Evening star., 1895-11-02
Durrant Discusses Yesterdays Scene
in Court
TALKS ABOUfhIS TESTIMONY
His Strange staty Of the Lamont
Murder.
COUNSEL WOULDN'T USE IT

SAN FRANCISCO November 2.-Theo-
do-e Durrant. convicted of murder. is the
same se,f-possessed quiet, iron-nerved man
that has been tried for his life. He still
maintains his innocence and after being
taken back to Jail from the court room,
said to reporter: '"They say that my
dear little mother screamed when the YER
dict was announced. It's all like dream
to me. The first thing remembered was
that her arms We're around my neck.
Everything else was cruel, SO sudden. SO
harsh. 1 fel. safe in her arms. l could
stand any injustice, any wrong, but for
my mother and sister,"
What did you want to do or say just
after the verdict was rendered.?
Il wanted to get up and shout my In
nocence Before God. l am innocent of
that crime. l wanted to get up and call
God to smite me where 1 stood IL my
heart and conscience were not as pure as
those who were bowling with joy that l
had been branded murderer. l told every
thing honestly and fearlessly when l was
on the stand. l even told things that ap-
peared against me- Do you suppose If l
were guilty that would volunteer the state
ment about the stranger who approached
me? l told 1t because it was true and
told everything that could recollect.
when I was first arrested gave my
statement, and all l have said since has
been materially the same. 1 would have
got up yesterday. but my mother, several
friends and the chief jailor closed in around
me and held me down. Even so. I do not
now know why did not scream my protest
above It all"
Attorneys Dickinson and Deuprey. who
defended Durrant insist that their client
is an innocent man. They will ask next
Friday fer a new trial, which will probably
be denied by Judge Murphy. Then the case
will be appealed to the supreme court on
the ground that the judge erred in a num-
Der of bis rulings during the trial. Attor-
ney Deuprey, when speaking of the trial
and verdict said 1T was a newspaper
fight, and the newspapers won."
Durrnnfs Strange Story.
Miss Carrie Cunningham. the reporter
who testified in the Durrant trial that Dur
rant had told her , saw Blanche Lamont
murdered in the. belfry of Emanuel
Church, and who said that Durrapt Shove =
her an envelope containing statement to
be opened after he was convicted. has made
public her side of tise story. She says that
when she visited. pyrrant at the Jail he
told her a remarkable tale with the idea
that she was to, beuA witness for the de-
Tense. He said that he had been sworn to
secrecy by the murderers, but felt that If
Miss Cunning ghan first gave an inklng OF
what the story Vas he would be released
from his oath. Miss Cunningham agreed
to this, and DurrHnt told her the following
While I was ,hxipg the sunburners of
Emanuel Church Ihe4fd a noise. followed
the sound to the belfry, and ascertained that
Blanche Lamont was. murdered on the Sec
ond landing. 1 encountered the murderers,
promised never to REVEAL what had dfscov-
tred and rushed down stairs to George King.
had an appointment with King and feared
that he might go, ,searching for me. l was
much distressed Over what had seen. and
l felt na'iseated, but I did not send King
for bromo seltzer Because I wanted the
medicine sent qiim' out OF the church, in
order to give the guilty men chance to
escape"
Miss Cunningham says Durrant told her
that the murderers exercised an unaccount-
able influence over him. and swore to spirit
his mother away If he told what he had seen.
He said that he had given the statement
to his attorneys. but that they had decided
not to use it. He said that the story related
to Miss Cunningham was practically the
same as that contained in the statement,
with the exception that the names of the
murderers and a few details were omitted.