The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1895-10-17
DURRANT TESTIFIES.
He Appears on the Stand in His
Own Defense.
GIVES STRENGTH TO HIS ALIBI.
He Details His Movements on That Fatal
April 3 without Tremor-He Em-
phatically Denies That He Murdered
Blanche Lamont.

BAN Francisco, Oct. 10.-Theodore
Durrant, assistant superintendent Of
Emanuel church Sundayschool, has de.
clared on the witness stand that he did
not murder Blanche Lamont in the
belfry Of the church on April 3. With
the same GOODNESS that has character.
lied his conduct since his arrest he de
MED the principal allegations that have
been made against him by the most i'm
! portant witnesses for the prosecution
His answers were always brief and to
the point Taken altogether, Durrant's
direct testimony probably had ten.
dency to strengthen his case. His de
meanor while on the stand was Ger.
tatnly intended to impress the jury
with the opinion that he was telling
the truth. Questions that would ordi.
narily cause visible impression on
| guilty man were answered by Durrant
with the utmost unoonCern. Even when
Attorney Deuprey asked him if on the
Sd Of April, or at any other time, he
murdered or participated in the MUIR
dering Of Blanche Lamont, the prisoner
coolly replied in the negative.
! The examination of Durrant was be.
gun with the questions relative to his
age and his early life in this city.
Coming down to the day upon which
Blanche Lamont was murdered, the
| prisoner was asked to relate his move.
ments from the time he left his home
in the morning until he returned at
night. He said he met Miss Lamont
on her way to school and rode with her
on streetoar until he reached Cooper
Medical college. He said he remained
at the college until 10 o'clock, when he
and another student named Ross went
for walk. Then he returned an hour
later and went to the library whore he
was engaged in his studies until noon.
Then he went to luncheon with a stu.
dent named Diggins, and returned at |
o'clock. After luncheon Durrant re.
mained in the library until $3.50 clock,
when he attended DR.. Cheney ) lecture.
he said he was present at the rollCall at
the close of the lecture and answered
to his name.
At the close of the lecture Durrant
said he boarded u street car and rode to
Emanuel church for the purpose of re.
pairing the sunburners. He denied
that he was accompanied by Blanche
| Lamont or anybody else. Upon enter
| ing the church he said he left his coat
and vest in the library, obtained the
necessary tools and assembled to the
| gallery. A blackboard was provided
and Durrant drew a rude sketch of the
church and its tail spire to illustrate
! the manner in which he made the re.
pairs. He said to make the repairs it
was necessary for him to lie at full
length on a plank which was much
lower than his feet. In this position he
inhaled so much gas that he was made
| i'll. TO illustrate the manner in which
the gas escaped Durrant took burner
and descending to the jury box, ex-
planned the construction of the burner
to the jury. After repairing the burner
Durrant said that he descended to the
auditorium, where he found George
King playing on the organ. King re-
marked that Durrant looked pale.
| Durrant replied that King would be in
the same condition if he had been near.
| ly overcome by escaping gas At Dur.
rants request King bought some bromo
seller, which the prisoner drank The
medicine made him feel better, and at
o'clock Durrant left the church in
( company with King. He went out of
his way two blocks to converse with
King, after which they separated and
Durrant went home to dinner.
| Durrant said he felt i'll aud ate but
little. In the evening he went to
prayermeeting, at Emanuel church.
He saw Mrs. Noble and asked her if
Blanche was coming to prayermeeting.
Mrs. Noble replied that she did not be-
lieve her niece would be present. He
related a number Of other minor Incl.
dents in connection with his converse
ton with Mrs. Noble, who evidently
did not endorse his statements from
the fact that she shook her head sew
eral times. At the close of the services
Durrant said he went home and re-
tired Durrant denied that on the
afternoon of April 3, he was at the
corner of Powell and Clay streets, as
testified to by Mrs. Vogel, He also
denied the statement of three school.
girls, who testified that Durrant and
Blanche Lamont boarded Powell
street car at Clay street and rode
toward Market. He said he did not
ride on a westbound Valencia street
Car with Blanche Lamont, as testified
to by Mrs Crossell. He said he was
never in Oppenhem pawnshOp.
"Did you, on April B. i'll San Fran.
cisco or elsewhere" asked Attorney
Deuprey, 'intlict any violence on
Blanche Lamont, or did you kill or
participate i'll killing her ?"
Durrant replied that he did not and
the direct examination was at an end.
The cross examination was confined
to questions relative to the life of Dur
rant prior to April 3.
Commercial Travellers Elect Oncers.