Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1895-10-03

Tense in The Durrant case Tuesday
morning began building m alibi for
the young medical student from April
4 to April II, inclusive. THE purpose
Of the aHbi Is 10 impcach the tc+ti-
mony OF Pawn Broker Oppcnhcrm
ana w. ], Phillips, who testified that
April II Durant tried to pawn
Blanche lamont's ring at Open
helms store. During the course of
the testimony which covered Dur
rants movements April ! and , n
struggle was prccipitated by District
Attorney Barnes, who again "ha-
lengcd The reliability Of the rol-ral
book at Cooper college. The argli-
mcnt ended In victory for the de-
Tense, 80 far ms the question before
the court was concerned, as Judge
Murphy sustained the objection 20
the question prOpound"d by himself
to the Witness ana cut off the discus
sion.
The trial began in the morning
with sensation which was quite rs
unexpected to the prosecution M TO
the defense. Juror |. j. Truman in
formed the court that last Thursday,
during the noon recess Of thc court
ne WAS approached by II. j. Mccoy
general secretary OF the Young Mems
Christian association, who "nd"av-
orcd to engage him IN conversation
on the subject of the trial
"If you don't hang Durrant," said
Mccoy to the juror, "w" Will hang
you"
The court said the olf"nsc bord"r"d
strongly on crime and cited Mccoy
to appear In court October ANA
show cause why he should not be
punished for contempt The assault
on Oppcnhrlm's testimony then be"
gan The defense called to the stand
four witnesses by whom II was pro
posed ID test the accuracy of the
pay n-brokcr'S memory, Marvin cur
tin, Wildam Cathvart, l.. j. Nummnn
and LcUnard Everett members ul
the national guard and signal corps
to which Durrant belonged, testified
that they had taken various articles
W l''N'lN w ''Il'''' W. y h'''' 1890
attempted To pawn them. Ehey de-
scrihcd the manner In which they
were dressed at the time, The de
scrlption9 IN many instances dld no,
correspond with the descriptions
given by opprnhcm when
he was asked t. tell how men VIII"
tried 10 pawn the articles were
dressed Each OF the -four witnesses
said that he haN subscribed money to-
assist IN the tlctnsu Of lurrani
step was made 10 Impcarh the leSll
mony If David Clark, the witness
who assisted Attorney Quinlan I"
fix the date upon which he SAW Dur
rant and Blanche Lament walking
toward Emanuel church. John Pal-
ton. Patrick MulvanrN and NJ j,
Murphy said That tlarkS reputation
for truth ana Integrity was bad. ON
cross examination MulyAnrN ANA
Murphy said that they VI re- pre-.
juaiccd against '''rl; lrem he .A"I
that they had h,n,ic>N troubles VITA
his father rhr district 1 torncN
asked that the testimony ne stricken
out. bat the ion WAS dcrirl 10y
ii.r court
The building of Durant'S alih IN
contradiction to the charge made by
Pawn Broker opp"nhrim began witch
the testimony of Dr. \, W. llAihAlt,
lecturer at Cooper Medical college.
When asked IL nurrant was present
n the lecture given on the morning
of April I the doctor referred to the
roll-call book and said that the de-
lrcndaut was recorded rs prVSrut
On cross examination he said that he
had no personal knowledge that Dur
rant was absent or present Tho
prosecution attacked the reliability of
the roll-cal Before the district at
torncy had reached the point of the
subject, however. Judge Murphy took
a hand In the examination. He asked
the witness whether in his experience
rs Instructor AT the college he had
known Of Instances where students
had answered az the roll call for
other students who were not present,
The defense iutrrpoSed m ohicrtiou
ameni having II rule un its own
question The Judge said shat while
he mlgh permit tho question to NE
answered. II II shnuld come from the
proper source. he would sustain the
objection ror the present, Thcn hS.
trict Attorney Harness asked the
same question and the lefrnSe inter
posed another objection The court
sustained the objection.
Rrforc the court adjourned. Atl""
nev Dickinson called the attention Of
the court to the large number of
threatening letters that We're hH'u|
rcecivel Ivy himself and attorney
puprcy and asked that tho jurors he
instructed to turn such letters over
t. tAe court should they receive amy.
Judge Murphy said that he received
great many letters Of the same
kind.
THE ONEIDA FAIR.