Arizona weekly citizen., 1895-04-20
LIGHTS ON A GREAT CRIME |.

|
 city prison, sworn to by the officer who arrested him with the slgDal corps squad
 on Mount Diablo. The ceroner's inquest
 upon Miss Williams will be held tomor
 row. It will be 6 dual investigation
 The police will produce their evidence
 regarding the murder of both girls
 They say they have mora than enough
 testimony to convict Durrant of the
 murder. Further mystery IS added tc
 the affairs of Emanuel Baptist church
 by the report that Mrs. Ella Forsyth,
 who has been missing for a week, was
 also member of the parish of the fatal
 place of worship. Her husband, who
 has been searching diligently for her, says she left home to go the beach to | gather shells. She has never been seen or heard O; since, and it is surmised | that she may have shared the fate of Blanch Lamont and Marian Williams. The city was alive today with sensa- tional runors regarding the horrible tragedy. One widely circulated report ! concerned the finding of the remains of another woman in the church. Another was that Durrant had confessed. Both proved to be canards.
 The theory now is that Durrant had just accom- pIished his f1endish task when seen by Organist King. The report that Durrant. the accused murderer, has broken down and will confess is indlg- nantly denied by J. w. Thompson, who
 acting ss Durrant's attorney.
 "Durrsnt has made no statement and will make none," said Judge Thompson, somewhat tersely when questioned at the morgue late this afternoon. "The young man told all he knew yesterday afternoon" he continued, ''and has noth- Ing more to say"
 Judge Thompson has asked and re- ceived permission from the csroner to be present at the inquest with a stenog rapher that he may follow the testi money in behalf of his client
 The street in front of Emanuel Bap- tist church wRs blocked all day with a curious and excited throng. Police and detectives spent the dsy in searching every nook and corner of the sanctuary for further evidence which would throw light upon the crimes. The police believed it impossible for the butcher of Miss Williams to accomplish his brutal murder without having smeared with blood some article of clothing. To find some trace of the assassin's presence VAS the object of their unsuccessful search. The rumor was circulated in the Mission that there was a plot Cn the N-E- 1- ,l~..1 .l church. No overt attempt at violence WAS made, but the project was seriously discussed by respectable citizens.
 Police Surgeon Summers says:
 "Medical works abound with cases of men whose animal passions could not be aroused without the sight of blood. It may be that Durrant is one of t1at class of human tigers. The crimes with which he is charged appear to have been the acts of man inspired by such bloody instincts, as the post mortem examination clearly proves that the victims were killed and afterwards out ragged"
 MOTIVE OF THE CRIME.
 In the search for motives for the crime many curious theories have been
  rant guilty are forced to admit that it is barely probable that he had outraged the girls after they were dead, even If he would have committed such crime when they were alive. Assuming that Durraut is guilty, one theory for the motive of the murders is that the crimes were committed for the purpose of medl- cal iuve, tigation. The statement has been made that Durrant proposed to plumber of girls that he be allowed to examine them for female troubles, which he professed to be able to cure. The persons to whom he made these pro- posals indignantly refused. It is known thatDurrant WAS an ardent medical stu dent and took great interest ID diseasas of women. The theory was that he was cr8zed on the subject and being unable to conduct his investigations IT any legitimate manner. murdered the girls for that purpose. The condition of the bodies after they were found tends to carry out this line ot reasoning. Instead of abating the excitement of possible developme ts is on the increase. Every fresh rumor is an excuse for an extra edition of the newspapers, which are eagerly bought by crowds of people on the str, cts. Other crowds of people gather in front of the bulletin boards and haunt the scene of the crimes Emanuel church.
 The home of Durrants parents is also
 an object of curiosity. Although some | of Durrant's friends have deserted him | in his hour of trouble, most of them have stood manfully by him and assert | heir belief in bis innocence.
 A strange feature of the case IS the | fact that the people living in the vicinity | of the church are not back ward in asser- | ting that Rev Gibson, pastor of Emanuel | church, knows m ore about the murders | than he has yet revealed. Rev. Gibson \ has come in for considerable criticism | on account of his peculiar action ID con- ! uection with the the cases. His plans
 seemed to be to block the gathering of information, and so pointed did the | allusions to his conduct become that he | issued a statement to the public Tn | which he sad that he was SO overcome by the discovery of the bodies in the II church that he did not know what to | do.
 | Durrant's preliminary examination | will occur tomorrow, but will undoub-
 teddy be postponed in order to give the | police time to put their evidence ID | shape. No one but relatives and hIs
 attorney are allowed to see the suspected criminal, but crowds of hIs friends have called at the city prison to give him aid and comfort. Many strangers have
 called, many of them women, but they
 have all been turned away.
 MARsToN's STATEMENT.
 The general opinion about the city is
 unanimous in believing that Durrant is
 the murderer. O. A. Marston came to
 the morgue today and said that Durrant
 was continually trying to kiss girls in and about the church having tried to
 take liberties with Marston's niece.
 When the three rings belonging to
 Blhnch Lamont were sent to the latter's l annt tha naner enclosing them hnra the