New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-02
DURRANT FOUND GUILTY.
THE JURY REACHES A VERDICT ON THE
FIRST BALLOT.
DRAMATIC SCENES IN THE COURTROOM WHEN
THE MURDERER OF BLANCHE LAMONT
HEARS HIS DOOM-JUDGE MURPHY

THE JURY.

San Francisco Nov. Theodore Durrant
was convicted Of the murder Of Blanche Lamont
this afternoon The jury was out twenty-eisht
minutes. The verdict was received with shout
of applause from those who packed the court
room.
The closing scene Of the trial was i'iii OIL
dramatic interest and excitement. The District
Attorneys peroration was an able effort ne
said he had struggled to suppress his feelings
of repugnance to the defendant, and to be apso-
lutely fair tc him. and to lay aside his feelings
OF horror and detestation which hindered anu
oppressed him He confidently asserted that
nothing had been stated in his address TO the
jury which had not been proved by competent
evidence Link by link the chain had been
welded until it had been shown beyond any
doubt thar Durrant mad murdered Blanche
Lamont on April by strangulation. The
charge Of Judge Murphy occupied a little over
an hour in delivery Before he began 1t General
Dickinson Durrant's counsel. formally objected
to the portions Of Mr.. Barnes's address as
abusive in their nature. but the Court consld-
cred them proper. The charge was a cold state
ment Of the law unrelieved by any side disser-
taton. 1t fair and covered the ground or
alibi. circumstantial evidence and motive COM
pletey. The motive would not necessarily need
to be shown. as 1t might not appear on the sur
face. Circumstantial evidence as to motive
would apply to other points In the case He
stated the California Law as to murder in the
first degree which involved whose death
resulted to a victim of criminal assault
whether the killing not meditated.
PROMPT WORK BY THE JURY.
As soon as the Court completed the charge
Dickinson took an exception, the ground that
the Judge had not read the instructions sub
mitted the defense had written them. The
jury was then put in charge Of two deputy sner-
ifs and conducted to the jury room. Suppressed
excitement was manifested throughout the court
room and the corridors outside during the walt
which succeeded the departure Of the jury. There
was a great deal Of speculation as to how long
the jury would remain out. The general opinion
among those who had followed the trial was that
an agreement would be soon reached but owing
to the mass Of evidence 1t was thought possible
that the Jurors might remain out all night. The
result showed that the jurymen had already
digested the evidence and that the overwhelming
case which the prosecution had piled up against
the accused man had left them option and not
even room for doubt
The jury. on reaching the room selectt War
ren Dutton for foreman, and then baotted. the
first ballot was for murder in the first degree.
Word was Immediately sent to the courtroom,
and Judge Murphy sent for the jury. While this
was going on Durrant sat in the courtroom be-
side lis counsel, conversng with his mother ana
several Of her female friends. AS soon as Mrs
Durrant learned that the jury was coming In, her
demeanor changed from one Of gayety, and look
OF dread came to her face which was not re-
nected in that Of her son. He stoicaly watched
the jurymen as they took their seats as II to get
from their features the import OF the verdict
which their early return portended.
As Foreman Dutton pronounced the verdict Of
guilty OF murder in the first degree, the large
audience which had listened in perfect silence
for the words which he was to utter. rose and ut
tered a veil which echoed far out in the corridors.
Most of those in the audience were women The
cries which went up from them fell upon the ear
of the convicted murderer's mother like blow
and seemed to bring to her the first realization
Of the force Of the words Of the jury's foreman.
Her face was averted as she had nerved herself
for the ordeal, but though possessed OF marvel
lous courage a cry burst from her lips, followed
by hystercal outburst OF sobs.
THE PRISONER UNMOVED BY THE VERDICT.
AS he listened ntentiy to the words which
sealed his fate Durrant partially rose from his
seat The look on his face one Of defiance.
end 1t was apparent that he had 1t in mind to
address the fury The first cry from his mother
changed his mind, If he had such intention. He
sat down. turned to his mother and took her in
his arms She rested her head on his shoulder,
and, with his left arm about her slender forIn he
held her in "A tender embrace. patting her with
his left hand and with his right stroking her
hair He seemed obliv.ous 10 the fact that a
verdict which meant death to him had been re-
turned; oblvous to everything except the weep
ing woman who had sat patiently by MS side
through the long trial. cheering him with words
Of hope.
The triumphant shout from the 800 throats in
the courtroom had been hushed by the bailins,
and hush fell upon the crowd when Judge Muir
phy began 10 address the jury. He assured them
that they had his thanks for the manner in which
they had performed their duty, and believed they
would have the thanks Of the entire community
As the jurymen marched by Durrant and his
mother they all looked sympat hetcally upon the
picture OF the weeping woman upon the shoulder
Of her condemned SON
Judge Murphy announced that next Friday ne
would pass sentence upon Durrant and at the
same time he would fix the time for beginning the
trial II Durrant for the murder OF Minnie
Williams.
The verdict Of the jury meets with general APP
probation. The town Is tonight Wild over II and
it resembles the aftermath OF an election Dur
rant himself takes IL coolly. and says he has not
yet lost hope His attorneys will take an appeal
u the Supreme Court bill OF exceptions
the material for which accumulated during the
trial. The material for the Minnie Williams
trial has all been gathered and the prosecution
Is prepared To go right ahead with H. II is GER
tain that Judge Murphy viii set on early day
for the hearing The general impression is that
the result in that ease VIII be the same as in the
one Just ended. Considerable matter bearing on
tho case was developed during the trial OF the
Lamont case and since the preliminary examina-
ton much new evidence has been gathered. SO
far AZ known. Durrants defence in the case yet
TO be ,red will be as weak It was in the one
just closed
on April 3 last blanche Lamont LETT her home
In San Francisco at $50 a. m. and went 10 the
Boys High School. for the morning session. In
the afternoon she attended the Normal school In
Powell-st near Clay. for the cooking class. which
she left about o'clock. As she walked from the
school In company with Miss Minnie Edwards.
young man stepped up to her. raised his hat and
escorted her 10 the az Clay and Powell sts.
The two sat the east side Of the dummy and
rode In that position to Market-st. on tae way