New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-21
TOPICS IN CALIFORNIA.
THE CHURCH MURDERS-COAST CAhNl-
VALS-PERSONAL AND LIT
ERARY NOTES.
lpY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIDuNEl


fny TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.I
San Francisco April 20.-Public interest TINS
week has been absorbed by the remarkable double
murder in Emanuel Baptist Church and the no
less remarkable revelations that have followed IN
reqord 10 the character and actions Of the crmi-
,a1 Y, one who has studied the case doubts Tor
q moment that young Theodore Durrant the
medical student now under arrest, lured both
blanche Lamont and Minnie Williams to their
death He cannot account for his actions at Ger
Tain critical periods, and many Of the stores
which he has told have been proved false. n per-
feet chain OF circumstantia evidence has been es-
fablished linking him with both crimes despite
the abnormal cunning he showed in trying 10 cor-
coal traces OF his hand. Then. again. his MP
nancy and his failure to appreciate the graNl'! Oh
the offence and The danger Of his position are
nroof Of the criminals character. When the as
covery Of the bodies was made there were Wlld
charges against the officers Of the church. ana
some sensati Onal newspapers tired u eS'ap-
llsh that a band Of conspirators formed lo'
purposes Of lust and murder mad maze
tba church their headquarters. These re-
ports have been shown to be grouhdleSS'
These reports have been shown TO be groundesS
The pastor and others have led moral upright
lives in other towns: the most careful detective
,ast careers This young criminal merely used
emanuel Church for his crime because he was
able to lure to it On innocent preteXts girls WHO
,vor,l1 NOT have ventured with him to other places
Medical experts who have studied Durrant ; case
mite in declaring that he is an abnormal crank
whose pcryerted nature has been stimulated by
the study Of sexual crimes His medical coiI'se
associates say that in private talk about women
he revealed foul imagination. and that ms 1ohu-
ness for discussing topics that are usually lshoreN'
even between men. gave him the reputation OF De-
ing an erotc maniac. As assistant superlh'eiu-
ent of the Emanuel Sunday-school he performer
all his duties In an irreproachabe way, out sii're
his arrest il is known that he insulted seVeral
voung women and that he was in the habit OF
making weekly visits to a local resort There Is
no doubt that his lawyers will enter the plea OF
intermittent homicidal mania, and VIII endeaVor
10 have their client placed in an insane asylum
but it is doubtful whether any san Francisco jury
will be found to save his neck from the hang
mans moose. 1t is a pity that both the prehmi-
nary examination and the trial could not be heard
with closed doors. for the publication OF an the
vile details Of this case is a grave offence 10 de-
Cency and good morals
The accidental death by asphyxiaton of Jacob
Bacon this week removed one OF the oest-Nmo" ",
job printers this coast Bacon nad peen Al
active business here as head of big pruning
company for over twenty-five years. Lately M
companv have suffered from the duH times u"t
there seems 70 be no ground for the behel tnaI
Bacon took his own life, as the circumstances al
point TO accidental death from escaping gas.
Captain Charles Rouget superintendent of the
French Hospital died this week after a loIE III,
ross from cancer Of the stomach. lie started
an life rs a common sailor, then entered the
French Navy and rose 70 the grade OF ca-,.d!I,
and from the navy went into the hercha mani
service He retired from the sea hiteeE wears
CO. and fo,. twelve years had managed the
French Hospital
ARRANGEMENTS are nearly complete for a
psychological laboratory at the State OniVerSiIy,
Funds are now available and the work VIII De
pushed
ANY one interested IN Hawaiian annexation or
In the resources and history Of the ISLANDS VIII
find a large amount of information on tnese
subjects in the forthcoming June nuinDer OF ne
overland Monthly" Among the contributors are
President Dole. Minister Thurston. Senator stew
art. the Rev Serene E. Bishop Joaquin Miller
and others.
The latest story in"Cassers Unknown Library,
600 Forth and Find" is by Mrs. John ID. Jarb0e,
widow Of a prominent San Francisco LAWYER she
has literary tastes and she has Just iinished an
elaborate catalogue Of her husbands hDrdry,
which is said to be full Of choice hrst EDITIONS
OF American authors.
All the week Southern California has been
making a holiday with the Fiesta at Los Angeles
and the Flower Festival at Santa Barbara as
the features This year both affairs have re-
through the Half Million Clubs excursion Whlch
carried a large number Of prominent san fran,
ciscans besides many from Northern and Central
California. 20 the celebrating South. Though or
recent origin and at first purely local In char-
acter these yearly festivals are becoming thor-
oughly Californian They cannot help but DO
much good to the State
The state Board Of Horticulture met here this
week 10 discuss and prepare for a crisis which
involves its present usefulness, II not It's ex-
istence Budd the Democratic Governor,
pocketed the bill making the annual appropri-
alton for the board, and so Its officers and eX-
merits are without salaries. and It's valuable
library and large collections Of specimens Will
soon be without a place for preservation The
board has done a vast amount OF good for horu-
culture in California b. the collection ana dis
semination Of information. and has been instIu-
mental in securing necessary legislation IN De
half Of orchards and vineyards. IT will appeal 10
the Governor for help out Of It's grave dii'lcutN
Edward s Holden, director Of the Lick OBJ
servatOry. announces that he has raised nearly
all the s. 600 needed TO secure for the observatory
the famous Crossey reflector, and II Will soon De
added to the superb astronomical equipment on
Mount Hamilton.