The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-04-20
puHnASr KNOWN IN SEATTLE.
His Former life Makes People Doubt
the Young Mans Guilt.

uis Former life Makes People Doubt
the Young Mans Guilt.
The horrible murders Of Miss Minnie
Williams and Miss Blanche Lamont In
Baptist Emanuel church. San Francisco,
have attracted widespread attention IN
this city. and every development Is
watched for with deep interest. The I'M
usual circumstances connected with the
case and the Gendishness exhibited by
the demoniac murderer ia his work have
called forth comments ard discussion in
every quarter and the universal verdict
has been that II Theodore Durrant. the
young medical student who IL charged
with the murders. Is guilty that hanging
Is too good for him. AS a matter OF fact.
however. there are "a number of persons
In this city who think that Durrant has
been adjudged guilty on snapshot tudg-
ment and that subsequent developments
will show him up in a better light. This
opinion comes from people who know the
Durrant family well, and, what II more,
have seen young Durrant grow up from
a boy and had an opportunity to judge
OF his character. Among this number
may be mentioned James f. Galway.
foreman OF the Washington Shoe Manu-
featuring Company. on Jackson street,
James A. smish. Albert Peck. II.
williams and r. Neles all employees
OF the same company. Mr. Galway. tn
talking with POST ntelig oncer reporter
yesterday afternoon, said:
II have known both young Durrant. who
is held on the charge OF murder, and his
father for many years. / was an APP
prentice under the elder Durrant I'm Buck
ingham ~ Hecht's large shoe factory In
San Francisco. and ia this way aad In op-
portanity to know him and also become
acquainted with Theodore. or course
have not seen the boy during the past
.1.mtva sfNsRF
know OF him personally. lac Is incapable
OF committing the atrocious crimes at
tributed 10 him. From a hoy he was
quiet. studious. ambitious fellow. not
given To dissipation of any kind. I I'm
confident that II he has not changed
greatly during the past three years ali
that has been said about him Im connec-
ton with dissipation Is all bosh. am
not greatly surprised at his cool de-
meanor while under arrest. for he was
always uf a cool nature. the same being
true OF his fatheI The family came from
Canada Ia san Francisco about eight
years ago. and young Durraut went 70
the Cogsweil Polytechnic school There
he maintained a high average In his
studies. and. as I recall 10. was thinking
of becoming an architect. His medi-
cal schooling is something ! do not know
anything about Cnul / have positive
proof shall think despite what has been
said about him. that he Is Incapable NOR
ally OF doing such horrible things as
charged against him. lie has mother
who Is a splendid woman. His sister vas
tine young lady. and his father. while
odd in somo ways. was steady. indus
trlous man. intent on giving his child
rem good education James Smith was
foreman Of the department in which tho
elder nurrant worked in buckingham &
hecht's shoe factory. lie said IN speak
ing OF the family.
81 have known the elder purraut and
his son for fifteen years. The former I
liked well. His hoy was an ambitious
youngster. bent on acquiring a good edu-
cation. lie would get up at o'clock IN
the morniag and pe,idle papers until IN
o'clock and then So 20 school. There W as
nothing vicious in hts makeup and from
"a hoy he was inclined toward church ar
fairs. / think that when they get dow
to actual facts instead or reports the
case viii look different for the young
man"
Albert rcck. who knew both Durrart
and fis son saii that he was a. the oplu-
ton that Judgment had been passed tco
quickly, ''Thoyc horTthis crimes" De
said. ARE entirely at variance with - hat
l know OF the boys character. Ills father
was a peculiar man. one niSht call hin'
pcnurlous. huf THAI Is al / ever heard
against him"
u. Williams argued the case IN this
manner:
Il have known old man pur-snt erl
hla son Theodore for long time
used 80 SEQ the hoy day after tsv while
NJ Was attending the CaSsweu school
fte always took a EryAt deal Of Interest
in bis studies ard seemed hent on Ee1tiug
- hne education. lie was rot siven tc
athletic sports. instead helns quiet a. 4
mere Of thc sunday col toy or.ier We
used to toke old man purrant about Ms
boys esiaCatlnu and 10 always ssi3 Pc
intended q giNN his children enc very
best education 50 they could take care ~
him II necessary IA his old age II aors
not Aceyn e. me vosS!R.lc fhat fhe tvr
could have cotnutftd these crimes Ne
O. tmcanabie physically - arcomptis 1sn (
Mat The reports say Ms ae~-on1rlls,sr.4
81 - again e IS not in accordance wth
what I Know Of his nature IL ne ASA
what pc - charged Wt,h tt Is certainly a
case where the pendulum swHaE from
one extreme - the ether, 8o eot t--
fieve that those murders con's have teen
committed without thu rerfstrato SET.
ting blood On hiz clcih hes. / have not es~7
thinw ~ Indicate that any nt hs
clothes are uisSins; thaf he atfeu3pts Z
~ 40 aNsv wigh ANY ~ htA apparel So
tha; drop of 4,iooi HAS Aeen found CO
anything se we're. lt looks II me IS x
ere minister euxht - have fsee1 Arrsstt :
snt rsaHe 81 explain ass y hereA houtS
l. EVaaS. presidents az tne WasAiHs -
Son shoe As8ufactuv5nw cognGa as. sahi
that Wbgte 30 hat charge ~ ere 81 ths
arrsrtsuenss sa the Naekteshara a ffes p,
factory So SHn k'ganctss-a ~ e-soA,ra at-
Qusiuteg wiss tAe elder parfenc tus
never naet ths s@n- Mr Evans ssa 10
aia sci eavr to tax alsoaf Ser e.asr Dar-
sants traits ef eharaeter.