The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-09-11
The Dead Girls Aunt on the Wit
ness Stand
Witnesses Tell Of Finding Blanche LamoDt's
Wearing Apparel in the Belfry OF
Emanuel Church
Associated Press Special wiro

IOl1cenian II. Il. comps. .. j. MI
Greery. E. V. Herd and 6. H. Graham
testified to the finding of the murdered
| girl gloves, stockings, underwear hat and
| school books. Tho defendants attorneys
tried to show by these witnesses that the
police department had conducted the ex-
ami nation of the church building in a
very careless manner. and that while th
policemen were hunting for tie clothes
of the dead girl the church was open to
the general public and that hundreds of
curious citizens passed through the edi-
flee. All the police witnesses denied any
recollection of this, but stated on cross
examination that the articles of clothing
had been found in places difficult of ac-
cess, indicating that the person who had
| hidden them had been familiar with the
befry.
of police court No. ., testified that under
the head of Blanche Lamont's body, as
it lay in the balfry, had been placed two
blocks of wood such as are common IN
d,secting rooms. Asked if he discerned
any marks or footprints when the body
vas found. Dare said that the place
looked as if this body had been used as a
sweep, and as if it had been dragged
aboat the room, which was untidy and
dirty.
. The most important witness Of the day
was Mrs. c. 6. Noble, Blanche Lamont's
a INT. the woman in whose house the girl
mad made hHr nome; from whose house
she went tripping to death.
THAT farther juror there wants to hear
| every word you say admonIshed Judge
Murphy, mIstrusting the power of Mrs.
Mobiles lungs.
Then the Slender woman. who seemed
easily broken, developed into the most
| in
sure. she had the nasal twang OF the
| American OF the middle west, but her
\ voice reached well and she did not waste
J q word.
The district attorneys questions drew
! from her that she had seen Durrant but
| twice there-once when he came to the
| door with Blanche Lamont and once
when he called with his sister to get
| Blanche to go to a concert. Next she told
I how, on the morning OF April 3, Blanche o
| started off to school, her books on her
| arm, and how she never returned. She
| described the clothes the girl wore.
Mrs. Noble | call your attention to
these garments" said Mr.. Barnes, i'm
pressiveiy. What garments are they?"
1.-The dress Blanche wore when she left
nv house on April 3D.
81 call your attention to this skirt
was it so torn then?'
mo. sir"
81 call your attention to this rent IN
the neck OF the basque and ask you II
that rent was in the basque when Blanche
Lamont lettsyour home on the morning
of April 3?'
In the district attorneys voice was
som ething of the thrill that has made
his father great. In the 1T was not"
Of Mrs. Noble there was almost sob.
| Back in the half stIfed court room wo-
men wept silent tears. Up in the jury
box Juror Truman eyes were suspicious
tot i,yhf in frnn hat 10
witness and the prisoner stood that black,
accusing thing.
Every Juror was intent upon Durrant
| Their eyes had left the witness who was
answering mechanically. Identifying the
| hat, the shoes. the books of the murdered
! girl. They sought some tell -tale look on
| the prisoners face-some expression
which might give a clue to innocence or
| guilt.
He was a trif1e restless under the strain.
| A slight flush overcame the pallor OF his
face. He turned in his chair and then
Morse. He was soon back in his place,
however, his eyes upon the witness, his
nerves in hand.
| Mrs. Noble identified most of the cloth-
| ing found in the hiding places of the
church as belonging to Blanche Lamont.
Then came the girls rings, which had
| been sent back to her before the finding
of the body. She was slow and careful
| in her identification of these, and Dur
rant whispered to his mother as if COM
mentng on the manner of the testimony
| of the witness.
| "Did you ever gee Blanche Lamont
after A pril 3d?'' asked Mr.. Barnes.
81 never saw her again alive" replied
| the witness, sorrowfully.
"On that day did you see this Defend
ant?''
II did,"
Did Durrant call upon you after
that?'
"Yes. He called with DR.. Vogel and
offered to help Clarence Wolff look for
Blanche. He said he thought Wolff could
go to places the police did not know any
thing about
Mrs. Noble was weeping as she SAID
| this. Durrant's offer seemed to hold in
| it an 'lmputation that the girl had been
| led astray The thrill of sympathy with
the weeping witness again went through
| the court room. The jurors were again
| batterinf Durrant with their glances.
He leaned forward and whispered to Deu
prey.
Barnes went on.
NO."
Ever before that and after Blanche
| was mlssing?"
"No."
Then came the rings again and the in
| PRODUCTION of the newspaper wrapper in
which the postman had brought them
home the day before the finding OF the
| body.
Then court adjourned and the most
| It an end Mrs. Noble will continue her
4 tnn n,