The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-10-29

picion. They know he is not guilty, but they
reasoned that II he were once placed under
arrest 1t would cause suspicion to attach to
him, and in that way doubt might be created
as TO Durrants guilt
So far as the story is concerned it is materi-
ally true, but do not wish TO discuss it now.
Mr.. Deuprey probably knows something about
it, for it formed the basis OF the talk in which
the the. DEFENDANTS l counsel engaged at the Palace
Hotel few nights ago. They did not sit on
that occasion in room, but were in remote
corner of the court.
This interview was had before the con-
ference with Barnes pere and fills took
place. At the conclusion of that confer
ence, which occurred in Captain Lees
private office, the veteran detective
graciously invited the press to come in
and hear his statement to the effect that
he had nothing to say. He used good
many words in saying this, and explained
that the officials of the prosecution found
themselves in rather delicate position in
the matter, and that after mature Gelibera-
ton it had been decided to neither affirm
nor deny any of the statements made pub
lie already by the Coroner.
I'VE want the verdict of the jury to be
based solely upon the record in this case, -
said Lees. 1--WE do not see our way clear
to introduce any of this matter in evidence
| in this case, and in order to keep ourselves
use the matter in the Williams case, or not
use 1t, as we may see fit, when the time
comes, it is necessary that we should make
no statement whatever concerning it."
TO all of this District Attorney Barnes
subscribed heartily.
Suppose we should deny the whole
thing" said Mr.. Barnes, land then after
ward want to use some of it as evidence,
we would at once be met with our denials
and you, gentlemen, would be called upon
to prove that we had denied it. On the
other hand suppose we affirm our belief in
this matter, we are equally bound by our
stand. 1t is better to say nothing at all
about 1t at the present time, and moreover
it would not be fair to the defendant. We
do not wish to try the case in the newspa-
pers, and if Durrant is to be convicted the
verdict must be based solely upon the evil
dence presented in court"
And this attitude seems to be final, for
the present at least. Captain Lees does
not say that at some future time he W i'll
not unburden himself concerning George
| Reynolds. Messrs. Thayer, Smyth TAYLOR
and al the others.
By the first mail yesterday morning
Coroner Hawkins received the REYNOLDS
| letter and an accompanying typewriter
| statement, which Reynolds says he learned
by rote. SO that he could go On the witness
| stand in the Williams trial and make no
mistakes in his testimony. The statement
reads as follows:
My name is George Reynolds, and 1 am at
| present rooming at the Central lodging house
at 81 Market street, below Fifth. l have been
there something over week. have been
| doing work on ranches in the neighborhood of
| San Miguel and San Luis Obispo County, and
! came here looking for work, but thus far 1
have not been successful. l have some little
means OF my own, and am paying all my ex-
! penses here.
| [ know Theodore Durrant well. and have
been acquainted with him for ten or twelve
| years. AS near as l can recoilect | first met
him when his folks lived on Fell street some
/ tant oatix- hsrft !, s,,l-
1t must be ten years. That is my best recollec-
ton. lived at that time on Oak street, be-
tween Franklin and Cough. There was row
OF two or three houses and lived In the mid
| die one A new row of buildings-f1ats-hav
! been erected there.since.
Theodore and l used to be together con-
slderabiy, but since he moved out to the Mis-
sion have not seen him very often. The last
llme / saw him was on Friday evening April
IL, OF this year. | csmc over from Oakland
that evening about half-past to meet a young
man named Zeckendorf in regard to going out
early In the summer with party of haybalers.
we met at the Louvre corner of Eddy and
POWELL streets. Ny friend was in hurry to