The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-10
IDA M. CLAYTON TALKS,
She Knows Nothing Of the
Mysterious Woman in the
Durrant Case.
REPORTS THAT ARE FALSE
Defense Claims DR.. Graham Did
Not Make the Statement At
tributed to Him.

Miss Ida NJ. Clayton has been found.
She is the teacher of the Redding Primary
School for whom Captain Lees and Others
spent Saturday night and Sunday in fruit
less search to determine the truth of the
report telepraphed from Los Angeles that
she was either the mysterious woman"
in the Durrant case or had a knowledge of
the identity of the much sought for. but
as yet mythical witness.
Miss Clayton was seen yesterday morn
ing at the residence of Ransom Beach, 1902
Monroe street, East Oakland, where she
has been visiting since Friday.
The distorted rumor connecting her
name with the case proved to have abso-
lutely no foundation.
Miss CLAYTON was unreserved and talked
freely of the matter.
II thought THE CALL would give me an
opportunity to deny the infamous report"
said she. II was very much pleased when
l saw the story in the other papers to see
that THE CALL had refrained from publish
ing it until | could be seen and the truth
of the matter be had.
81 cannot understand how such a story
originated. Why, l never so much as
heard of Durrant until he was arrested for
the double murder. ] not only do not
know him, but to my knowledge l have
not even the acquaintance of any friend of
his. never lived in the Mission, am not
a member of Emmanuel Church and never
attended services there. / haven't even
the remotest idea as to who the woman is,
if she really exists"
Miss Clayton is an exceedingly modest
and retiring young lady, and is excessively
annoyed and worried at the unpleasant
notoriety she has so unwittingly acquired
by having her name connected with the
case.
Mrs. Maud Callander of Los Angeles,
from whom the report is alleged to have
emanated, is a niece of Miss Clayton. The
aunt does not believe her niece was the
real source of the information, since they
have not seen each other for two years,
have of course never talked of the case,
and the niece could not therefore have
even SO confused her ideas as to have made
such statement.
Another wild rumor made its appear
ance yesterday. 1t was report published
in an evening paper to the effect that the
defense in proving an abb for Durrant
would show that it was not he who led
Blanche Lamont into Emmanuel Church
on April 3, but that she was conducted to
the death chamber by an entirely different
person and that her escort had an accom-
plice inside the church who assisted in the
awful crime.
Detective Harry Morse was considerably
amused when he saw the publication. He
is, as is well known, attending to the de-
tective work for the defense, and is one of
possibly four persons who know the de-
tails OF that side of the case. He said:
a don't suppose any one knows more
about the young mans case than l do, and
l never heard that evidence of that nature
was to be feature. As to the person very
close to the defense from whom the story
is alleged to have come, that is all bosh.
There is no one who is close to the defense
except Durrant, his attorneys and myself.
/ think it is pretty safe to say none of us
have given out such a statement"
Still another story which has been ex-
tens ively published, which the defense
expects to disprove, is that in which It was
stated that Durrant requested DR.. Gilbert
T. Graham, his classmate, to loan him his
notebook for the purpose of comparison,
but really that he might make his own
tally with that of one who he knew was
present at DR.. Cheney's lecture on April 3.
The defense claims to be in possession of
a written statement taken from DIR. Ora
ham, which declares positively that Dur
rant never made such a request of him
evincing at the same time the nervousness
and concern that has been attributed to
him.
Those interested in the defense will say
so little about their case that it is difficult
to arrive at any definite conclusion as to
what their star card will be, but close
Surmise as to some of the minor details
can be made. One thing which it is toler-
ably certain they will endeavor to disprove
is the theory that Blanche Lamont was
choked to death by Durrant between two
minutes past o'clock and on the fatal
afternoon. Durrant, being of such
slight physical proportions, his at
torneys, it IS, said, will endeavor
to establish by medical experts the i'm
possibility of his having accomplished the
deed in that time even with less robust
person than Blanche Lamont. This will
be companion theory to the one that
Durrant was physically incapable of carry
ing the body to the belfry, which will I'M
doubtedly be one of the points made.
The trial will be resumed this morning
and it is expected that a great portion of
the States testimony will be in before the
end of the week.