davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-20

are IL :54% P. NJ, II M, 12:05112 A. NJ, 12:11
A. NJ. 12:16% A. NJ. and II % A. NJ
As the last outbound car passes the cor
ner of Twenty fourth and Howard streets
at % minutes past II o'clock, Wolfe
had Just thirty seven minutes in which to
accomplish all that he said he did after
seeing Durrant at IL As o'clock.
According to his story he walked home
with Miss Lord and saw her safe inside,
then walked one block to TWenty-third
street, two and a half blocks to his home
and two blocks to the stable on Twenty
fourth street, a total of six and a half
blocks walked, and he did not hurry, be-
cause he was under the impression that
his horse was in the Twenty fourth-street
stable.
From the stable he ran half block to
Bartlett, one block to Twcnty-third and
three blocks to Howard street, total run
of four and half blocks.
Miss Lords story of the five-minute
chat with Durrant and Mr.. Taber's testi-
mony that Wolfe was in the house chang
ing his clothes for fifteen minutes elimin-
ate twenty minutes from the thirty-seven
he had after seeing Durrant before the last
car passed. The net result is seven blocks
walked leisurely and four blocks run in
seventeen minutes.
Car Dispatcher G. H. Randall who is
in charge at the Tenth-street carhouse,
says that if Wolfe boarded Howard street
car bound out at the corner of Twenty
third street, he would have inevitably been
noticed by the gripman or the conductor.
1t is very seldom that any one boards an
outbound car at that point, for the run
from there to the end of the line is very
short one, occupying only six minutes.
The crews of the last six cars on the
night OF the murder and the hours that
theypassed Twenty third street were: Grip
man G.. Hnnenberg and Conductor W. 81.
Bray, II :54.30 P. M; Gripman 0. w. Jen-
sen and Conductor c. o. Downing, II NJ;
Gripman j. NJ. Chase and Conductor E. r.
Lillis, 12:O5.30 A. NJ; Gripman T. w. Reed
and Conductor NJ. Pinther, 12:u A. NJ.
Gripman L. NJ. Say and Conductor W. H.
Bradley, 12:16.30 A. NJ, and Gripman E.
Goodrich and Conductor B. Meyers
1922 A. NJ.
All these gripmen and conductors are
positive that no one answering Wolfe's
description boarded their cars at the point
mentioned on the night of the murder.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-20
AN ALPENA MIRACLE.
MRS. JAS. N. TODD OF LONG RAPIDS
DISCARDS HER CRUTCHES.
Reviews Her Experience and Tells
the Real Cause of the Miracle.
From the argus, Alpena, Mich.


We have long known Mrs. James NJ. Todd of
Long Rapids, Alpena County, Mich. She has
been sad cripple. Many OF her friends know
the story of her recovery; for the benefit of
those who do not, we publish it to-day.
Eight years ago she was taken with nervous
prostration and in few months with muscu-
lar and intiamInatory rheumatism. 1t affected
her heart, then her head. Her feet'became so
swollen she could wear nothing on them; her
hands were drawn all out of shape. Her eyes
were swollen shut more than half the time,
her knee joints terribly swollen and for eigh-
teen months she had to be held up to be
dressed. One limb became entirely helpless,
and the skin was so dry and cracked that it
would bleed. During these eight years she had
been treated by score OF physicians, and had
also spent much time at Ann Arbor under best
medical advice All said her trouble was
brought on by hard work and that medicine
would not cure, and that rest was the only
thing which would ease her. After going TO
live with her daughter she became entirely
helpless and could not even raise her arms to
cover herself at night. The interesting part of
the story follows in her own words:
81 was urged TO try DR.. Williams Pink Pills
days after l commenced taking Pink Pills
could sit up and dress myself, and after using
them six weeks went home and commenced
working continued taking the pills, until
now begin to forget my crutches, and can go
up and down steps without aid. L am truly
living wonder, walking out OF doors without
assistance.
'.Now, if I can say anything to induce those
who have suffered as have, to try Pink Pills,
snail gIaQly 90 so. II otner IKE sufferers Will
try Pink Pills according to directions they will
have reason to thank God for creating men
who are able to conquer that terrible disease,
rheumatism. have in my own neighborhood
recommended Pink Pills for the after effects of
la grippe, and weak women with impure blood,
and with good results
Mrs. Todd is very strong in her faith in the
curative powers of Pink Pills, and says they
have brought poor, helpless cripple back to
her own milking, churning, washing, sewing
knitting, and in TACT about all OF her household
duties, thanks TO DR.. Williams Pink Pills.
DR.. Williams Pink Pills contain all the e1e-
ments necessary to give new life and richness
to the blood and restore shattered nerves. They
are for sale by all druggists, or may be had by
mail from Dr. Williams Medicine Company
Schenectady, n. Y, for so cents per box, or six
boxes for 50 So
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-20
CHARGED WITH MURDER
The Coroner's Jury Finds &
Verdict Against Dur
rant.
Els MOTHERS INFORMATION.
The Afflicted Woman Thinks She
Has Strong Proof of Her
Sons Innocence.

