The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-20
MURDER is CHARGED.
The Coroner'S Jury Accuses
Durrant of Killing Miss
Williams.

eve, the jury, do say upon our oath
that Minnie EIoEa Williams, age p years,
nativity Canada, single, residence Ala
media. Alameda County, State OF Cali
fornia, found dead April Is in the En-
manuel Baptist Church, Bartlett street,
between Twenty-second and Twenty-third
streets, city and county of San Francisco,
came to her death from hemorrhage due
to lacerated wounds and asphyxiation due
to strangulation; and we further find,
from the evidence obtained, that the muir
der was committed by one Theodore Dur
rant, and we charge him with the crime
Charles H. Dawson, foreman; Lawrence
\. Green. a. H. Frank, J. P. Ruegg, n.
Cohen, II. Shemanski, A. Jonas, John
Teggart, Louis Markus and William
Taylor"
After being out thirty minutes and once
calling Coroner Hawkins into consultation
the jury finally brought in the above YER
dict Durrant was not there to hear it
read. Toward the end OF the case Coroner
Hawkins called him as a witness, but on
the advice OF Eugene Deuprey, his counsel
be refused to be sworn. As soon as the
case was given to the jury Durrant was
removed by Sergeant Burke TO hack and
driven to the City Prison.
The Coroner, jurors and witnesses were
ready promptly at 9 A. NJ, but the attorneys
for the prisoner were not in attendance, so
DR.. Haw kins did not ike to proceed. After
waiting twenty-five minutes Deuprey put
in an appearance, and i've minutes later
Durrant was brought in by Sergeant Burke
and Detective Gibson.
The first witness was DR.. a. T. Vogel
He was recalled to testify in regard to the
movements of Elmer A. Wolfe. He said,
in substance:
know Elmer Wolfe He was present al a
party given in my house on the 18th inst. He
arrived about & rs P. NJ. He was not member
of the Young Peoples Society of Christian En-
deaYor, but, nevertheless, he was present at
the business meeting. He brought Miss Lord
10 the party and left with the rest shortly after
IL p N.
Q.-Do you know where he lives? Al think
he lives most OF the time on the ranch, but his
city address is $50 Twenty-third street.
Odd you invite him to the party2 Al
might have invited him, but l don't remember.
ANY one who attends the church IS welcome TO
come to our meetings.
Q.-Have YOU ever seen a bed in the church
A.-No, sir; have not. There is lounge in
the pastors study.
Q.-Did you see Wolfe when he arrived in
company with Miss Lord? Al did.
Q.-Was he excited? A.-No, sir; he was not.
He seemed to me TO be just the same as usual.
Elmer A Wolfe was recalled and was
asked by the Coroner to give detailed ac-
count of all his movements on that event
full Friday night. He said:
Iattended the social at DR.. VogePs house I
went there in company with Miss Lord and
met my stepsister, Miss Taber, at the door and
we all entered together, getting there about
20 minutes past s. We all left about Il 80
I. N. There were FIVE in our party, but Durrant
caught up with Us after we had walked g
block. We walked up Howard street TO Twenty
fourth and at the corner we separated, three of
the party going down the street and Durrant,
Miss Lord and myself going up. AT the corner
OF Twenty-fourth and Capp streets there was
another break in the party. Dulrant went on
up TWenty-fourth and Miss Lord and turned
down Capp. left Miss Lord at her home and
then went to my room on TWenty-third street.
l changed my clothes.
Q. Why did you change your clothes
Al was dressed just the same as / am now. 1t
is my best suit, and did not care about riding
in IT, Besides the suit put on is the one gen
orally wear at the ranch, and the one have on
I keep in the city. After changing my clothes
went 70 my brothers stable 10 get my horse,
but when got there / suddenly remembered
that had left my horse at the blacksmith's
shop on the corner OF Fifteenth avenue and
San Bruno road. A that time did not know
the horse cars stopped running at l0:45 p NJ,
so ! ran to Bartlett and along that street to
Twenty-third, and then to Howard. Finding
the horse cars gone | took the Howard-street
cable cars, transferred 10 the horse cars, rode
TO the end of the line, walked TO Fifteenth ave-
nue. and San Bruno road got my horse and
rode TO the ranch, arriving about 80 A. NJ.
Saturday.
Q.-why did you run down Bartlett to
twenty third, when you could have saved
block by going down Twenty-fourth? Al
dont know why did it. | suppose it was be-
cause have always been in the habit of taking
the cars at the corner OF Twenty third and How
ara. DID II unthinkingly, just the same as
horse.
This ended the Wolfe episode and Charles