The San Francisco call., 1895-10-11

NfeS, sir.
.And then there was the false ceiling?"
'1es, sir.
"And you were on top OF the false ceiling
| when you first heard him?
Eyes, sir, was just rising from hiking the
| burner
while you were up there did you hear any
| other noise?'
ssNo, sir"
"Did You see anybody while you were up
| there?"
"Mr, Durrant, have you ever made written
| statementof your case and Of what took place
on April 8, 1882
is it in existence nowG"
"Itis."
"pid you write it, inclose it in an envelope
and address it to General Dickinson and Mr..
Beuprey, and then under il in small letters,
| TO be opened if 1 am convicted and TO be re-
turned unopened if am not conyictedP
There was q tardy objection from Dick
inson, but the Judge had the answer
stricken out until he could overTule the
objection, and then the answer was re-
peated.
SIS it not a fact that there is such state
ment, inclosed in an envelope such as de-
scribed? q insisted Barnes.
''There is no such envelope containing such a
statement in existenee?"
''Not TO my knowledge"
"Did you not write one yourself?"
mo, sir"
.'Did you not write such one in prison?"
"Refiect, Mr.. Durrant7'
'sThere is no need TO reflect on the subject"
There is no such thing in existence9"
Have you described such statement re-
cently?"
"Have you ever told of such q statement2"
II don't believe have
"Do you know?"
"YeS, sir"
4 ho
/ "I have not"
| "Neyer at any time?''
| ''NO sir"
Nor at any place?"
| "When Blanche Lamont left the car near the
Lowell High School, between Cough and Octa-
via streets, on the morning of the Sd of April,
1895, did you ever see her afterward?"
"Alive or dead?"
Neither"
"You neyersaw her after that morning when
| she stepped of the sutter-street carr"
"Did you know OF any opening from the sub
ceiling, where they were working in the En-
manuel Church, TO the belfry?"
'.Yon did not know of space under the
ceiling where ii was not ceiled up between the
Il don't think you will find it So"
"Isn't there an open space, no matter what
| size through which person can pass?'
mot 10 my knowledge"
| when you went out there with the jury?'
''No; that is above the old ceiling"
81 fear we are at cross purposes" said Barnes,
$50 take this pointer and indicate IN the model
! the space in the belfry and the space between
the two ceilings
This was done, and once more Barnes
returned TO his questions.
"Is there not an opening between the rafters
and the belfry to the sub-ceiling?"
/ through there
'Did you ever get between the roofs when
you were with the jury?"
| "How did you get there7-
| "By q ladder, up through the broken plas-
ter
| WAS there not space on April by which
| persons could pass between the ceiiings3"
| 81 knew of none"
''Is there space between the roof and the
/ old ceililg?" asked the court
There is,' said the witness.
atAnd you went through thatr'
"Now, you say to the District Attorney that
at no time while in the roof did you hear any
| noise that attracted your attention in any
manner or form?"
"None to attract my attention"
None that impressed itself on your mem
ory?' asked Barnes.
None, sir.'
Barnes took the books of the Young
Peoples Society and handed them to the
witness.
.You were secretary of that sOeietyG" he
| eyes sir"
"You kept these booksP
| "Tes, sir"
What do they contain?p
| "The reports OF TWO of the meetings"
! Are they In your own handWriting?h
PARTS in the writing of the previous zecre-
tary.
Barnes consulted Lees and then the court
and he offered the minutes and those
pages initialed "W. II. II. d. as an ex.
hibit. There was an objection from Dick
inson, because the books had no bearing
upon the case.
Barnes spoke 10 his point, and gave two
reasons for the admittance of the books.
First. because the defendant had said they
were the records of the society kept by
himself, and they would show the pres
enee or absence OF Blanche Lamont at the
meetings, and consequently at his house,
where the meetings were often held. And
again, because counsel for the defense had
already offered the notes of the defendant
taken in his own handwriting, and he
claimed the right to be allowed TO submit
| these books as further evidence.
The court ruled that the District Attor-
ney could ask the Hltness questions as to
the first ground, and he ruled his claim to
| submit the books as not well taken. On
the second ground he declared that the
book was admissible had the District At
torney set up the contention that the notes
in evidence were not in Durrant's hand.
writing. This the District Attorney had
not done, and SO the books were ruled out.
Every one was hot and tired. The all
in the courtroom was heavy and oppres-
sive, and the collar around the District
Attorneys neck was sadly wilted. 1t was
as good a time as any to adjourn, and
Judge Murphy so announced. Juror
Smythe concurred with the decision of the
court, but be had a suggestion to make
He asked that hereafter only such person:
as could be seated be admitted to thu
court, and that all others be kept outside
This time the Judge concurred, and he
formally advised the Sheriff that such
should be the rule. Then court ad iourned
and the big crowd fled out into the cor.
ridor to linger in the corners and along
the stairways to get another look al
Durrant.
HAS DURRANTC CONFESSED