Dwellers in the Mission still pass the
blood-stained church on Bartlett street
with a mirth-dispelling shudder, and the
people upon whose homes the shadow Of
the tall steeple falls would gladly see grass
growing high where the building stands.
On the subject of removal the congregation
is divided. Some declare that they will
never cross its threshold again. Others
think that in time ali objections to using
the building viii be silenced. Ex-Super-
visor Taber, who takes kindly interest IN
the church, because some of his relatives
are members of Pastor Gibson's flock, sug-
gests that it would be advisable to demol-
ish and reconstruct the front of the editice
and destroy the little library room in which
Minnie Williams met her destroyer.
Pastor Gibson Will not discuss that in
teresting subject or any other subject with
representative of the press. 1t appears
that Thursday evening the clergyman
made some remarks to a newspaper man
which that gentleman construed as a re-
Election upon the honesty OF members of
his profession. The newspaper man was
indignant, and replied in words that could
not well be published. Then some one
struck a blow and some one else struck
back. The conflict was of short duration,
and Just how it resulted could not be
learned yesterday, for the reporter would
say nothing and the minister was suffering
from nervous proStration.
The police are searching the building
again.
They now think that the bloody gar
ments OF the murderer may be found
between the lathing and the weatherboard
of the hall. 1t is reported that they found
something OF Importance shortly after
noon yesterday, but they denied that they
had found anything.
The inquest on the remains of Minnie
Williams was concluded yesterday morn
ing, and the jury found Durrant guilty OF
the murder.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-20
AS TO HYPNOTISM.
Experts Say 1t Played No
Part in the Double
Tragedy.

The question has been asked how Dur
rant could induce Miss Minnie Williams,
who according to the sworn testimony at
the inquest had but scant confidence in
him, to enter with him at night the EN-
manuel Church.
A theory that he hypnotized her has
been advanced to cover this point, but it
seems untenable. DIR. A. Abrams of AL
Geary street, who is connected with the
Cooper Institute, has searched deeply into
the science of hypnotic suggestion and
written several treatises on the subject.
He says:
THE theory that Durrant or any other
man hypnotiZed the girl, or either of
them, to make them willing to enter the
church is particularly weak. The sue
cessful hypnotism of a subject depends
not so much on the hypnotiseur as upon
the person subjected to his influence. 1t
is not so much power In an Individual as
the result of a concentrated mental effort
to receive suggestion on the part of the
subject. Hence the use of the term hyp-
motto suggestion in medical practice in
preference to hypnotism.
Under the circumstances it is practi-
cally impossible that Durrant should have
hypnotiZed those girls. For any one to
easily hypnotic a person it is necessary
Iudt SUCH person nau Deeu the ODlecI OF
former repeated and successive hypnotisms
by the same hypnotiseur. No one even
after such repeated experiences can be hyp-
Noticed against his or her will, even under
the most favorable conditions, and that
those girls should have been hypnotized
while walking along the street is prepos-
ferrous"
In this connection it might be asked
why, if Durrant had the girls under hyp-
motto influence, were the murders neces-
SarV?
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-20
WOLFE'SMOVEMENTS
His Sworn Statement Concern
ing Them Seems Some
what improbable.

