The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-10-14
His Conversation with Miss Carrie
er, Revealed by the Prosecution.
ALLEGED FATAL ADMISSIONS
TOLD HER HE SAW THE BODY OF
BLANCHE LAMONT ON THE STAIRS,
That She Was Murdered on the Second
Frame Cover Was Removed.

SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. Oct. 13.-Now
that Durrant has told his story on the
witness stand and has made answers TO
all the accusations implied by the cross
questions of the prosecution, an impression
exists among those who have watched the
trial closely that there is something TO
come which will, perhaps, have more effect
on the minds of the jurymen as regards the
guilt or innocence of the defendant than
anything that has gone before. This feel
ing is due to the confidence with which Dis
strict Attorney Barnes put a series of start
ling questions relating to- conversation
held by Durrant with a newspaper reporter,
Miss Carrie Cunningham, at the county
JAIL within the past week, and also touch
ing on the address and Endorsement of a
certain envelope which may or may not
have contained a confession.
The prosecutions witnesses will seek to
show by their testimony that Durrant made
admissions which destroy the whole fabric
of the defense. These alleged admissions
are taken by the prosecution as coming
from the one person on earth who knows
all that occurred beneath the belfry of the
Emanuel Baptist Church on the afternoon
OF April 3. The record of what passed at
the county Jail between Miss Cunningham
and Durrant is thus told by the prosecu-
ton, which is in possession of the full
facts: On the evening of Sept. % Miss Cum
ningham visited Durrant at the county JAIL
and during the course of their conversation
Durrant showed her small envelope winch
bore the following address and indorse-
rnent:
AIessrs Dickinson & Duprey:
ITO be opened in case L am convicted To
be returned to me in case 1 am acquitted"
Durrant told the young lady that the en-
velope contained a complete statement of
all that had occurred at Emanuel Baptist
Church on the afternoon of April 3. He
said that it had been written in order that
his attorneys might know the facts in the
event of his being convicted Of the murder
Of Blanche Lamont. On the following
evening, Sept 23, Miss Cunningham again
visited Durrant at the county Jail, and
was there shown a large envelope ad-
dressed like the other and smaller one.
Durrant told her that the contents of the
other envelope had become jammed up and
that he had transferred the written state
ment to the larger envelope. On the morn
ing of Oct. ) Miss Cunningham held a con-
versation with Durrant at the county jail,
and during the course of that conversation
and in answer to questions asked by the
young lady, he said that at about O'Clock
on tie afternoon of April 5, he ascenced
the space between the ceiling and the roof
OF Emanuel Baptist Church for the purpose
of fixing one of the sun burners. While at
work he heard noise which at once at
tracted his attention. 1t seemed TO come
from that part of the building where the
belfry is situated. He walked along in the
direction from whence the sound came,
and peered through the opening that con-
meets the space above the ceiling with the
interior of the belfry tower. While in
this position he saw the body OF Blanche
Lament lying on the second landing of the
belfry stairs. He repeated the details of
the circumstances and added that Blanche
Lamont was murdered on the second land
ing of the belfry stairs. Miss Cunningham
then said:
''Oh, yes; it was from the second landing
of the stairs that the blood dripped down
and stained the cloth-covered picture frame
on the floor below?".
Durrant replied that there was no blood
on the cover OF the picture frame. as 1--WE
have had the stains analyzed and find they
were made by water, not blood"
An official inspection was made of the
cloth-covered picture frame referred to as
being stained by blood This inspection
revealed the fact that the piece of cloth
cover, one inch by two inches in size. had
been cut from the frame in the center of
one of the largest blotches of stains. As
this not done by any one connected
with the prosecution, the inference is
drawn that it was done by someion inter-
ested in the defense, and that 1t was for
the purpose indicated by Durrant's alleged
statement regarding the analysis.