The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-29
MORE AGAINST DURAN 7,
A Fifteen-Year-Old Girl Said
to Have Suffered at
His Hands.
Detectives at Work on the Story.
Rev. Mr.. Case on "Conlan's
Insult to DR.. Gibson"

A story comes from Oakland which if
true will make even darker the threaten
ing cloud which now hangs over the head
of Theodore Durrant.
On Saturday a prominent Oakland Off
cial sent communication to Chief Crow
ley which has kept the detectives hunting
among the medical men of this city ever
since. 1t stated that leading Oakland
physician had been recently told by San
Francisco colleague that he (the San Fran
cscan) had FIVE months ago been called to
attend 15-year-old girl who had suffered
at the hands of Durrant in the tower of
the Emmanuel Baptist Church. 1t was
also stated that the San Francisco doctor
was deferred by professional ethics from
communicating the fact to the police and
from revealing the name of the young girl
whom he attended.
Chief of Police Crowley when questioned
last night as to the truth of the story en-
deavored to evade direct reply. He said,
81 know nothing about it, We have not
found any such physician, and if l had
such information | surely would not give
it out for publication"
Rev. w. W. Case of the Howard-street
Methodist Episcopal Church spoke for
few minutes last evening on Judge Con-
lan's insult to the Rev. DR.. Gibson, and
his church was crowded with people who
desired to learn his views on that subject.
In his opening prayer the pastor besought
that the Lord would give wisdom to those
set as magistrates in our criminal courts"
and vouchsafe to them "clean hands and
pure hearts, lifted above prejudice and
corruption"
Having thus prepared the way, the
divine proceeded to play the justice with
keenest irony. He referred to the Meth
odlst church precedent that no i'll should
be spoken of ministers and magistrates,
and disclaimed any pleasure in critlcizing
''kindly but fearlessly' one of the men on
the San Francisco bench. He pronounced
Judge Conlan's action in questioning DIR.
Gibson as a grave departure from the Gus
tom, practice and propriety of the bench.
He said:
There are different methods of committing
murder. The men who slew those lovely girls
could not destroy their souls nor blight
them during long life. The man or woman
whose reputation is murdered is murdered in
deed. To minister more than to any other
individual reputation is life, and when any
minister who has been drawn into any horrible
case, as has the pastor of the Emmanuel Baptist
Church, he should have the sympathy OF the
people and the protection OF the court. Mr..
Gibson has not had the protection OF the court,
but he has had the sympathy of the people, and
l believe the people of Northern California
have never been so stirred up as they have by
| at the hands of the court during his examina-
| ton as witness.
The preacher said he met DR.. Gibson for
| first time the day before Miss Williams
was murdered. He made no plea for him
| because he was minister, but the conduct
of this case had led people to believe that
| the court believed that Gibson had been in
some way implicated in the crime, or was
| giving lying testimony. Personally he
doubted whether any other preacher in San
| Francisco in similar circumstances could
| have borne so well for his own honor such
| an examination. He did not blame the
| lawyers, for when in the fight they are ex-
pected to do ungentlemanly things. But
| it was an unheard of thing that judge
| who sits to try case should badger wit
ness. He had talked with lawyers and lay
men and all agreed that none of the testi-
mony tended to cast suspicion on Mr.. Glib
| son. They agreed, too, that Conlan had
| insulted Gibson.
| Mr.. Case spoke of the Sunday-school
| library and professed that the lock on that
| in his own church might have been
changed every two weeks of the eight years
of his pastorate and he be none the wiser.
| He did not think thieves would steal Sun
| day-school books.
The preacher then read from the short
hand report of Conlan's questions and
Gibson's answers. He asked why min
lister of the gospel should be so badgered, I"
and accused his Honor of "pandering to
the hoodlum element"
'sLet him beware" he cried. ''The hood
| lum element In San Francisco has had its
day and honest men and women are now
going to look after the election of officers. +"
Mr.. Case thought Gibson wise to have a
witness when he went to view the Will
| liams body and said he womld have waited
to secure one if it took half an hour.
Of the guilt or innocence of those under
arrest the preacher had nothing to say.
He declared for fair, honest trial, and
wanted simply the reputation of "San
Francisco's good people, respected by
fhooa in hioh r,asitfon