The San Francisco call., 1895-10-11
TWENTY-FOU RTH DAY.
rant Remains Cool and Self
Possessed All Day.

Possessed All Day.
Those who have heretofore written about
the crowds in Judge Murphys room dur
ing the Durrant trial probably regret hav-
ing worn threadbare all their pet phrases
descriptive OF iamming 500 human beings
into a space that cannot comfortably
accommodate 200-at least one of them does.
This particular courtroom is like the
crowded streetcar-there is always room
for one more. But the bailiffs carried this
most erroneous theory trihe too far yes
terday afternoon. They carried it to such
an extreme that all the aisles and spaces
around the three walls and between the
chairs and benches and the bar itself were
crowded TO such an extent that one had to
fight his way through, and the atmosphere
of the room was almost unbearabIy thick
and unwholesome.
At the close of the afternoon session
Juror Smythe, being very righteously in
dignant at the condition of affairs, made q
little speech to the court, and remarked
that he would refuse to sit in the case any
longer unless all were excluded from the
courtroom except those who could be COM
fortably seated.
Judge Murphy adopted the suggestion
of the rut1ed juror, and gave the bailiffs
strict orders that hereafter no more specta-
tors should be allowed inside the court
room than could be seated. This will be a
sore disappointment TO hundreds of would
be spectators, and it will raise the premium
on seats within the now famous arena to
the very top notch.
Durrant was the sole witness yesterday.
And Mr.. Barnes was the sole inquisitor
Both played to a crowded house, and both
played their parts surprisingly well withal.
One was fighting for his life, and he re-
manned cool and self-possessed to the last
degree.
The other stood for justice and the peace
and dignity of the State trying to weld
closer, out OF the prisoners own mouth,
the peoples chain of evidence that will
foulest crime of the century, and he
showed the effects of the great strain be-
fore the long day was over.
Many had predicted Durrant's downfall
under a severe cross-examination. These
were disappointed. Only once during the
entire day did he evince even as much in
terest in the proceedings as the merest
spectator, and when the day was ended he
stepped down from the witness-chair as
calmly as he had stepped into it in the
morning.
And many were surprised at District At
torney Barnes. All know him for the m ost
pleasant hammered and agreeable gentle
man who ever occupied the difficult posi-
ton of public prosecutor, and as well
for an able and effective forensic pleader
Yesterday he proved himself more than
this and gained the fame lawyer covets
most-that of being an acute cross-ques-
TONER
He had a most difficult witness to handle
-one gifted to most remarkable degree
with GOODNESS and self-possession; a keen,
far-seeing, intelligent witness. And yet
the general belief was that Mr.. Barnes
scored good many points yesterday and
that no one could have handled the witness
better.
General Barnes. pere, was present dur
ing the day, and sometimes the fathers
and sons heads were bent together But
if the general gave Will any pointers at
faithfully and appreciativ vely-which is, in
itself, saying great deal for the son.
In the long cross-examination of yester.
Qay lOuT points slduu Oub nCdQ anu sQQul-
ders above all the rest. And these are, in
their chronological order:
First-The stranger who met Durrant
on Post street one afternoon and told him
if he was interested in the disappearance
of Blanche Lamont he had better go to
the ferries and search in the crowds there
for her.
Early in the morning the witness told
this remarkable story under pressure OF
Mr.. Barnes questioning, and to account
for his remark to Witness Sademan at the
ferry, that he was looking for Blanche La.
mont.
It was on the afternoon of April II he
met this stranger. He did not stop to in
quire his name or his identity, though he
had never seen him before. But ne was
'happy in getting clew," and he hurried
at once-after getting his lunch-to the
ferries to search for the missing girl He
did not continue the search long-less than
an hour-and then went up to the armory