The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-10-12
Frank Costigan L is.... ii's..
:. Occidental Hotel
Cigar Stand.
Friends
To Call.
CONFUSED AT TIMES
DuRRANT AGAIN RATIFIED UNDER
SEVERE CROss-ExAMINATION
Foseed to Admit Several Things Hs
Had PreviolsIy Denied - Didn't
Know What "AIibiv Meant.

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. n.-After a three
days ordeal Theodore Durrant to-day left
the witness stand. District Attorney
Barnes tried this morning to draw from the
defendant admissions that he was well ac-
Quainted with the use OF bromo-seltzer, as
used in medicine. Durrant's replies indi-
Gated that he had devoted the night to
the study of the compound, as he replied
that he had conversed with DR.. West about
it in the jail last evening. He was abls to
give its analysis and detailed its pathologf-
cal effect For the first time during the
trial Durrant to-day pleaded Ignorance In
reply to question by Mr.. Barnes he said
he did not know what an alibi was until
after his trial began.
While testifying to-day the prisoner be-
came badly confused at times and when
questioned regarding his experience at
Cooper Medical College became so mixed in
his dates that he had to refer to a card
that he carried in his pocket to set himself
right. He became noticeably confused and
rather testy In his replies when examined
In regard to the interview that he had
with Gilbert f. Graham, a fellow-student at
the city prison. when the prosecution
claims Durrant asked him to furnish him
with a copy of the notes OF DR.. Cheney's
lecture. remarking: IF had those notes
1 would be able to prove an. alibi." Dur
absolutely that he had made such
declaration, and tried to ex-
plain by testifying that Graham came
50 far as to inquire anxiousIy if Dusrant f
had the notes OF DR.. Cheney's lecture.
Durrant finally admitted that he asked him
to furnish aas ,tf the notes but he testified that
attorneys, who instructed him to get the
notes from the students of his class and
compare them with his own.
Durrant TO admit that he had written
statement Of his case and inclosed 1t In an
envelope to his attorneys with the instruc-
tions to "open it IL he was convicted and
to return ii IL he was not convicted" Dur
rant was asked IL he did not recently show
an envelope bearing such an inscription to
Miss Carrie Cunningham, a local news
paper reporter. Durrant replied emphati-
cally that he did not. He also denied that
heard suspicious noises in the belfry of the
Emanuel Church on the afternoon that
Blanche Lamont was murdered. Several
specimens OF Durrant's handwriting were
comparing them with the writing on the
wrapper in which the rings of Blanche
Lamont were mailed to her aunt. Mrs.
Noble.
The district attorney closed his cross-ex-
animation OF the witness by trying TO show
sbIy nd s TO search for for Blanche 81 Lamont oas that
he was in reality looking for Minnie Will
liams, who came over from Oakland that
afternoon. and was found murdered in the
church the next day. The defense fought
vigorously against the admission OF any
thing bearing on the case OF Minnie Will
liams, and after a long argument Judge
Murphy sustained the objections
After Durrant was excused Charles r.
Lenahan. who was said to have been mis-
taken for Durrant by pawnbroker Open
helm. was recalled to the stand for further
examination. Little progress had been
made, however. when court adjourned until
Tuesday morning.