The herald., 1895-09-04
History of Incidents Preceding the
Two Murders
Reference to the Indolent Character of
the Criminal
Yer DICT Askei OH circa-,s:ant;sl Evidence.
Judge Orders Officers of the Court,
Including the Jury, to visit
Emanuel Church, the
Scene of the Aw-
fui Crime
Associated Press Special Wire


of Theodore Durrant for the murder of
Blanche Lamont in Emanuel church
really began today. The court room was
crowded to hear the opening statement Of
District Attorney Barnes. At the request
of the defense all witnesses in the case
were excluded from the room during the
addr ss. The defendant listened atten-
lively to the statement of the chief pros
ecutor. AT every point against him al
luded to by the district attorney Dur
rants bTows contracted and he continu-
ally, whispered suggestiveiy to his coun-
sci. The defendants attorneys objected
to several statcmenst In the address.
They dishked an alusion to the conver.
sation of the school girls who identified
Durrant as the man who had walked eff
with Blanche Lamont. They also object
ed to an explanation of the reason Mrs.
Leak sat so long at her window on the
afternoon when she said she had seen the
murdered girl entering the churchh with
Durrant. The court ovefruled the Sec
ond objection hut sustained the first.
Though counsel for the defense had said
they would be willing to have the
Blanche Lamont and Minnie Williams
cases tried Jointly. when the district at
torney referred to the finding of Minnie
Williams body the defendants counsel
objected to the introduction Of anything
relating to the Williams muruer. which
he said was the basis for separate ac-
ton. The court said he would permit
reference to the discovery of Minnie Will
! iam's body as an incident lead ing to the
discovery of the body of Blanche Lamont.
He said he would not rule as to the merg-
ing of the two cases until the question
should be presented to him directly.
Nr Ra IL. r. Il
trial and before proceeding with the evil
dence, 1T becomes my duty as the repre-
sentative of the public to make state
ment of the case. The opening statement
should not be regarded by you in the
light OF testimony; neither should it be
regarded as an argument upon the facts.
1t should not have any weight with you
nor should you consider it as initiating
against the prisoner. As merely state
ment of what the people expect to prove
IA statement Of the evidence which they
intend to present for your consideration,
and upon which tney will confidently
rely for verdict at your hands. which
shall sweep away the sopnistries and
technicaltes that have enveloped Grim
inal proceedings in this state as with
garment, and shall declare that the land
we live i'll is blessed not only with the
manifold gifts of nature and of God to
man, but is further blessed with the hard,
the tortuous environments that surround
| the criminal. and punish the crime COM
mltted in the manner required and ed
manded by all laws, botn human and
divine.
We will show YOU that in the month of
September 1894, Blanche Lamont, a
young girl about 20 years old, came to
San Francisco from her home at Dillon,
| Mont, in the hope that the mild climate
of California might benefit her health
She went to live with hel aunt and uncle.
Mr.. and Mrs. c. G.. Noble, and from The
time of her arrival until April 3d. she
was engaged in attending school. She
was not society girl in any sense of the
word. She was OF quiet disposition,
home keeping and religious. She never
attended parties Tor theatcrs nor other
places of amusement except in company
with her relatives. We will show that
Blanche Lamont in her lifetime was
we'll. too we'll, and yet not well enough
acquainted with the prisoner. Durrant:
that he was in the habit Of accompanying
her home from chu-ch and prayer meet
ing that he was caller upon her a her
aunt house. tnat upon the only occasion
upon which she ever went away with q
young man as far as We are informed sue
visited the park one afternoon in com.
pany with Durrant.
''We will give You history of her life
and of her movements as far as we are
dOle up W the Oh OI apTli, loJO, III order
that YOU may form just appreciation of
the character and the habits of this nm
fortunate young girl. We will show you
her connection with the defendant, and
we will show you the reason why, when
the murdered body of Blanche Lamont
was found in the darkened belfry of
Emanuel church and the question sprang
from the lips of every resident of this
city and of this country, Who is the
murderer Why, it is that the state
answers that he who was responsible for
the slaughter of this young life is Will
liam Henry Theodore Durr9nt; Durrant.
once the friend of Blanche Lamont; Dur.
rant. once in charge of thu Sunday school
library; Durrant, once assistant superin
tendent nf the Emanuel Sunday school:
Durrant. once the electrician who knew
the ins and outs of the great building:
Durrant, once the handy man and Jack
OF all trades at the church, and now Dur
rant, the prisoner on trial for his life, We
shall show Durrant's connection with
the crime, and shall demonstrate by ir-
refutable and unanswerable evidence that
he and he alone committed this murder.
'lf we show you these facts; if we
show you that Durrrant met this i'll fated
girl on the day of her death; that he ac-
companied her to this church that he was
seen to enter the church with her; tn, t
be was seen afterwards in the church
alone; that Blanche Lamont was never
seen again by human eyes from ii
moment she entered the portals of Ema
uel Baptist church with ths defendant:
that in the church was found her dead
body, her clothing, her school books
showing that she had never been home.