Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1895-04-19
A San Francisco Ripper.
Two Young Women Butchered In
Church After Being Outraged--a Med
icaI student the Probable Murderer,

Two Young Women Butchered In
Church After Being Outraged--a Med
icaI student the Probable Murderer.
The Emanuel Baptist church at Bartlett street
in San Francisco, Cal, has been the scene Of two
of the most atrocous murders ever committed in
that state The mutilated and murdered body of
Minnie Williams was found in the library of the
edifice Saturday by women who had gone there
to arrange the Easter decorations. The nude and
mutilated body of Blanche Lamont was found in
the tower of the church Sunday. Both were 81
years old and members of the church and Sunday
school. Miss Lamont, who came from Dillon,
Mont, was a student in the normal school, and
lived in San Francisco with relatives. Miss Will
liams was a companion in family in Alameda.
Miss Lamont mysteriously disappeared April 3.
Miss Williams left her home Friday evening to
attend meeting of the young peoples society of
the church at the pastors house
w. IL. T. DuranJ, a medical student 20 years
old, who was librarian of the church and secre-
tary of the young peoples society is under arrest
and the proof against him is very strong A
young couple answering the description of Will
lams Durant and Miss Williams were seen to
enter the church Friuay night. Durant appeared
at the meeting at the pastors at $3.50 Friday even
ing and acted as II nothing unusual had nap
pened. He arose early Saturday morning and
started with friends in the signal corps for Mount
Diablo, 80 miles away.
Mrs Noble the aunt with whom Miss Lamont
lived received through the mail Saturday a
paper containing four rings worn by her niece
written the name and address of relative of
Durant's This together with the fact that Miss
Williams, an intimate friend of Miss Lamont had
been heard to say that she knew Blanche had
been murdered but had refused to tell what she
knew, led the police to suspect that the same one
who had killed Miss Williams had slain Miss
Lamont and learning that Miss Williams
knew of his crime attempted further con
cealment by committing second murder. 1t
should be said that both of the young women
had been outraged and a gag had been forced
down Miss Williams throat. The police had
already decided that Durant had murdered
Miss Williams and early Sunday morning they
searched the church, and after breaking open
the door to the steeple found the mutilated and
bloated body of Miss Lamont. Durant ar
rested on the road to Mount Diablo.
The news of the murders caused great excite
ment and thousands of people surrounded the
church. When Durant was brought back great
crowds collected and there were threats of
lynchng, but he was placed in patrol wagon
and driven rapidly through the streets to the
city prison.
AS sequel to these horrible revelations, later
dispatches state that it is the belief in San Fran
cisco that Durant has committed two other muir
ders. One of these victims was married woman
who attended Emanuel church, and the other a
drug clerk, with whom Durant was intimate,
whose body was found with Is stabs upon it made
by double edged knife.