The San Francisco call., 1895-10-14
THE CUNNINGHAM STORY,
The Betrayal of Durrant'S Con-
fidenCe Generally Talked
About.
WHAT THE DEFENSE THINKS
Prepared to DIsCredlt the Testi-
mOny Of the Young Lady
Reporter.

The defense in the Durrant case will
close Tuesday morning. The prosecution
is getting ready its rebuttal testimony. and
promise 10 substantiate al tha: has Daen
brought out in the ross-examination OF
the defendant.
Within the next forty-eight hours Gen
eral Dickinson will face Judge Murphy
ard say, This is the case for the defense"
This interesting announcement is expected
TO come some time during the morning
session next Tuesday-certainly not later
than the closing OF that days proceedings.
The opinion is general that Durrant's
attorneys have signally failed in proving
any portion OF the promises made by Deu-
prey in his opening statement. There are
many who think that the young medical
student seriously injured his cause by
going on the witness-stand. He told so
many improbable and at present unsub-
stantiated stories as 20 make the public
mind a ready receptacle for the most SEN
sational denOuementS.
This came in the Cross-eXamination,
when Nj. Barnes sprang the Cunningham
story, which proved 70 be the biggest sem
saUion OF the trial. The first question
visibly staggered Durrant, though 1t must
be SAID 10 his credit that only for a mo-
iat4li ulQ llldk NOl0SIlbA nerve SnQ COIll-
pOSure seem about to totter anG fall.
True Durrant weighed carefully every
word he uttered in answer TO the unex-
pected questions put to him by Mr.. Barnes,
but shat is not 10 be wondered at when the
seriousness OF the situation is remembered.
That Miss Cunningham ; story, as pub
GShed in The CALL, fell ike a thun-
Gerbolt in the RANKS OF the defense Is
but IN keeping with a current opinion that
Durrant has made some sort OF confession
other than the statement which ne ac-
knOwledgeS TO have written while confined
in the City Prison.
Even should Durrants fellov-prisoners
be called 10 the stand the defense may fail
IN its efforts to combat Miss Cunningham :
testimony, Tor Captain Lees stoutly asserts
that she has never been in the employ OF
the police, while the lady herself IS firmly
insists she had no promptings in the mat
ter, and insists firmly that she took no
oath other than that she would not pub
hsh anything about the prisoner without
first acquairting him OF it.
She has the advantage also that q
WON IN 5 testimony IS always accorded
belief IN court as against that OF a man,
ana she will for that reason, If for no
other, be damaging witness.
Durrant 5 % all appearances as little
concerned over the anticipated testimony
OF Miss Cunningham as he has been OBJ
Ivious TO all the other evidence that
looked black for him. Nothing in his
manner indicates that he has any fear of
the effect what she may say Will have on
his case.
''If she tells the truth she can't say much
that will hurt me-" said he, for l only de-
cIined 10 confirm or deny stories she
brought to me. | made no other admis-
slons and 4 she testities TO anything else
l have no apprehensions for what it will
avail the prosecution, for there is my testi-
mony that / did not, coupled with the fact
mat can prove she has violated one oath
already That ought to be stffcicient to
raise doubt OF the truthfulness of her
story"
The officials at the County Jail are
loatn 10 express an opinion concerning
Miss Cunningham story, but they have
watched Durrant closely during his long
confinement in their keeping and are not
disposed 10 believe him enough OF a fool
10 so lay himself open. They are rather
inclined to the belief he is telling the
truth