Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1895-10-03
DURRANT'S DEFENSE.
Duraant's Attorneys State Their Case and
Charge Rev. Gibson With the Murder.

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 25.-The de-
partment of the superior court in
which Theodore Durrant is on trial
was the scene of excitement this
morning. The announcement by the
district attorney that ''The people
rest" and the subsequent statement
of the attorneys for the defense that
they would be ready to proceed to-
day, drew to the city hall a crowd.
Although the occasion was of the
greatest Importance to Durrant, he
was the coolest and most impressive
individual present. Attorney Eugene
Duprey made the following state
ment for the defense:
We will show that other men had
access to Emanuel church. Let me
carry you along the ground upon
which we ask for "A verdict for the
defense. First you shall hear from
the mother of Durrant how he was
interested i'm church work. and what
| he did for Emanuel church. We will
tell you how he met Blanche La
mont. and of his associations with
her. Mrs. Durrant will tell how her
son was dressed when he left home
on the morning of April 3. She will
tell what her son did that evening.
The good repute and honorable
character of the defendant will be
proven. The attendance at the
4 .nn1fnnl .nllnmn nn1 his
general demeanor will he shown.
On the morning of April 3 Durrant
left his home and walked toward the
house of Geo. King, so that he might
have a helper that evening to fix the
gas in the church. He accidently
met Blanch Lamont, whom he told
he was on the way to Kings house
and asked her tn accompany him
She said that she did not have time
before school, and requested Durrant
to accompany her to school. III,
acquiesced i'm this, and accompanied
her as far as Sutter street ant
Octavia. while the defendant wen
ON to Webster street To the metlica
college. We will show you thes
facts and what Durrant did from hi
arrival there to the noon hour, whel
he walked to Broadway and to tn
bluff overlooking the bay. We viii
show you his. return to college at l :B
and what was done from then unit
3:3O. That he went to- DIR. Cheney
lecture. DIR. Cheney will tell yo1
that he was present.
We will show you that after thi
lecture he took the Sutter street car
to Polk, to Mission and Ninth, Ou
Mission, and then to the church, an
alone did he walk into the church
We will show that he arrived at til
church at 4:55, and not before; tina
he entered by the door on the sout
side; that he went into the librar
wanted. He removed his Goa
neatly folded it, took out his watcl
so that it would not drop out viii
he was fixing the gas jets. He the
went up to the ceiling by laddt
and fixed the sun burners. We wi
| SHOW tIidl w Htnl tut Sus HttCi
turned on the ~ gas jets much ga
escaped. Through lack of ventil'
ton this gas remained i'm the atmo
phere near the ceiling, and whe
Durrant went to the ceiling he il
hailed the gas. which made him sicl
You are asked to believe that tn
man accused of murder went directl
down to secure a witness to h
crime: We will show that DurraI
was on the platform, lying dow
y and when King returned, wei
y down to the kitchen to take seltze
We will show that upon the reque
of King, Durrant helped King
carry a cabinet organ downstai
into the Sunday school room. The
q Durrant and King left the church t
= gether, Durrant putting on his co,
at the door. 1t being Kings dinn
time, Durrant walked with him
short distance. Then Durrant I
turned home, meeting lady on t
sh way, to whom he told that the e
had made him sick. After dinner
went to the church to an eveniI
Entertainment.
We will then turn our attention