The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-10-29
near the Cliff House." 1t was dated o.

near the Cliff House." 1t was dated Oc-
tober 81.
Reynolds says, in effect, that he and
some others-chiefy e. NJ. Thayer-were
employed to give periured testimony in
behalf of Durrant in both the Lamont and
Williams cases. In full, the epistle reads {:
CITY, Oct. 81, 1895.
Tonight will seek rest from all worldly care
in the waters of the ocean, near the Cliff
House. l write this so you need not have an
inquest or any Identification. l was some
months ego to be witness in the Durrant case
for murder of Minnie Williams. 1 send you
the statement prepared for me to learn. I OBJ
iected, with five other men named Smyth,
Dugan, Stewart, Taylor and Harrington, to
take part in the matter because of the part of
the plan to implcate Preacher Gibson. I as
sisted Z. NJ. Thayer, Durrant's friend, in
fixing up the plan. Smyth, Dugan and
Stewart were for the Lamont trial, and
myself with Taylor and Harrington, tor
the Williams case. I tried to get their
statements, but they would not give them up,
so l inclose mine alone. Smyth was to say
Blanche Lamont was at his house, over near
Haywards somewhere, until Friday, April 5,
when she came away for home. The strap
marked with her name marked myself. The
first and last letters are blotted, and there is a
straight line across it one inch from first
letter. The END l cut off and sent to Chief
Crowley some three or four months ago. with
some other matters. Dickinsons explanation
about the strap is clever, but very improb-
able. l am not surprised Deuprey is sick.
I should think Dickinson would be so,
too. Dugan and Stewart were to say
they had been to DR.. Anthony's funeral in
Oakland on Friday, April 5, and when return
ing on the boat they saw Miss Lamont on the
boat, the former knowing her. There was also
lon TO lNTnn
letter 6 on ii some four months ago. 1 let
tered five other handkerchiefs, and Thayer
sent them by messenger to Mr.. Gibson, with 8
card written by Smyth saying ''From four little
infantclass girls l wrote letters to Open
helm on a sheet of paper like this. The bloody
handkerchief was 10 be offered as having been
found in the lot back of the church on Sun.
day, April IA, but it never was delivered be-
cause we declined TO take part in the plan to
implicate Gibson.
This is all got to say; let Durrant tell the
rest. GEORGE REYNOLDS.
AT first blush the letter reads like some
of the scores of anonymous communica-
tions heretofore received by almost every
body who has been officially connected
with the murders in Emmanuel Church.
But closer scrutiny leads to the belief that
the crank theory will not explain this
IS.
The man who wrote this statement to the
Coroner was in possession of at least one
of the secrets of the defense. He had
seen and examined very closely the school
strap offered in evidence by Mr.. Dickinson
on the 22d of October, ana which Mr..
Dickinson himself testified was sent
to his Office anonymously. The strap in
question is almost a fac-simile of the strap
l.
Blanche Lamont under the floor of the
platform of the belfry.
Now, the writer of this ante-mortem
confession, as it purports to be, describes
this second strap most accurately, and
moreover claims to have been the origin
ator of it. Naturally enough, Messrs.
Dickinson, Deuprey and Morse deny the
truthfulness of every statement contained
in the confession and declare that the
whole thing is hoax or else malicious