The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-04-19
An Accused Murderer Has a
Cheerful Welcome
DURRANT VERY SANGUINE
Does Not Think the Police Have a Case
Against Him
The Detectives Following Up Various Clues
and nore Arrests Are Probable
In the Great Crime

pleasant word The probable rea son for
this change in the accused man was the
belief that the police have exhausted
every mine of information against him.
The searching of the church is COM
pleted and no further evidence has been
brought to light. He rested well last
night and ate hearty breakfast this
morning.
Police Surgeon Somers visited him this
morning to study his actions in anticipa-
ton of Il plea of insanity when the case is
brought to trial. Dr.. Somers says that
Durrant shows no signs of insanity. In
lace he spoke with intelligence on every
subject that was brought up. Durrant
seemed very pleased that he did not have
to make u trip to the morgue today. The
inquest will be continued tomorrow
morning. ,,
Chief Crowley is still hard at work try
ing to strengthen the evidence against
Durrant. lie saws that his men have so
far obtai >cd no clews which would lead
one to,believe tt1at the murderer had an
aceomplice. The chief held Il conference
with the detectives engaged in the case
and not one of them has found anything
to prove that Durrant is the guilty party.
General Dickinson, Durrant's attorney.
called on the prisoner today and the two
held an animated conversation which
lasted for some time. At the conclusion
of the conference General Dickinson in
formed several persons that his client was
about to make Il statement which was not
to b. made public at present, and re-
quested the police to see that Durrant was
not disturbed. Durrant spent the whole
afternoon working on the document and
denied himself to all newspaper men and
his friends.
;xxIo : bot I1noI,.
clothing belonging to the murderer will
be di scovered. This. so the police say,
is the only weak point against the
prisoner. ..-,
a slight reaction in public opinion has
set in in favor OF the prisoner brought
about. no doubt by the testimony of those
who witnessed his cool actions after the
discovery of the body. His action ut the
Christian Endeavor meeting on tie night
of the murder of Miss Williams was so
gay and he seemed so self-possessed that
there are many who think the police have
run down the wrong man. On the other
hand, the circumstantial evidence
against Durrant is so strong that some
thing else will have to be done to remove
from the minds of many people the i'm
preston that he is the guilty man.
There is considerable speculation as to
how DurranG. if he murdered Minnie
Williams. could have covered up traces of
Tile CTlIut ST tudI llOb tNell SIcCk Vi
blood has been found upon his clothing
by the detectives. 1t would have been Il
matter of impossiblity for him to have
inflicted the wound upon the young wo-
mans body without bedaubing himse
with blood.
The police have searched his clothing.
careful v examined his linen and vet have
been unable to find single garment that
would Indicate Durrant had been the
assassin.
Durrants father. and mother say that
the police have seen all the clothing their
son possesses. but the detectives think
that The garments he wore the night the
claims he had on that night.
We are still looking. for Durrant's
clothing" said Chief Crowley. We be-
lieye that there are garments somewhere
that will corroborate the belief that he
committed the crimes he is charged
with
II am not a prosecutor nor perse-
cutor," said Chief Crowley today, in re-
ferring to Durrants case. My duty ends
when all the evidence has been secured
and the man or men apparently guilty
have been arrested. Other public OIL GERS
have the duty of trying cases. and l have
only to arrange the evidence and render
such assistance as | am asked for.
II do not say that Durrant is guilty,
but only that tue facts within my knOwl-
edge point so strongly to him that my
duty compels me to detain him and ask
the courts to settle the question of his
guilt. No ingenuity that | am capable of
has been sufficient to construct theory of
the case thai avoids Durrant, and / a m
unable to reconcile his statements made
1t different times about the same things.
It is possible. of course. that an explana-
ion may be offered that Will satisfy rea-
eonable men, but Durrant offers none and
Yha 1fol- ,,1nto 4.
L shall not stop the search. however until
all ascertainabe facts have been collected
without reference to the person whom
they may endanger. | cannot overlook
the reports of my officers. They are made
without prejudice and represent the facts
as nearly as trained men can ascertain
them
Owing to the many threats made by the
citizens of the Mission that they would
destroy Emanuel church. the insurance
companies have become alarmed and have
cancelled all their policies ON the build
ing.
Rev. DR.. Gibson the pastor of Emanuel
church. last night refused to see the re-
pUrters.
He is suffering from nervous exhaus-
ton, ~ was the answer.given by the lady of
the house where he rooms. Earlier in the
day however, he was seen and was asked
why he had not called on Durrant, who
d
worker in the church.
He said: There is such a peculiar
feeling in this city in regard to the MUIR
der of the two girls that my actions are
being sharply criticised. have acted as
| thought best. | would like to call on
Theodore Durrant and wish him well, as
| hate to believe he is the guilty man.
Still, in the face of the public gossip
think it would be injurious to both Mr..
Durrant and myself to call on him. Ii |
should go to his cell and talk with him
just imagine what would be SAID. Some
would claim that |, being his accomplice.
had tried to strengthen his nerves
He declined to explain why he happen
ed to be at the church on Saturday morn
ing and simply looked dazed when asked
what he thought of the fact that he was
the last person seen coming from the
church previous to the tindingof the body
of Miss Williams point which the pris-
oDer. Durrant. has raised. He would not
discuss the matter.
The discrepancies i'll the testimony of
Elmer A. Wolfe, step-son of ex-Super-
visor Taber, have caused considerable dis
cussion and some suspicion has been cast
on the young man. Wolfe is a member of
the church. being leading spirit in its
social features and attended the social of
the young people at DR.. Vogel's on
the night of the killing of Miss
Williams. His stepfather is leading
member of the church and has taken a
deep interest in its affairs. 1t was at his
house Parson Gibson found refuge the
night of Saturday. Young Wolfe is en-
ployed on Taber's Guadaloupe milk ranch