There are several peculiarities noticeable
in the statements of Elmer A. Wolfe as to
his movements after the party at DR..
Vogel's house On the fatal Friday night,
and some discrepancies of fact which at
this time are particularly interesting. The
statement sworn to by him at the inquest
yesterday is practically as follows:
81 left DR.. VogeFs house at IL 80 o'clock
and, with five or six others, walked up
Howard street to Twenty-fourth. There
Durrant, Miss Lord and 1 turned and
walked along Twenty-fourth to the corner
going along Twenty fourth and Miss
Lord and 1 turning down Capp street.
I left her at her home, SAG Capp
street. few doors below Twenty-fourth.
Then I went down Capp street to Twenty
third and along that street to my room at
No. $50. | changed my clothes and went
to the stable at the corner of Twenty
fourth street and Orange alley for my
horse. As ] reached the stable | recol-
Iected that [ had left my horse at The dairy
depot, corner of Fifteenth avenue and the
San Bruno road. 1 turned and knowing |
was late ran to catch Howard-street car.
/ went to Bartlett street, then ran down
that street to Twenty third and along that
to Howard. Icaught the Howard-street car
expecting to transfer TO the norSecar out
the San Bruno road. | rode to the end of
the cable line at Twenty-fourth street and
Potrero avenue, where | found that the
last horsecar had gone. l walked to the
dairy depot and taking my horse rode to
the ranch, which l reached at L 80 o'clock"
In some particulars Wolfe's story is cor
roborated. Miss Lord remembers leaving
Mr.. Durrant at the corner of Twenty
fourth and Capp streets at quarter to
II O'Clock Mr.. Taber, Wolfe's stepfather,
heard him enter the house at $50 Twenty
third street and leave it again. He says
Elmer was in the structure between ten
and fifteen minutes. Miss Lord says that
she chatted with Durrant before leaving
hiw for nearly five minutes. They talked
about his sister in Germany and he gave
her his sisters letter to take home Tor her
mother to read.
There are only four outbound Howard
street cars which pass Twenty-third street
after midnight and only six which pass
that thoroughfare after II AS P. NJ, the
hour that Wolfe says he saw Durrant at
the corner of Twenty-fourth and Capp
streets. Their times for passing the cor
ner of Twenty-third and Howard streets
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-20
SEARCHING FOR THE MURDERERS GARMENTS.

A. Dukes of North Temescal and a student
at the Cooper Medical College was called to
tell what he knew about the movements of
Theodore Durrant. On Friday the 18th
inst. he met and spoke to him at the ferries
Their talk lasted about five minutes and
1t was all about their school work and
Durrants trip to Mount Diablo with the
signal corps. Durrant told the witness
that he was waiting for some of his COM
rades who were to 20 with him on the
Diablo trip.
C. W. Dodge of S25 Fourteenth street.
P. NJ on the 18th inst. The witness said:
He wanted to know if we had been to the
hospital, and I answered Eyes" He then
asked if We were going TO college next day.
again said ayes" and then he wanted to know
if we would fix him on the roll. / made no
promise, and then he said he waiting for
some of the boys Of the signal service corps
with whom he was going to Mount Diablo the
next day.
Q.-What do you mean by getting his name
fixed on the roll2 A.-Why to have one of the
students answer mis- name so that he would be
marked present while he was really absent
Q.-Was he marked ABSENT Al think he
was.
Q.-Was he ever marked present when he
was absent? Ayes, sir. 1t was either on
Friday, the 5th inst, or the following Monday
He was marked present at Dr.. Hirschfelder's
clinic in the City and County Hospital, when
he was really absent. The clinic lasted from
1890 10 so a. N.
Q.-Was he present on the 18th inst Al
don't know. paid no attention. | know alb
solutely nothing about the killing of Miss
Williams
Charles a. Dukes, recalled, said that
Durrant told them he could not be present
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-20
IS 1T HIS HAIR?
DR.. SamuelS Wants a Speci-
men From Durrant'S Head
for Comparison.

