The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-04-16
POOR BLANCHELAMONT'
Her Mutilated Body Found in
the Emanuel Church.
REGULAR CARNIVAL OF CRIME.
Another Woman Missing Supposed
to Have Shared the Same Fate
Murderer Durant Arrested.
Associated Press.

Sam Francisco, April 14--The Eman.
uel Baptist church. on Bartlett street,
between Twenty-secoud and Twenty
third, In this city, has been the scene of
two of THE most altrocious murders
ever committed in the state. Yesterday
the mutilalted and murdered Minnie
Williams was found in the library of
the edif1ce Today the dead body of
Blanche Lamont WAS found In THE tow
| er of the same church, The same hand,
the authorities believe, slew both girls,
and w. H. 4. Durant, THE young man
suspected of both crimes. is now In
/ custody.
Blanche Lamont and Minnie Will
liams were members of THE Emanuel
Baptist church, and members of the
Sunday school class The former was
pupil ait the normal school, on Pow
ell street, in this city; 1.-THE latter was
companion in a family in Alameda,
across the bay from this city. Both
were 21 years old, brunettes, and pref
ty, modest girls. Both had been recip-
tents of attentions from young med
ical student named Durant, who is
also librarian of the ohurdh, and secre-
tary of the Young Peoples Society of
the church.
April Miss Lamont disappeared
Diligent search failed to reveal any
trace of her whereabouts, and her aunt
Mrs. Noble, with whom she had been
living, was Totally unable to throw any
light on the affair.
Miss Wilnsps lived with friends in
Alameda, wlSl gave her a home until
she could secure position. She had
been a regular attendant at the Eman-
uel Church, having formerly lived in
that nelgthbol'hood but on the separa-
ton of her father and mother, had
removed Ito Alameda. Friday morning
the Morgan family, with whom SHE llv-
ed, had packed their household goods |
preparatory TO removing to Tacoma,
and Miss Williams had removed her
possessions to the house of Mrs. Voy.
near the church. Friday evening she
was to have attended a meeting of the
Young Peoples Society of Emanuel
Church ait DR.. Vogels house. AIT 7l5
O'Clock SHE left Mrs. Voy's house to
attend THE meeting, taking latchlsey
with her. She never appeared there.
About the same tlmeN Durant left his
home on Fa1roal1s street, in the same
vicinity, bound for the same meeting.
AIT O'Clock he met Phillip Perkins and
asked him some questions about a tripl
to Mount Diablo, which the signal
corps of which he was a member wasI
to make the next day At $3.50 he an
peared ait DR.. Vogel's house, where the
young peoples meeting was in prog
ress, and none were merrier than he
during the remainder of the evening.
At II o'clock he left with "a party oil
young people, and went home. The
next morning Dultant arose early. and
went with his comrades of the signal
corps for Mount Diaiblo, so miles away.I
The two murders are so closely con-
lected that THAT Ut is now necessary 1
o go back to the Lamont case. Yes-I
,erday Mrs. Noble, the aunt Of Miss
lamont, received Through the mails a
Saper containing the three rings worm
~ her niece the night she disappeared. I
IN the paper were WRITTEN the name
ind address of Theodore Durant. This |
With 1.-THE fact IUlslt Miss Walllams, I
IN intimate friend of Miss Lamont, I
lad been heard to say that she knew
Blanche had been murdered, but had a
efused to tell what she knew and howl {
ed the police TO suspect tlIalt the samel '
nan who killed Miss Williams hadI a
lain Miss Lamont, and THAT lealmineI a
hat Miss Williams knew OF his frstl 4
rime, attempted further concealmentI J,
y committing a second murder. L
Late last might detectives had about h
ecided that Durant had murdered d
liss Williams, and the theory was fur a
her strengthened this morning, when, a
n making Thorough search Of Oman
sl church they found the dead and q
rtraged body of Miss Lamont conceal Y
] in the steeple. Death had been b
lused by strangulation. The body N
as found just inside the door OF the ls
rwer room. naked and on the floor.
round the neck there were streaIxs, "
le marks OF fingers that had been h
'essed deep into the tender flesh. The b,
outh was open, showing the regular IN
eth. The features were badly dis W
rted, being drawn at one corner and n,
le lips swollen and baoodstained. The
'se was the only feature fliat retain- q
its original shape, for the cheeks cr
ere bloated- The girls Heht-brown d
lar was matted with dirt. and hung "a
osely about her shoulders. The body d
as IN the first stage Of decomposition, CT
e oir enzana1ing from the remains M
wing reached tile nostrils Of the de-