The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-26
CRANKS DEVELOPED.
Tricks of the MorbidIy Curious
to Get a View of Dur
rant.

The firm stand taken by Chief of Police
Crowley in keeping the morbidly curious
out of the City Prison has prevented it
being turned into a public museum to
which thousands would have flocked to see
Durrant. A case such as the terrible EN-
manuel Church tragedy brings to public
notice many sorts of cranks.
Several who are bordering on the verge
of insanity get so exercised that they be-
come insane, while others resort to all sorts
OF tricks to gain a view of the murderer.
Some wish to be brought in connection
with a murderer so as to gain notoriety,
possibly for business purposes, but the ma
iority only hunger to see the murderer out
of morbid curiosity. Mrs. Williamson,
who made scene in court, and the many
who have written letters to the police and
the newspapers, have evidently gone in
sane by thinking about the case when par
tally unbalanced mentally.
The ardor of the morbidly curious was
considerably dampened by Chief Crow
ley's order that no flowers be sent to Dur
rant, and many who habitually fawn on
murderers have failed TO get near the
doors of the City Prison. Several police
men have been stationed at different
places in front of the prison ever since the
arrest of Durrant, and few were let in the
lines formed by the strict guard. Two
women of more than middle age, who for
years have had the habit of calling on al
leged murderers made their appearance
soon after Durrant's arrest, and when re-
fused admittance were astonished and
went away muttering threats against the
Police Department.
Some women III the guise Of spiritualists,
physiognomists and phrenologists have
repeatedly called at the prison. and have
made all sorts of excuses to get view of
the accused murderer. One old woman
said she could determine whether Dur
rant was guilty or innocent by placing her
hand on any part of Durrant's body, either
his face or his feet. Another claimed to be
able to tell by the shape OF Durrant's head
ana neck whether he could have been able
to commit such crimes as he is charged
with.
None OF these women secured permission
to see Durrant, for they were classed with
pretended spiritualists who claimed to
have received spirit messages from Blanche
Lamont and Minnie Williams which they
desired to deliver to Durrant.
One woman was cunning enough to gain
the much coveted view of the accused
murderer. A few days ago a neat-appear-
ing woman and respectable-lookingm man
came to the Office of the Chief of Police
Medical College. and if Durrant was the
man she believed him to be she would have
some valuable information for the police.
She was given good look at Durrant, and
then said he was not the man.
AS she and her supposed husband went
away they smiled trium phantly, and the
police believe she only resorted to a sub
terfuge to crafty her curiosity.
The tricks tried by other people. both
men and women, have been very numer-
Gus. Some come into the prison under the
pretense of looking through the prison, as
they are strangers in town, others come to
look for mythical lost children, while
others inquire for supposed friends. ex-
pressing the fear they have been arrested
for insanity or drunkenness. MANY of
these have been admitted, but they are
taken quickly past Durrant's cell and they
have no chance to see him, as he generally
sits at the rear of the cell, where he can
not be seen very dirtinctly. So, in the
cases of all the morbidly curious none but
the one couple have succeeded in getting
good view of the man, who is thankful
to the police for at least one thing, that of
not being placed on exhibition as public
curiosity.