The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-04-15
Blanche Lamonfs body Found In the
same Church Where Mics VIII
Iiams's Remains Were Discovered.
STUDENT DURANT ARRESTED
AND CHARGED WITH HAVING BUTCH
Erred BOTH YOUNG WOMEN.
He Is Also Supposed to Have Killed nj
Man. and Is Thought by the Police
to BE N Jack the Ripper.
special to the indianapolis Journal

Special to the Indianapolis Journal
SAN FRANCISCO, April 1.-THE Eman-
uel Baptist Church. on Bartlett street, be-
tween Twenty-second and Twenty-third in
this city, has been the scene of two OF the
most atrocious murders ever committed in
the State. Yesterday the mutilated and
murdered body of Minnie williams was
found in the library of the edifice. To-day
the nude body of Blanche Lamont was
found in the tower of the church The same
hand, the authorities believe, slew both
girls, and w. III. T. Durant, the young man
suspected of both crimes, is in custody.
Blanche Lamont and Minnie Williams
were members of the Emanuel Baptist
Church and members of the Sunday school
class. The former a student at the
Normal School on Powell street, in this
city; the latter was companion in family
in Alameda, across the bay from the city.
Both were twenty-one years old, brunettes.
and pretty and modest girls. Both had been
the recipients of attentions from a young
medical student named w. III. T. Durant.
who is also the librarian of the church and
the secretary of the young peoples society
of the church.
On April Miss Lamont disappeared. Dill
gent search failed to reveal any trace of her
whereabouts. and her aunt. Mrs. Noble.
with whom she had been living, was unable
to throw any light on the affair. Miss La
mont came from Dillon Mont, several
months ago, having been in San Francisco
for her health, and at the same time to at
tend the Normal School to perfect herself
teacher. The last person seen in her
company was w. H. T. Durant, a young
medical student who, 1T seems had been
friendly terms with the missing girl.
On Saturday night. at 10 o'clock, the
mutilated body of Minnie Williams was
found in the library of the church The
girl had been assaulted. and her remains
were cut and hacked. the girl having evil
IDENTIFY died from loss of blood. On further
examination it was found that she had been
gagged, the assailant tearing part of her
underclothing and thrusting it down her
throat with a sharp stick, badly lacerating
the tongue. Two witnesses state that they
saw young man and young woman, the
former answering the description of Durant,
and the latter that OF Minnie Williams. en-
ter the church. Following this clew, the
police at once put the residence OF Durant
under surveillance.
LAST SEEN OF MISS WILLIAMS.
Miss Williams lived with friends in Ala
media, who gave her home until she
could secure a position. She had been a
regular attendant of the Emanuel Church,
having formerly lived in that neighbor-
hood, but on the separation of her father
and mother had moved to Alameda. FRI
day morning the Morgan family with
whom she had lived packed their house,
hold goods, intending to leave for Tacoma,
and Miss Williams had removed her pos
sessions to the house of Mrs. Voy, rear
the church. Friday evening she was to
have attended a meeting of the young peo-
pies society of the Emanuel Church at
DIR. Vogels house, at 7:l5 o'clock she left
taking latch-key with her. She never reap
peared there. About this time Durant left
vcintV hound Of for the sane meetna tin san nt
O'Clock, Durant met Phillip Perkins and
asked him some questions about trip to
Mount Diablo, which the signal corps Of
which he was a member was to make next
day. At $50 he appeared at DIR. Vogers
ress, and none were merrier than he dur
ing the remainder of the evening. At IL
| o'clock he left with party of young peo-
| Durant arose early and went with his COM
| rades of the signal corps to Mount Diablo,
| The two murders are so closely connected
that 1t is now necessary. to go back TO
| the aunt of Miss Lamont. received through
the mails paper containing the four rings
| In the paper were written the name and
| address Of Theodore Durant: This, to-
| gsther with the, fact Miss Williams,
| heard to say that she knew Blanche had
been murdered. but had refused to tell
what she knew and how. led the police to
Miss Williams had slain Miss La
% Williams I knew naf Of his hsaras fras crime. a- ats
tempted further c0ncealment by committing
had apout decided had
| dered Miss Williams. and this theory was
further strengthened this morning. after
/ Church. The dead and outraged body of
Miss Lamont was found concealed in the
cfn Ia I,aH sd
lation. The body was lying juss inside the
| door OF. the tower room, nude and on the
floor. Around the neck there were few
| stTeaks, the marks of fingers that pressed
/ deep into the flesh. The mouth was open.
badly distorted being drawn and se the Mf lips
swollen and blood stained. The nose was
| the only feature that retained its original
loosely about her shoulders. The body
tho odor emanating from the remains hsv-
ing reached the nostrils of the detectives
ers reaehea the top as Of the .srs
found the door leading to the tower room
locked They broke ,,. Il ., open: The & place ace
| light fiared up. they saw before them the
searching. The body was taken to the
morgue, where 1t was placed on slab ny
the side of Minnie Williams.
ARREST OF DURANT.
mense crowds surrounded the church and
had to be kept back by the police. The
chief q police sent for Rev. DIR. Gibson.
| pastor of the church. and the report be-
| came current that he had been accused OF
the crimes and had been arrested Then
| the crowds surged to DIR. Gibson's house
and the excitement grew more intense. 1t
soon had spread all over the city. Extra
papers were gotten out and thousands OF
people nocked to the scene from all over
4 the CITY, The rumors of the arrest were
/ later denied. Ind 1t became known Dr.
Gibson and the sexton CT the church had
been merely called TO tell what they knew
AT o'clock came the news that Duraat had
been arrested at Walnut creek, on
the road to Mount Diablo. He was
1 caught by detective Anthony. who
left in pursuit OF him early this
morning. The detective and his prisoner
left on the next train for San Francisco.
where they arrived this evening. Another
immense crowd had gathered at the ferries
Il TO see the suspected murderer come In.
but q detachment Of police WAS In waiting