The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-02


sion to take Blanche to a concert in the
Methodist Church. / allowed her to go.
Another time he called alone and took her
for ride to the park. They met frequent
/ ly and Durrant was very attentive. to my
niece.
The clothing found in the rafters OF
Emmanuel Baptist Church was shown the
witness and the gown and hat were iden-
titled as those worn by Blanche Lamont
the day she disappeared.
Charles G. Noble, husband of the pre-
vious witness, could not tell positively
when he last saw Blanche alive. He
thought it was Wednesday morning, the
Sd OF April In answer to questions he
said he knew very little about the prisoner,
and had very few conversations with him.
On one occasion the prisoner called on him
and volunteered to search the various
houses of ilI-fame for her. The offer was
not accepted and he went away after ex-
pressing his sorrow over the mysterious
disappearance.
Mrs. Noble was recalled and identified
the rings sent to her wrapped in piece of
the Examiner. One of them, she said, be-
longed to Blanche's sister, Maud. She
also identified the piece of paper, but could
not tell whose handwriting was on it.
did Durrant ever propose marriage to
your niece2"
Yes, sir. I think it was few weeks
before last Christmas. Blanche didn't
think he really meant it and only laughed.
He wanted her to take his diamond ring
and wear it, but she refused as she was
afraid of losing it. He kept pressing her,
and she, thinking he was only fooling
thought she would help him along. So
when he asked her again to marry him
she said, II m, him. Blanche stopped 60
ing with Durrant because she heard he was
engaged to another young woman"
John E. West, a conductor on the
Powell-street cars, was the next witness.
Asked if he could identity certain man
who boarded his car on the afternoon of
the Sd of April last, he said he could
identify one of his passengers anywhere,
and was asked to see if the man in ques-
ton was in the room. West closely seruti-
nized every person present, and finally his
eyes resting on Durrant he said, pointing
to him: "That is the man. Yes, / am
positive that is the man sitting over there
by the window. i know his name is Dur
rant from what l have read in the papers,"
Tell Us all you know about the matter,
Mr.. West"
my car left North Beach about 2:30
P. NJ. At Clay street that man over there
and a girl whom l now suppose
to have been Blanche Lamont boarded
the car. At Sacramento street two more
girls boarded the car and they eyed the
young man and his companion very
closely. My curiosity was reused SO when
l went to collect the fares 1 took a good
look at the man. At Pine street we
stopped for passenger to get on and as I
stepped forward | overheard the woman,
whom / suppose was Blanche Lamont,
say, we have friends in Butte. Montana.
One of them is in business and l have an
uncle or something in the stock business. -
West is from Butte, and he looked closely
OF fho lin ha iohf
recognize a former acquaintance.
Continuing, the witness said: 81 then
walked to the rear of the car and did not
pay any attention to them until | was
giving out the transfers to the Market
street line. The girl took the transfers in
place of Durrant. They left the car at the
Market-street terminus, but [ did not pay
particular attention to the direction in
which they went.
Miss Minnie Edwards, a pupil at the
Normal School, also positively identified
Durrant as the man who met Blanche La
mont about P. NJ. when they left school
and boarded Powell-street car with her.
She noticed the fact particularly because it
was against the rules to either go to or
leave the school in company with gem
| tleman. 81 knew Blanche Lamont" said
the witness. 'She came to our school
about II 80 o'clock and a quarter of an
hour later [ was introduced to her. We
got out of school early that afternoon. 1
think about 3 P. NJ. l saw man approach
Miss Lamont and lift his hat to her. After
ward they got on the car together. The
man who got on the car with Miss Lamont
! is the one I identified in Chief Crowley's
Office"
"Do you see him PRESENT."
Eyes, sir; he is sitting over there by the
window"
Where did you see them frst2''
"At the corner of Clay and Powell
streets. 1t was either 2:55 o'clock or .o5.
They got on the dummy and / got inside
the car. They rode to Market street. Miss
Lamont had only been two afternoons to
the school-once on Tuesday. April 2, and
again on Wednesday, April 3D.
The witness identified the hat and dress.
shown to her by Coroner Hawkins, as
those worn by Miss Lamont ontthat fatal
afternoon. She could not identity the con-
ductor of the car, however.
The last time Miss May Lanigan saw
Blanche Lamont alive was about $40
o'clock on the Sd of April last. The de-
ceased was then on Powell-street car
with Theo Durrant.
"Do you see Durrant here now2n .