The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-10-11

SAN FRANCISCO Oct. 10.-Whether W.
II. Theodore Durrant is one of the most
remarkable of murderers or not, he Is a
remarkable witness. All of to-day, be-
fore an audience that packed the court
room, he stood fire of questions from
District Attorney Barnes, which it
seemed at times must break him down,
with an imperturbable coolness. His
quick ness of wit and adroitness were
shown dozen times. He went over the
ground OF his direct testimony, and en-
tered into the details OF his movements in
the church Oh the day of the murder
without varying any point or abating any
in plausibility.
The cross-eXamination began with the
time that Durrant first met Blanche La
mont. This was last September. He
said he had escorted her to and from her
home about fifteen times. He took her
to ride on q street-car twice, and he had
accompanied her to other places. These
were the only times he had ever been out
with her. He met her very often ct
church, and one evening last year she
visited his house. and he had given her
paddock She had on that occasion gone
&c his house with him, but refused to en-
ter. He denied an imputation of the Dis
trict Attorney that Miss Lamont entered
the hallway, and that he eXtinguisheG
the gaslighLs with an electric apparatus
He was then asked about the detective
electric appliance in the sunburners, and
how he came to know it needed repair
ing. He said the janltor had called his
attention to il on Sunday of the preceding
week. He had been busy every day from
that until the Sd of April, and could not
tind time 10 repair it. 1t was shown that
La had never before taken the route TO
college by which he went with Miss La
mont on the day OF her disappearance.
He emphaticaily reiterated his statement
that after she left the car at her school be
never saw ber again, dead or alive.
Durrant admitted that after Miss La
monts disappearance he had stated that
he believed she was easily led astray. and
Lad been lnvelgled into house OF Ill
1ane. He was asked what there was
about her habits which let him to that
conclusion He replied that there was
nothing. He had formed 1t from q state
ment OF the detective who was put on the
case when her disappearance was re-
ported 10 the police.
The examination had been tame up TO
this point, but it soon became exciting.
The District Attorney went back 10 the
statement of janitor Sademan OF EN-
manuel Church, that be had seen Durrant
at the ferry on the afternoon of the Min
ME Williams murder, and that Durrant
had then said ne was waiting to see II
Miss Lamont would not pass. He told
Sademan he had heard she was going TO
cross The bay that afternoon.
"DId you make such a statement to
Sademan ?'' asked Barnes.
II did" Durrant replied.
WHO gave you that clew :"
Il got it from gentleman up town."
"W no was he V'
81 don't know. | never saw him be-
fore or since. i standing on Post
street near Dupont" continued Durrant,
when this man tapped me on the shoulder
and asked me II / was not Theodore Dur
rant. told him that was my name. He
then asked NE il L was not Interested in
The disappearance OF Blanche Lamont,
and on my answering in the affirmative,
be told me he would advise me to watch
the ferry that afternoon as she would
cross the bay. He then walked Off down
the street, and went to lunch, aud after
ward walked 10 the ferry and watched for
her all the afternoon"
did you not Investigate to learn who
this man was, and where he got his in
formation ?" he was asked.
II did not" he replied.
"You knew Blanche Lamont was be-
ing searched for, and that your name was
associated with her disappearance, and
vet you permitted this stranger to walk
away without learning anything about
him 2"
..We ell," said Durrant, 1.-The truth is l
was so overjoyed at getting clew that
did not think OF questioning him. / no.
ticed that he was a man about five feet
eigutin hight and dressed with a light
overcoat and hat and told my counsel to
try 10 locate him."
lis it not TACT that you were not at
IL l<.z I
connected with Blanche Lamont, but to
meet Minnie Williams, whom you ex-
pected to come across the bay ?''
ut is not q 1act," said Durrant un-
moved by the rapidity OF the questioning
or the reference 10 the girl thought TO be
the second victim.
did you not meet Minnie Williams
there at that time and leave the ferries
with her?"
81 did not meet her or see her there"
he replied.
Durrant admitted that while he was at
the ferries he met TWO other students and
told them he was waiting for memb Der
OF the signal corps, but lie said his
expectation of meeting him was only
incidental. His business AZ the Terry at
that time was really to follow up the clew
he said the stranger had given him.
Barnes then reverted TO Durrants al
| leged work at the sunburners. He got
him to go over the details of what hap
pened then and was particular to inquire
as TO the symptoms which followed MS
inhalation of gas while he was at the
burners. Durrant said he was at work at
the sunburDers about a minute when he
felt the nauseating effects of the gas.
After completing his work he had gone
to the opening where the ladder was. a
distance OF about sixty-five feet, had de-
scended the ladder and had then taken ii
I f5O ts p Ebo d
! der weighed about fifty pounds. lie had
| then gone down to the Sunday school
room. He felt about the same degree of
| nausea all the time be was going down to
| the room and until he took the bromo
seltzer procured for him by King. He
took about teaspoonfui of the seltzer
and it relieved him.
! Barnes then questioned him as to his
studios, and was told that he attended
lectures and read textbooks on materia
medica, and would have graduated as u
physician next December.
In opposing an objection. Barnes made
the statement that Durrant knew enough
about medicine to be able to diagnose his
case, and that he had prescribed some-
thing intended for partial asphyxiation.
Had he been overcome by gas, as he
stated, and had taken enough OF the
| brOno-Seltzer, the District Attorney said
that he would have been dead man be-
fore he could have left the church.
This telling point had its effect on Dur
rant, who showed the only excitement
] manifested by him OH the stand. lie rose
10 his feet, and, turning to the court. said
| the District Attorney had misstated his
/ testimony in saying he had diagnosed his
| case as partial asphyxIatiop.