The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-05
DURRANTS DEFENSE.
Analysis OF the Theories Outlined
by the Young Mans
Lawyers.

The questions asked by Durrant's attor-
neys during the recent examinations in
Judge Conlan's court and before Coroner
Hawkins have been shrewdly analysed
From the points thus obtained fair view
of the line OF efense has been obtained.
A casual survey of the Emmanuel Bap-
fist Church leads to the conclusion that
either the "microscopical examination" of
the building and of the circumstances
attending the crime has been made in an
amateurish way or that very inferior
microscope was used. There are several
things visible to the naked eye which ap-
pear to have been completely overlooked
by the detectives, yet which may have and
probably do have an important bearing on
the case.
Much has been written of the side door
to the church, but no one appears to be
aware that there are two side doors to that
editice and two gates to the surrounding
grounds.
Many columns have been printed to the
effect that the murderer must have had
a key to 1.-The" side door because Pastor
Gibson found it unlocked when he reached
the church on that fateful Saturday morn
ing; but who has heard that the other
side door was left habitually unlocked for
those to enter who chose?
1t has been assumed that the assault
upon Miss Williams was begun and Gem
p1eted in the library or in the little book
closet adjoining it. According to the
theory of the defense, there are no grounds
for such supposition. The murderer's
victim would scarcely have accompanied
him to any apartment into which he had
to force his way by breaking open door
Then, there were no signs OF a struggle in
the library, as would necessarily have been
the case had it alone been the scene of
crime. The dead girls flowers, too, were
not discovered in that room.
1t has been generally accepted theory
that the hand which sent Blanche Lamont's
| rings to Mrs. Noble wrote upon the wrap
ping paper the name of George King with
the purpose of directing suspicion toward
him. Careful students of the case who are
friendly to the defense of Durrant hold
the opinion that the murderer of Minnie
Williams conveyed her almost lifeless form
to the library closet with similar intent
and then cut and mutilated her body that
suspicion might fall upon more than one.
While the police are confident that the
evidence accumulated will suffice for the
conviction of Durrant the latter's friends
assert that the prospects for the acquittal
of the accused become daily brighter.
They base their hopes upon their belief in
Durrant's innocence and their confidence
III UUG discovery VI Iuc uuTueTeT.
They assert that Durrant did not meet
Minnie Williams at the ferry depot ON the
afternoon of April H. but that he did meet
girl named Beatrice Partridge; also that
he did not go anywhere with any young
woman, but took a car with a male COM
panion and rode home upon the front end
via Valencia street; also that fellow
member of the Young Peoples Society of
Christian Endeavor noted him passing her
house with this companion a few minutes
before o'clock, and remarked upon it to
her family, saying, 'Thee just rode by on
his way home"
They claim that the accused remained
at his house till s o'clock, when he started
for the residence of DR.. Perkins at the
corner of Guerrero and Twenty-fourth
streets. He remained in conversation
with the family for few minutes, played
with Miss Perkins pet dog and left the
house with the doctor, from whom he
parted not earlier than 800 or 80 o'clock.
He reached DR.. Vogel's at $3.50 o'clock,
left Elmer Wolf and Miss Lord at IL: AS
o'clock and reached home at midnight or
within ten minutes after that hour.
The hiatus in the known movements of
the accused during the period from 80 to
ESQ o'clock the attorneys for Durrant
claim to have completely accounted for by
the testimony of witnesses who knew the
young man well and cannot be mistaken
in his identity. For obvious reasons, how
ever, their names are for the present with
held.
The question of the hour at which Min
ME Williams died has not yet been salts
factorily determined The prosecution has
assumed that she died about o'clock Fri
day night, but there has been no testi-
mony given to establish the time within
sixteen hours. This of course will not be
overlooked by the attorneys for the de-
tense. Witnesses have been found who
heard screams issuing from the church at
hours during which Durrant's whereabouts
is accurately known. Milkman Harvey of
the Scotia Dairy, which faces on Mission
street, almost directly in the rear of En-
manuel Church, states that when he arose
at 1 80 o'clock on the morning of April Is
he heard those screams. A woman who
lives close by the church has made similar
statements.
The defense also claims as follows:
Thai Durrant was not the only young man
that had means of access to the church at will;
that Daisy Wolf, who superintendent weekly
sewing class for the Juvenile scholars of the
Sundays Saturday afternoons, had key