DR.. Samuels, to whom the police gave
the hair taken from Blanche Lamont
waist for examination, is patiently waiting
for the police to give him lock from
Durrant's head. He wants to compare it
with that found on the waist.
DR.. Samuels made another microscope
cal examination of the hair yesterday,
which, it will be remembered, was taken
from the right sleeve and the bodice of
the garment. There were eight black
horse-hairs about seven inches long,
several hairs from the dead girls head
and ten short hairs. The short hairs were
apparently dark brown, but when held
between the eye and strong light they
were yellow brown or tawny. The
microscopic says the police have searched
Durrant's head for stray hairs and have
found none. For some reason unknown
to him they refuse to clip the suspects
head
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-20
KNOWLEDGE

Brings comfort and improvement and
tends to personal enjoyment when
rightly used. The many, who live bet
ter than others and enjoy life more, with
less expenditure, by more promptly
adapting the worlds best products to
the needs of physical being, will attest
the value to health of the pure liquid
laxative principles embraced in the
remedy, Syrup of Figs.
It's excellence is due to its presenting
in the form most acceptable and pleas
ant to the taste, the refreshing and truly
beneficial properties of perfect lax.
alive; efFectually cleansing the system
dispelling colds, headaches and fevers
and permanently curing constipation.
1t has given satisfaction to millions and
met with the approval of the medical
profession because it acts On the Kid
neys, Liver and Bowels without weak
ening them and it is perfectly free from
every Objectionable substance.
Syrup of Figs is for sale by all drug.
gists in SOC and 81 bottles, but it is man.
ufactured by the California Fig Syrup
Co. only, whose name is printed on every
package, also the name, Syrup of Figs,
and being well informed, you will not
accept any substitute if ofered
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-20
The st. George Lighthouse.

An order has been received by the local
Lighthouse Board IRON the department at
Washington to increase the time of the silent
interval between the fog-signal blasts at the
station on st. George reef This lighthouse and
fog-signal station is ON lonely rock thirteen
miles from the mainland, off Crescent City,
Del Norte County, Cal. 1t is in the line of all
vessels running on the northern coast. For
merly during foggy weather the blast on the
fog whistle was FIVE seconds in duration, fol-
lowed by silent interval OF thirty-five sec
onds. The silent interval has been increased
to seventy-fiYe seconds, the object being to save
water The latter is very scarce commodity
on the rock, the supply coming entirely from
rain, and the enforced economy is matter of
great Importance TO the lighthouse people.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-20
STORY OF A PURSE.
1t Was Lost by Miss Gertrude
Taber, Elmer WOlfe'S
Half-SiSter.

A sensational story has been circulated
about purse supposed to have been
dropped by Elmer A. Wolfe on the San
Bruno road. An attempt was made to
show that Wolfe was connected with the
murder OF Minnie Williams. The fact is
that three weeks ago to-day Miss Gertrude
Taber, half-sister of Elmer Wolfe, while on
her way from Guadalupe Dairy to this city
lost her purse, which contained about 81
and some cards on which were addresses.
This purse was found by man who spent
the money and then made known his dis
covery to an acquaintance. The police
have given the matter only enough con-
sideration to ascertain that it has no bear
ing on the murder cases.
The man who found Miss Taber's purse
and gave it to the chief engineer OF the
Chronicle has been taken into custody
(placed on small book under suspicion of
having robbed hatstore on Fourth or
Third street
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-20

removed from the tabernacles of the city,
basing his petition on the double murder
in the Baptist Emmanuel Church, came up
for hearing before the Judiciary Commit
tee of the Supervisors at the City Hall yes
terday.
The language of the petition was in part
as follows:
In view of the heinous crimes committed in
a church in this city within the past few days,
we, as good and order-loying citizens, would
suggest to your honorable body that 1t is about
time to call halt in the debasement OF church
edifces.
:. The remedy is, in our mind, that an ordi-
nance be passed closing and forbidding all side
and rear entrances to all church buildings in
this city and county and to have no partitions,
separate rooms or bedrooms or bed lounges in
any such church building, and no person but
to have any key to any door or entrance to the
said church, front, rear or side entrance, and
he, the said trustee or authorized person TO be
under the supervision of the police authorities
at all times. who are enjoined to keep notices
of the fact OF the opening and closing of said
churches and for what purpose.
And that the preaching of the gospel in the
city and county OF San Francisco be made
licensed vocation, and no minister or preacher
receive license unless he has good and suf-
fcient character or else the signature OF twelve
good citizens, taxpayers and property-owners,
to that effect.
1t was declared that the petition was not
inspired by malice owing to the passage of
the ordinance some time ago against the
side-door entrances to saloons.
Robert Briese and his attorney, j. Stieg-
litz, appeared before the committee and
urged that action in accordance with the
prayer of the petition be taken. They Sc
riouslv reiterated the language of the petit
ton and then Chairman Diamond lectured
the petitioners IN a fatherly way.
81 had looked upon the petition as hav-
ing no serious basis" he said, land am
surprised to find it seriously supported. 1t
is ridiculous to think that because the law
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-20

