The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-07-26
VICTIM OR FIEND. Which ?
New Developments In the Durant Case
Add to Its Interest.
HISTORY OF THE TRIPLE CRIME
The Confession Of william T. Barrctt
That He Committed the Celebrated
Emauuel Church Murders Is Not
Credited by tho Police.

San Francisco. July 25.-The trial OF
the young medical student, Theodore
Durant, for the atrocious murder or
Blanche Lamont. school girl. in
Emanuel Baptist church last April.
continues to attract great attention.
The general opinion Is that the jury
will disagree. as sentiment here Is
against convicting any one on purely
circumstantial evidence.
A new turn has been given to the case
by the confession. at Santa Cruz. Of
William F. Barrett, that he had COM
mitted the murders of which Durant
stands accused. Barrett. who was
formerly waiter in San Francisco
restaurant. says he saw nurant and
the girls on street car. and. admiring
Miss Lamont and Miss Williams. he
boarded the car in the hope of making
their acquaintance. followed them to
the church and killed them. The police
scout Barrett's story as being the va
porings OF a lunatic; but many people
here are inclined to credit 1t.
Queer Series OF Grimes.
There ia nothing In the history Of
crime which surpasses in its intensity
Of interest the series OF murders for
which Durant stands trial for his life.
Durant Is either an exemplary young
Christian and the victim Of strange
link of crimipating circumstantial hap
penlngs. or he Is cool. methodical. cal
culating fiend; paranoiac more daring
than Jack the Ripper" and monster
who turned a house of worship into a
slaughter-house for the qualification of
the basest passions.
Two beautiful girls We're murdered
in San Francisco church, both mur-
ders being committed within period
Of ten days. The church was in a
thickly settled part OF the city, but thus
far the police have found no eyewit-
nesses to the tragedies. In the face OF
the strongest kind OF circumstantial
evidence. Durant maintains his limo.
| cence and points to his life long record
as an earnest. consistent Christian as
proof that he Is incapable of the crime
charged.
lam was found in the library Of Eman-
uel Baptist church of San Francisco
April 13 of the present year. The fol-
lowing day search Of the belfry OF
the church resulted in the discovery of
the naked and decomposed body OF
Blanche Lamont. who disappea ed
April 8. William Henry Theodore Dur
ant was arrested and coroner's Jury
charged him with these murders. He
is also accused Of the killing of Eugene
Ware, a friend Of the murdered girls
ard his intimate companion.
Most GrOtesquo Type Of Crime.
Durant was 10 all outward signs de-
vout young Christian. the librarian and
superintendent Of Sunday school, an
earnest, consistent and intelligent work.
er in the Baptist church. He came from
good family, aad TO suspicion OF
wrongdoing would be entertained by
those who knew him as church mem.
Der. Blanche Lamont and Minnie VIII.
Jams were members Of Emanuel Bap.
tist church. There will be evidence in.
troduced in the trial to prove that Dur.
ant betrayed Blanche Lamont The
theory Of the police is that Durant first
killed Blarehe Lamont, for reasons beat
known to himself, and then murdered
the Williams girl so as to rid himself ol
the only witness he feared
But there was another witness George
King, the church organist. was prac
ticing on the organ the afternoon tha
Blanche Lamont disappeared. About
o'clock that afternoon he saw Dura.t
come down from the organ loft greatly
excited and overheated. Durant calmet
down and explained that he had beer
fixing some electrical appliances in tn,
lofa The body Of Miss Lamont showed
that she had been assaulted, stranglet
and then hacked with case knife
broken parts Of which were found in tn,
wounds. The body had been dragged
up the narrow beHry stairs. TIL,
clothes were found hidden around tn,
church. Minnie Williams was found IL
the Library. her mouth filed with strip
of cloth, and three knife wounds in tn
region Of the heart.
Damaging Testimony.
Two witnesses will swear that the,
saw Durant and Miss Williams ente
the church that evening. 1t will b
shown that on two occasions Duran
attempted to make an appointment
with Miss Williams, who lived with tn
family of DIR. Vogel. at Alameda. acros
the bay. The day she was last see
alive she left DR.. Vogel's at 4.3O an
went to the house of Mrs. Voy. Sh
left Mrs. Voy's at Z o'clock to attend
meeting and was found dead in tn
library the following day. Durant lef
home at O'Clock and cannot accoun
for his whereabouts until $50 whe
arrested, Miss Williams pocketboo
was in his possession. Durant said h
picked 1t up on the street Both girl