Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1895-10-13
Durrant,s GnuzN story.


W Ia I'VE or three
questions were palpable lies and he
changed his To tit the occas-
sions, besides he told Il story about
the disappearance OF Blanche Lamont
that was so gauzy that everybody
wonders how Durr;,ut had the hardi
hood to think the jury would accept
it as a fact. The pit. fall into which
Durrant fell was i'll telling ubout the
afternoon that he spent at the ferry To
G II Blanche would not attempt 10
o the bay to escape from the city.
Durrant said he had Il clue that Miss
Lamont would cross the bay that af-
ternoon. When asked where he got
the clue, Durrant said he vas stand
ing at the corner OF Market and
Montgomery streets that day when Il
stranger came up TO him and asked il
his name was not Durrunt. Tho pris.
oner replied that it n The strGng.
er then asked il he WIS not interest.
ed i'll her disappearance. In view Of
the fact that his name had been con
nected with the ease, Durrant replied
that he was. The stranger then said
watch the ferry this afternoon: that
is my advice. She will try to
the bay.
Although Durrant said hc was over
joyed to get the clue to Miss Lamont.
in reply to District Attorney Barnes
questions he said he did not ask the
mans name. residence or anything
about the source Of information he
had received. Neither did he ask for
further information on the subject.
He simply watched the man walk TO.
ward Dupont street and then Durrant
went To II restaurant and ate luncheon.
He then went to the ferry. he says. to
sec If he could lind Blanche.
Four OF Durrant's friends saw Dur.
rant at the ferry that afternoon and
10y II Of them the prosecution cX.
poets to prove that Durrant went there
not to meet blanche Lamont but Min
ME Williams.
Aaron HOge. an old schoUlmatc Of
Durrant testified at the preliminary
examination that Durrant met "a
woman answering Minnie Williams
description, and boarding a Howard
street car with her rode To Mission.
DurraIt testified to- day that he did
not meet any woman al the ferry and
that he went from the ferry to the
armory Ia pack up his blankets pre-.
paratory To making Il trip To Mount
Diablo next day.
To Frank Sadcman. whom he raw
at the ferry, Durrant said that he was
looking for Blanche Lamont. 70
Dodge and Dukes, students at the
medical college he said he was waiting
for members Of the signal corps WHO
were coming from Oakland.
When asked To day II he tod
Dodge and Dukes he was tracing a
clew to Miss Lamont. Durrant at first
replied that he did. The next mo.
ment he realized that he had given Il
wrong nnswcr and replied he did not.
He attempted to reconcile the state.
mcnts 10y saying he was looking for
Miss Lamont and waiting Tor mem.
bcrs OF the signal corps Mt the same
time.
District Attorney Barnes asked
Durrant why lac left the ferry at !
o'clock to make preparations To- 20 on
a pleasu'r trip il he was So much in
terested in finding Miss Lamont. with
whose disappearance his name had
been SO unpleasantly connected.
Durrant testified he did not think il
necessary to remain at the ferry long.
or.
Tho District Attorney then nskcd
il he had told any Of Blanchc's friends
OF the important clcw he received
from the stranger.
Durrant replied he had not as he
had not had m opportunity.
After vigorous questioning Durranf
admitted Inc attended the Christian
Endcavor meeting the same night.
where he met a number Of Miss La
mOnt's friends. Among others he
met Thomas VOgcl, who. Durrant tea
titled Il moment before. was more in.
tcrcstcd in Blanchc's disappearance
than any body else except her aunt.
Mrs. Noble. Although he had II pri.
waite conversation with Vogcl, Durrunt
told him nothing about the Clcw To
Miss Lamont's disappearance, as hc
said the subject did not occur to him
Durrant WIS asked il after the disap- |
pcarancc OF Blanche Lamont he told
Herbert Schlaiitcr she had probably
been led astray and had gone into a
house Of illfamc.
Durrant said he told Schlagtcr that
Miss Lamont might have been led
astray.
IIarnes asked Durrant what there
was about the manner or character Of
Miss Lamont that induced him to
make that remark.
Durrant said nc knew nothing
against Miss Lamont. but had heard
Detective Anthony say that she might
have been led nstray.
Tidings:-C. G.. Tructt aud others
i.... l.-.I a., I.l.. - III -