The record-union., 1895-11-02

SAN FRANC1SCit, NOV IL utO-
dore Durrant murdered Blanche La
mont. That was the verdict of the
jury this afternoon. The jury was out
twenty eight minutes. The verdict was
received with a shout Of applause from
the auditors who packed the courtroom
The closing scene of the great trial
was full of dramatic interest, pathos
and excitement. The District Attor-
neys peroration was an able effort
He said he had struggled to suppress his
feelings of repugnanCe to the defend
ant, and to be absolutely fair to him,
and to lay aside his feelings of horror
and detestation which had hindered
and oppressed him. He confidently as
serted that nothing had been stated in
his address to the jury which had not
been proved by competent evidence.
Link by link the chain had been welded,
until it had been shown beyond any
doubt that Durrant had murdered
Blanche Lamont on April Sd by stran-
gulation.
The charge of Judge Murphy occu-
pied a little over an hour in the deliV-
cry. Before he began it, General Dick
inson, Durrants counsel, formally OBJ
jected to the portions of Barnes ad-
d1 eSS abusive in their nature, but he
court considered them proper and al
lowed them to stand. The charge was
a cold statement of the law, unrelieved
by any side dissertation. 1t was very
fair, and covered the ground of alibi
circumstantial evidence and motive
completely. The motive would not ne
ceSSarily need to be shown, as it might
not appear on the surface. Circum-
stantial evidence as to motive would
apply as to other points in the case
He stated the California law as to MUIR
Ger in the first degree, which involved
one where death resulted to d victim Oh
a criminal assault, whether the killing
was or was not meditated.
AS soon as the court completed the
charge Dickinson took an exception, on
the ground that his honor had not read
the instructions submitted as the de-
fense had written them. The jury was
then given III charge of two Deputy
Sheriffs and conducted to the juryrOom
Suppressed excitement was mani
tested throughout the courtroom and
the corridors outside during the wait
which succeeded the departure of the
jury. There was a great deal of specu-
lation as to how long the jury would
remain out. The general opinion
among those who had followed the trial
was that an agreement would soon be
reached, but owing to the mass of evi-
dence it was thought possible that the
juors might remain out all night. The
result showed that the jurymen had al
ready digested the evidence, and thai
the overwhelming evidence which the
prosecution had piled up against the ac-
cused had left them no option, and not
even room for doubt.
The jury, upon reaching the juryroon
selected Warren DuttOn of their num-
Der for foreman, and then balloted
The first ballot was for murder in the
first degree. Word was Immediately
sent to the courtroom, and Judge Muir
ply sent for the jury.
While this was going on Durrant sat
in the courtroom beside his counsel con-
versing with his mother and several Oi
her lady friends. AS soon as Mrs Dur
rant learned that the jury was coming
in her demeanor changed from one oi
gaiety, and "a look of dread came tC
her face which was not reflected in that
of her son. He stoically watched the
iurymen as they took their seats, as
If to get from their features the import
of the verdict which their early return
portended AS Foreman Dutton pro
nounced the verdict of guilty of murder
III IIle uISL QG6lGe GIit LII ciLIlNi'N
which had listened in perfect silence
for the words which he was to utter
rose and uttered yell which echoed far
out in the corridors.
Most of those in the audience were
women. The cries which went up from
them fell upon the ear of the convicted
murderer's mother like a blow, and il
seemed to bring her her first realization
of the force of the words of the jury :
foreman Her face was averted, and she
though possessed Of remarkable courage
thogh possessed of marvellous courage
a CRY burst from her lips, followed by a
hysterical outburst of sobs.
AS he listened intently to the words
which sealed his fate Durrant partially
rose from his seat. The look onshis face
was one of defiance, and it was appar-
ent that he had it in mind to address
the Jury The first cry from his mother
changed his mind if he had such inten-
tion. He sat down, turned to his
mother and took her fondly in his arms
She rested her head on his shoulder
and with his left arm about her slender
form ne held her in a tender embrace
patting her with his left hand and with
his right stroking her hair. He seemed
obliVious TO the fact that a verdict
which meant death to him had been re-
turned; oblivious to everything except
tie weeping woman who had sat pa
tiently by his side through the long
trial, cheering him with words of hope
Il his display was of nerve it was mar
velous, and if of callousness to any but
fIiaf sensations it was equally mar
velous.
The triumphant shout from the SOC
throats in the courtroom had been
hushed by the bailiffs, and a hush fell
upon the crowd when Judge Murphy be
gan to address the jury. He assured
them that they had his thanks for the
manner in which they had performed
their duty. and believed they would
have the thanks of the entire commu-
nifty.
AS the jurymen marched by Dur
rant and his mother they all looked
sympathetically upon the sad picture
of the weeping woman upon the
shoulder of her condemned son.
Judge Murphy announced that next
Friday he would pass sentence on Dur
rant, and at the same time he would
fix the time for beginning the trial OF
Durrant for the murder of Minnie
Williams.
The verdict of the jury meets with
general appreciation. The town is to-
night wild over it. and it resembles the
aftermath to an election. Durrant
himself takes it coolly, and says ne
has not yet lost hope. His attorneys
will take an appeal to the Supreme
Court on a bill of exceptions, the ma
terial for which accumulated during
the trial.
The material for the Minnie Williams
trial has all been gathered, and the
prosecution is preparing to go right
ahead with it. 1t is certain that