Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-25
CLOSE OF THE PROSECUTION.
The Side of the State in the Durrant
Case Ended.

The Side of the State In the Durrant
Case Ended.
The case Of the prosecution In the trial
of Theodore Durrant, at San Francisco,
closed yesterday afternoon. The day was
spent in putting the finishing touches to
the testimony against the accused. Wit
nesses were summoned to strengthen the
entire case by filling in the weak places.
The chief point which the prosecution
sought to establish was that Durrant had
said that the last time lie had seen Miss
Lamont was when he parted from her on
the morning of April 3, she going to school,
he to the Cooper Medical College. In all his
statements regarding the disappearance OF
Blanche Lamont the defendant stuck TO
the declaI ation.
Detective Anti ony, who arrested Durrant,
testified yesterday that Durrant had made
the statement to him when returning to
the city after the arrest.
DrS Thomas A. Nogel, a member of the
Emanuel Church, stated that Durrant mad
to him, the Sunday after the disappearance,
made the same statement about the last
time he had seen Blanche. The prosecu-
ton expects to score strong point by
demonstrating to the jury that the pris-
oner made false statements regarding his
movements and the associations with the
girl he is charged with having murdered.
The district attorney, it was said, will use
this as the basis of an argument that Dur
rants first statements were inspired by
sinister motive. If he had nothing to hide,
it is argued. he would have told the truth
about his last meeting with the girl.
William Stirling a gas filter, explained
the work he performed In putting new UPS
on the gas burners. He said that on April
9, when he left the church, no gas was es-
Gaping Or April he returned to the
church and no escaping gas was noticed.
Attorneys for the defense cross-examined
this witness at length, the intention being
to show that an immense quantity of gas
eScaDe1 while the repairs were in progress,
the object being to justify the assertion
made by Durrant that he was overcome by
gas fumes in the belfry.
Dr. c. Il. Barnum, demonstration of anat-
omy at Cooper Medical College, testified
that the blocks placed under the dead body
of Blanche were laid in the same manner
as under a subject in a dissecting room.
Harry Partridge, q fellow-student of Dur
rant swcre that sbout a week after
Blanche disappeared Durrant told him the
been led astray.
Prof. Charles Sherstein and Organist
George II. King each denied writing his
name on a slip of newspaper inclosing Miss
Lamonts rings, which were returned to
Mrs. Noble. aunt of the dead girl.
Allen Church, former jantor of Eman-
uel Church, said Durrant had key which
would unlock all rooms in the interior OF
the church.
The prosecution then rested and the de-
Tense asked continuance until today.
Durrant's attorneys will ask few ques-
tions of seI eral witnesses who have already
testified, and promise thereafter to proceed
with the defense Immediately.
The opening statement of the defense Is
awaited with interest. Owing to the re-
fusal of the court to admit the evidence Of
the medical students of Cooper College rel
alive to Durrant's attendance at the lee
ture on the afternoon of April ), a number
of witnesses summoned to testify were not
called.