The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-09-08
SNAYED WITH EXCITEMENT
A Fresh Stage Reached in the
Durrant Murder Trial.
The Story of the Finding of Blanche
Lamont's Clothes Made the Spec
tators in the Courtroom Shud-
der. a New and important
Witness Discovered.
BY Southern ,Associated Press.

of the triul of w. ii. Il. Durrant. the
prosecution is still good distance
from It's testimony, if it has any, which
will prove beyond doubt that tho
mild hammered, we'll bred little man is
the one that committed the fieudish
double trngedy at Emanuel Baptist
Church.
y fresh stage in The Durrant murder
case was reached yesterday, stage
which WAS striking in it's horror and
kept tho crowded courtroom almost
gasping with intercst.
The story OF the finding of Blanche
Lamonts clothes that were hidden
away among the rnfters of Emanuel
Church belfry was told on the witness
stand by the man who found them,and
as each torn, ragged bit oil cloth was
shown the crowd swnye, with excite
mcnt. There was Just one mau in all
that crowd who seemed to feel no In
ierest in the garments. This is tho man
who, Of all others, might have been
expected to shuddcr and cover his eyes
when the clothes were exposed-the
man accused OF the murder of the girl
who wore those garments when she
WIS last soon alive.
The introduction OF the girls clothes
u,
Ii happened soon after the noon recess,
y nun bearing burden pushed
through the crowd and into the court.
room. No one could see exactly what
he held in his arms, but it appeared To
be IL wOmans form. What it was wns
really harmless enough, simply dresa
makers dummy, over which had been
drnped Blanche Lamonts basque and
skirt.
The dummy was as near as could be
made the girls height and figure, u tall
slight, girlish figure, undevcloprd, but
still not lacking III grace. The basque
and skirt were torn aud wrinkled, but
the tears were pinned up III part and
the gown drnped 80 as to show much AS
it must have been when its wenrer was
alive. They stood the dressmnker's
dummy beside the witness stand and
there 1t remained all the afternoon and
to the excited imagination of the at
teudants on the nurrgut trial-nnd It
is trial that sats the dullest nerve on
edge the poor figure seemed like an
accusing presence.
Men mud women shudderea as they
looked at it. 1t made Blnuch Lamont,
who under the fuss and technicalties
the trial has seemed more like all ND
siractIon, one OF the conditions in II
game, the stakes of which are Theodore
Durrnuts iife, appear as young girl
really lived aud whose bright young
life had been cut short by tiend.
Probably nothing in the trial has
done so much TO revive tho thrill OF
horror that swept over the country
when 1t was first known that two young
girls had been assaulted and murdered
10 the church.
a new witness has been discovered
by tue prosecution III the person OF II.
j. Shalmoant, Il street car conductor,
whose car reached Mission street day
after day III time to receive Blanche
Lamont MS q passenger.
Having to be at the schoolhouse at
certnin hour, the pretty school girl had
made 1t n habit to Take the same car
every morning. From the Mission
street line she transferred at Ninth
street to the Lnrkin street branch of
the Sutton street roGd. Shalmouut
came to know her face. IIe noticed
that she was very pretty school girl
ana always seemed 10 be uuaccom
panied. On the morning of April Sd.
this rue was broken.
ShalmOunt observed thGt Blanche
was accompanied by young man
whom he did not know. The conduc
tor WAS particularly attracted to the
couple hy their laughter aud conyersa-
ton. They seemed busy IN some IN
terestng discussion OF their books to
which now and again they would refer.
Shalmonnt took n good look al
B!anche's companion, aud, when the
pictures Of Theodore Durrant were
subsequently published. the conductor
knew that tho girls escort on the
mOruinS of April 3 was tue young man
who stood accused OF double murder.
AS the prosecution viii endeavur to
trace lii accurate and logical detail the
movements Of Theodore Durrant and
Blanche Lamont upon the fatal day,
tins new witness Is looked upon us one
o! great Importance.
Arrival at IL DtstInguIshcd visitor.
New YORK, Septembor Among
the passengers who arrived this morn.
ing per steamer Normanula, from
Southampton, was ChevalIer De Mar
tlnez, the celebrated marine artist
who comes over for the lutpose Il
taking sketches of the iutrruntioun.
yacht races. 1t is reported that the
Chevnlier has acomu isslun from Que II
Victoria aud Emperor William to paint
pictures OF tie ruces.
"Newest Discovery"-Ext. teeth; no
pain. Ny. d. Rooms, l02 Main.