The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1895-08-22
BAD FOR DURRANT
Was Seen Entering Emanuel
Church With Miss Lamont.
BY ONE WHO KNEW THEM BOTH
New and Important Witness Supplies the
Last Link in the Chain OF
Evidence.

San Francisco, Aug. 16.-A local pa
per says the last link in the chain OF
evidence against Theodore Durrant has
been discovered. A woman who iiVes
across the street from Emanuel cnurch
has reported to the police that she saw
Durrant and Blanche Lamont enter
the church at 4:10 on April 3, the day
of Miss Lamont's disappearance. The
woman's name is Mrs. Leake' and she
lives at 124 Bartlett street. She is 50
years of age, and has been a memper
of the church number of years. she
knew both Durrant and Miss Lamont
Intimately, and therefore cannot be
mistaken with regard to their Identity.
She says she has remained silent since
the discovery of the bodies of the two
girls because she did not wish to I'M
dergo the annoyance of being wit
ness in the case, and did not consent TO
divulge her information to the police
until she became convinced 1t was
duty she owed the state.
on April Mrs. Leake sat at the
window of her residence nearly all
the afternoon looking for her daughter
whom she expected to arrive from San
Mateo. At o'clock she saw couple
coming up the street, one of whom she
instantly recognized as Durrant, but at
first she was puzzled over the identity
of the girl. AS the couple came near
er Mrs. Leake recognized the girl as
Blanche Lamont. Miss Lamont wore a
short school girls dress and carried a
package of school books. The dress
found secreted in the church. When
the couple reached the church gate
they stopped for a moment. In a mo-
ment Durrant opened the gate and
they passed through. Mrs. Leake, from
her point of observation, was watching
them, and when the girl stepped
through the gateway she said to her
self: what an imprudent thing for her
to do" Mrs. Leake knew nothing det-
rimental to Durrant. She had always
considered him "such an exemplary
young man." but Notwithstanding that
fact she thought 1t exceedingly impru-
dent for the girl to go into the church
with him alone. She feared some one
might have seen them and might make
unpleasant remarks. She imagined
they had some errand In the church.
and expected in a few minutes that
they would come out. She watched
carefully. but the gate did not open
p There Is only entrance to the Emanuel
church during the week, and that Is
by the side gate and the rear door
Mrs. Leake knew the young people
would have to pass through the gate
and she wanted to see them on the
street again before she left the win
dow. She waited a long time, but the
household duties finally called hel
away to another part of the fiat, ant
she was obliged to give up the vigil.
Mrs. Leakes evidence completes tn,
chain of evidence against Durrant
Three school girls saw Durrant ant
Blanche Lamont riding on the Powell
street car at $3.50 o'clock on the after
noon of the day that Miss Lamont dis
appeared. Attorney Martin QuinlaI
saw the couple a few blocks from thu
church a few minutes before o'clock
Now comes Mrs. Leake who says sh
saw Durrant and Miss Lamont ente
the church a few minutes later.
Mrs. Leake's standing in the church
of which she has long been a member
is excellent, and her testimony is con
SiuciNb uhiihPcoNhdbit. Inc oitoiii'S
for the defense were somewhat disturb
ed In court today over the publication
of Mrs. Leake's narrative. The pris
oner also showed signs of uneasiness
for the first time since his arrest. TIL
defendants attorneys declined to dis
cuss Mrs. Leakes story, but admit 1t
seriousness. Out of $50 veniremen sum
moned In court today all but 20 wer
excused by the court on various pre-
texts. None OF the remainder were &C
cepted as Jurors, and the court ad
iourned until Monday