer"
why is 1t that the State answers that
he who was responsible for the slaugh.
ter OF this young life is Wa. Henry
Theodore Durant; Durant. once the
friend Of Blanche Lamont; Durant, once
In charge of the Sunday school library;
Durant, once the electrician, who knew
the inns and outs OF the great building;
Durant, once the handy man jack of all
trades at the church, and now Durant,
the prisoner and on trial for his life?
We shall show Durant's come ton with
the crime and snail demonstrate by in
efrangible and answerable evidence
that he alone committed this murder.
vi we show you these facts; II we
show you that Durant WAS seen 20 enter
the church with her; that he was seen
afterwards in the cnurch alone; that
blanche Lamont was never seen again
by human eyes, from the moment she
entered the portals of Emanuel Baptist
Church with the defendant; that in the
church WAS found her dead body, her
school books-showlng that she had
never been home and that she had gone
straight from school TO her death; IL we
show you, as we confidently expect,
that no ono but the prisoner could have
committed this outrageous and horrible
crime, we shall look to you to render
your verdict that the prisoner at the bar
Is guilty OF murder in The FIRST degree