to console him. General John II. Dickin-
son, Durrant's leading attorney, called at 3
o'clock in the afternoon and spent an hour
in close conversation. Shortly after
o'clock Mrs. Durrant and young lady
friend called and were warmly welcomed.
Durrant, his mother and the young lady
were all in good spirits. They chatted as
merrily as if Durrant was only in hos
pital suffering from some slight complaint
instead of being in a secure cell charged
with murder.
Mrs. Durrant stayed about an hour with
her son and cheered him up greatly. Dur
rant, notwithstanding his Nightmares,
seems to have no trouble in getting to
sleep easily. He lay down at 10 O'Clock
last evening and Immediately went to
Sleep
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-20
Prosecution.

To the Editor of the CaH-SIR: In the
name of fair play beg leave to protest
against the action and attitude OF the press
cused of having murdered Miss Lamont
and Miss Williams.
Americans-at least the remnant of them
that is left-believe and constantly assert
that a love of fair play is national char
acteristic, and l think it is in the long run
not untrue-of the remnant. But the
fierce, vindictive, unrelenting attacks of
the newspapers on the accused, in advance
OF his trial and conviction by established
procedure, go far to give the lie to the ma
tional boast.
Every circumstance of suspicion against
Durrant is unduly emphasized, and the
few shreds of evidence that might make in
his favor-even his virtues of sobriety and
apparent fortitude-are brushed aside or
wrested to his undoing. 1t is quite true
that many circumstances point strongly to
his guilt, but so far as the facts have been
made public there are several essential
links lacking in the case of the prosecu-
ton. Until these are supplied the case of
the people on circumstantial evidence is
incomplete and a conviction would not be
warranted. 1t is unnecessary to recall
cent men have been enmeshed in net of
apparently discriminating circumstances
and convicted by the clamor of the crowd
and hanged.
Let Durrant be prosecuted by the ma
chinery and the officers of the law with all
possible vigor, and if found guilty let him
be hanged and damned without benefit of
clergy, but if he has a defense, let it be
heard, and not drowned by this sinister
cry for his blood. have not the remotest
interest in Durrant or his case, but l have
in the fairness and dignity of the press and
the people of this city. As it is, the papers
are giving the accused no show for his life;
they are pre-empting and saturating the
minds of the men VINO must determine the
question of his guilt by rousing their pas
sions with dramatic presentation of facts
and rumors and opinions, with ensnaring
analysis and cunning theories in support
of the assumption of his guilt, such as the
average Juror will be unable to resist, and
which will bar fair and impartial trial
Another danger attending such journalism
is that it may overleap itself and defeat
the conviction of a guilty man. On any
ground it is to be deprecated, and / think
a new word should be coined to designate
and reprobate it. and / venture to suggest
prosecution as fitting and expressive.
Yours sincerely, II. y. Y.
April II, 1895.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-20
SHE IS CONFIDENT.
Mrs. Durrant Says Evidence
for Her Son Has Been
Found.

Mrs. Durrant, the prisoners mother,
bears up well under the strain and APP
peared more hopeful last night than she
had been at any time since the arrest of
her son.
81 have received good news to-day" she
said. NEW evidence has been found
which will undoubtedly clear Theodore. 1t
is in the hands of his attorney, and, of
course, do not feel at liberty to give it
out at this time. No, there is no truth in
the report that young man and woman
have come forward declaring that they
were the couple seen entering the church
nv Mr. Hills.u
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-20
Arraigned for Murder.

Charles Inman, alias Charles S. Rice, was ar
raigned in Judge Wallace's court yesterday for
the murder of Ida Zimmerman, alias Cora In
man. His plea was not guilty.
Inman and the woman were employed in q
variety dive, at Geary street and Grant avenue.
On the night of the crime, several weeks ago,
she went to her room on Broadway, near
Stockton street. Inman, who had been drink
ing heavily, followed her there, and shortly
afterward she was found with her throat cut
by razor. Inman told some of the people
he had killed his wife and he was promptly ar
rested.