The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-09-05


SAN FRANCISCO, Sept 4-When the
trial Of Theodore Durrant for the muir
der of Blanche Lamont was resumed
today, hundreds struggled to gain adj
mission to the court room. The corr
doris Of the new city hall were crowded
all day with citizens anxious to hear
the evidence, but were unable to obtain
admittance.
The prosecution commenced the in
PRODUCTION of evidence today.
District Attorney Barnes expressed
annoyance at the report that Attorney
General Fitzgerald had been invited to
assist in the prosecution of the case.
He said that neither Fitzgerald nor
anybody else would be asked to aid
him in the work.
BIanche's Uncle.
The first witness today was c. G.
He testified to Blanche LamoDts dis
appearance on the Bird of April, and
the finding of her body in Emanuel
church on April IA CrOss-examination
was waived by the defense.
The next witness was DR.. J. S. Bar
rett. autopsy physician at the morgue.
who described the autopsy he had
made upon the body of Blanche La
mont. He said her death was due 10
asphyxiation. On the left side of her
cheek were seven marks made by
finger nails. He said the asphyxiatfon
was caused by strangulation effected
by the hands of the murderer. Except
the finger nail marks on her throat
there was no other sign of assault to
cause death by stranguiation. such as
hanging.
BY StranSuiatiOn.
The witness was subjected to a long
and severe eross-examination by the
defendants attorney, who tried to
make witness admit that death might
have been caused by Gther means than
strangulation. The witness. however,
did not falter in his testimony. He
expressed the opinion that the finger
marks on Blanche Lamont's throat
were made by only one person. He
said he found all of her organs healthy,
but evidences Of congestion in her
lungs. There We're no solids and very
little liquids in her stomach. This
statement of DR.. Barrett carries out
the theory of the people that the girl
was murdered between 4 and > O'Clock
in the afternoon. at a time when her
noon day meal would have been di-
gested and her stomach empty. The
disColoratiOn of the girls neck gave
evidence of there having been a vio-
lent struggle. The croSs-exa animation
was continued until the noon recess,
and occupied the greater part of the
afternoon session. DR.. Barrett was
finally excused, the cross-examinatiOn
of the defense eljciting no points of
advantage to Durrant.
The police. in the afternoon, brought
to the court room a model of Emanuel
church exact in every detail, to be
used in the trial to illustrate the tes-
tim0ny of the witnesses.
The Motive For the Deed.
The Examiner says the prosecution
has a witness whose testimony will
show a motive for the murders-some-
thing that has been lacking hereto
fore on account of Durrant's standing
in social and religious circles. The
name of the witness is Clarence Wolfe,
and it is said that ne will swear tina Z
on April ., one day before Blanche La
mont was murdered. ne and Theodore
Durrant held the converse ton which
explains with terrible significance the
young students motive for Turing the
young girl into the sanctuary. Wolfe
has told the police, and will tell the
jury, that on the afternoon of April
: he and Durrant held this conversa-
ton which meant so much to the pref
ty girl whom both knew only for a
few months
Fired With Her Beauty.
Durrant commented upon the beauty
of Blanche Lamont in tone of exui-
tation, and not of respect. He assured
Wolfe that she was a pure girl and
that ne intended to rob her of that
virtue that she so highly priced. The
girl priced her honor more than her
life; that explains the tragedy of the
following day.
This overwhelming testimony which
Wolfe will give has been kept a Dro-
found secret by the prosecution. The
defense and the public have believed
that the young man was a friend of
the accused. and would take the stand
only to speak good word for.the man
whose life is at stake. Intimations
were given that Wolfe would he
dragged into the case in manner lit
Tie 10 MS hklng. There was no sus-
picion that Durrant had confided to
his friend the ignoble purpose which
inspired him.
He spoke in words far palmer than
those which have been used. He left
no possible doubt of what he meant
The source of this evidence is. in the
opinion of Captain Lees, one of the
strongest proofs of it's reliability.
Like n TI,uuda~1.o14
Had some one enjoying no more
than a simple acquaintance with Dur
rant come forward with it there might
De some doubt, but it's sponsor here
IS one who possessed the students
confidence, shared with him pleasures
ana TOOK part in much of the daily
routine OF ms life From his own cir
Gle his condemnation has come like q
Ic,- - - i