Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-10-14

San Francisco, October 13.-Now that
Durant has told his story on the wit
ness stand and has made answers to all
che accusations implied by the cross
questions OF the prosecution, an i'm
preston exists among those who have
watched the trial closely, that there is
something to come which will, per-
haps have more effect on the minds of
the jurymen as regards the guilt or in
nocence of the defendant than any
thing that has gone before. This feel
ing is due TO the confidence with which
District Attorney Barnes put series OF
STARTLING QUESTIONS
relating to a conversation held by Dur
ant with a newspaper reporter, Miss
Carrie Cunningham at the county Jail,
within the past week. and also touch
ing on the address and Endorsement OF
a certain envelope which may or may
not have contained a confession.
The prosecuting witnesses will seek
to show by their testimony that Dur
rant made admissions which destroys
the whole fabric OF the defense. These
alleged admissions are taken by the
prosecution as coming from the one
person on earth who knows all that oc-
Cured beneath the belfry OF the Eman-
uel Baptist Church on the afternoon OF
April 3rd. The record of what passed
at the county Jail between Miss Cum
ningham and Durrant is thus
TOLD by THE PROSECUTION,
which is in possession of the full facts:
"On the evening of September 22nd,
Miss Cunningham visited Durant at
the county Jail, and during the course
of their conversation Durant showed
her a small envelope which bore the
following address and endorsement:
'Messrs. Dickinson and Duprey.
TO be opened in case l am convicted
To be returned TO me in case | am ac-
quilted
''Durant told the young lady that the
envelope contained a complete state
ment of all that had occurred at the
Emanuel Baptist Church, on the after
noon of April 3rd He said that it had
been written in order that his attorneys
might know the facts in the event OF
his being
CONVICTED OF THE MURDER
of Blanche Lamont. On the fcllCw:ns
evening, September 23d, Miss Cunning
ham again visited Durant at the county
jail and was there shown a large en-
velope addressed Ike the other and
smaller one. Durant told her that tbs
contents of the other envelope had be-
come jammed up and that he had
transferred the written statement to the
larger envelope. On the morning Of
October 5th, Miss Cunningham held a
conversation with Durant at the county
Jail, and during the course of that con-
versation, and in answer to questions
asked him by the young lady, he said
that at about 5 o'clock on the afternoon
of April 3, he ascended to the space be-
tween the ceiling and the roof Of the
Emanuel Baptist Church for the pur-
pose of fixing one of the sunburners.
While at work he
HEARD A NOISE
which at once attracted his attention
It seemed to come from that part Of the
building where the belfry is situated
He walked along In the direction from
whence the sound came, and peered
through the opening that connects the
space above the ceiling with the inter
ior of the belfry tower. While In this
position he saw the body Of Blanche La
mont lying on the second landing OF the
belfry stairs. He repeated the details
of the circumstances, and added that
Blanche Lamont was murdered on the
second landing Of the belfry stairs.
Miss Cunningham then said: oh, yes,
it was from the second landing Of the
stairs that the blood dr:pped down and
stained the cloth-covered picture frame
on the floor below Durant replied that
there
WAS NO BLOOD
on the cover of the picture frame, as
we have had the stains analyZed and
they were made by water, not blood
An official inspection was made Of the
cloth-covered picture frame referred to
as being stained by blood This in
spection revealed the fact that a piecs
of cloth cover, one inch by two inches
in size, had been cut from the frame in
the centre of one of the largest blOtche5
or stains. As this was not done by any
one connected with the prosecution, the
inference Is drawn that it was done by
some one interested in the defense, and
that it was for the purpose indicated
by Durant's alleged statement regard
ing the analysis
THE KING A PRISONER.
10. no4oIo.1 Vbo D,,;,. o<,.,.s.