St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-04-26
PROVE HIM THE MURDERER
The Reverend Doctor Again
on the Stand Under 7a0'
Examination.
DURANT KEEPS HIS NERVE
Coolly Pursuing His Medical
Studies, Preparing for
Examination.

SAN FRANCISCO, April 25.-Rev.
John G. Gibson. pastor Of the Eman-
uel church, was again on the wit
ness stand today in the preliminary
examination of Theodore Durant,
charged with the murder of Minnie
Williams. The defense believes it has
a case against the clergyman, and
will try to show that he, and not
Durant, killed both Miss Williams
and Miss Lamont. On the day pre-
ceding the finding of Blanche La
mont's body her aunt, Mrs. Noble,
received a paper containing the rings
worn by the missing girl On the
paper were written the names of
G. r. King and Prof. Schernstein, the
apparent object being to connect them
with the girls disappearance. Elk
perts declare the writing to be the
disguised hand Of Durant In court
today counsel for the defense re-
quested Rev DR.. Gibson to write the
names of King and Schernstein. The
minister did so, but asked twice how
to spell Schernstein's name. Gibson
was calm and collected on the stand,
and was good witness. Nothing tan
glble against him was brought out
by croSs-examination, and his testi-
mony was concluded. L.
Alfred o. McElroy, aged eighteen,
testified that on Saturday evening,
the 18th, he observed a man resem-
bling Durant waiting on a corner
near the church. Soon a young wom-
an came along. The man approached
her and shielded her with his Shout
der from witnesses observation. Soon
afterwards witness, who had passed
him, noticed light moving in tho
church. This testimony was corrob-
GRATED by Bert Miner, McElroy's COM
panion. The other evidence adduced
was the same as that given at the
inquest. The examination was con-
tinued until tomorrow at the request
of the district attorney.
Durant has secured a desk and an
easy chair in his cell, and spends his
time In studying his notes for his med1
lcal examination. About the only tam
gible evfdence-against Durant that ha.;
been adduced in the preliminary exam,
lnation so far is that the prisoner: was
better acquainted with the dead girl
than he would at first acknowledge,
1t has been shown that he lied in regard
to that particular point. AS 20 the
matter of the positive identification, Of
Durant as having been seen about The
church where the murders occurred.
during the evening when the deed was
committed, that has not so far been
done. There are many witnesses to
come, and it may be that this allega-
ton may yet be sustained. Rev. George
j. Gibson
HAD A LONG SIEGE
In = witness box. The district attor-
ney's questions to the minister did not
detain him long, but the cross-exam-
nation seemed interminabie The law
yers We're ausstere with him, and tn .
Judge was sarcastic. Gen. Dickinson,
attorney for the defense, took thu
preacher over the whole course of his
life from his birth in Edinburgh to the
day or the discovery OF Miss Williams.
bloody body in his church Every oues-
lion seemed to veil an insinuation. The
minister answered promptly, but was
|. disposed to be overwhelmingly exact in
MS answers. He was nervous. Every
body enjoyed the parsons discontinue.
The district attorney, to be sure, did
put in one objection to save him from
annoyance. but the Judge swept 1t
aside and did some proddfng himself -
The length of the cross-examination
and the manner of it indicated that
Durants lawyers propose to throw the
preacher forward as the center of their
theory of the murders, for, of course,
when they contend that Durant did
not commit the crime. they must sup
ply a possible substitute, and Rev.
John George Gibson understands lust
what they are about 1t Is hard to per-
cefve just how the defense will con-
meet the preacher with this murder,
for he was at the party of the Emanuel
Young People, at DR.. Vogers house
that night from 1880 to IL D. M, while
Durant, who should have been there
to act as secretary, did not appear until
after $3.50. Still the undercurrent of
opinion among those who doubt Du-
rants guilt is that the preacher should
be the man under police surveillance.