The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-04-17
DURRANT CHEERS UP.
He Talks About the Charaes-The
Church Janitor Contradict- Him.

(hurch Janitor toi1tradtct- him.
San Francisco, April 1s-Durrant spent
a quiet afternoon today. lie received a
large number of friends, who are mem
bers of the signal corps of students al
Cooper Medical College. They all shook
him by the hand warmly and assured
him OF their belief In his innocence. This
was very comforting TO Durrant after his
trial at the coroner's inquest He got into
better spirits. and by the middle OF the
afternoon was more composed than he
has been at any time since his arrest. lie
showed no signs whatever OF breaking
down. He said
The story that l was friendly with
Eugene Ware Is a fake. / never knew
him. don't think / ever saw him, and
never heard OF him till the news OF his
murder was published. don't think he
ever belonged To the signal corps,
'The statement made by Morgan at the
coroner's inquest that l attempted 10 as
sault Minnie Williams is absurd. There
are plenty OF girls In San Francisco for
me to call on without having 20 go TO
Alameda. IL is nonsense 10 even think
would be so greatly attracted by thin,
sickly little girl like Minnie Williams [
have always thought she was a good
kind little girl. but she never attracted
me I'm the way alleged I'm the least.
Il realize that the circumstances look
bad at the present for me, but j feel
confident that I will be able to establish
my innocence. II is case Of mistaken
identity on the part OF the three young
ladies who think they saw me board a
Powell street car with Blanche Lamont
the day she disappeared. ! viii he able
to expiaIn away at the proper time the
other pieces of circumstantiai evidence
which lead people 10 unjustiy accuse me.
mo. / have not the slightest idea who
could have killed the two girls cannot
believe that any one OF my sc1uainiances
could have committed the awful deeds.
I have no reason TO believe that n ton-
spiracy exists 20 prove me guilty N order
TO protect some other persons. | am sur
prised at some OF the reported actions
taken by DR. Gibson. George King. Clar-
ence Wolf and DR. Nogel. but l am SIRE
that none Of them could have been con
nected in any way with the horfi9le
crimes We were all young men toS ether
IN the church and I would be sorry to
hear anything against them.
T. a Saderman. the iani'or or the
church contradiets the statement or
Durrant In regard 20 the gas fiNtures IN
the church being out Of oTter. They
had been out OF order. but had been re
haired long before che lay on which
blanche Lamont disappeared. burTant
I'm statement made Moaday evening
said the ianitor had told ham 'hat the
gas tets did not huFn well and that he
would like purrant 10 fix them Dur
rant said that on Wednesday, two weeks
ago. he went directly from Coopcr med
tel college TO the church He went into
the loft above the church and f.Sed the
gas lets. So as TO save himself the
trouble ~ running up and down from
the loft ne turned on the gas before he
went fnto the loft. when he reached the
loft n. leaned down over the gas Jets
while nxing them. and could not avoid
lnhalins some gas This he claims. IS
what made him SO sick when ne left
the loft and met George King tn the
church.
The 3anitor saws he asked purrant
over a month ago 10 AZ The electric light
ing apparatus. But new burners had
since then been pat in and yhere had
heeo no trouble with them. lie eoHttn-
nes ~ supposed purrant cleverly
thought OF the incideDt aud made 81 Up
as an excuse for bis condition and TIE
fact OF his being Up Ia the building"