The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-17

She said nothing. A few days later came
the discovery of the dead bodies of Minnie
Williams and Blanche Lamont, both in
the church across the way, and then the
mass of circumstantial evidence piled up
against Durrant, the exemplary young
man of the church; the companion OF
Blanche Lamont on the afternoon when
she so suddenly disappeared from the
world.
1t was too much for Mrs. Leak. Taking
the evidence of her own eyes for it she
could arrive at but one conclusion, and
that was that the man arrested was the
stranger and murderer. For days and
days Mrs. Leak struggled with the burden
of her knowledge. She shrank from the
publicity which was sure to overtake her
should she come forward as a witness, and
her conscience continually whispered that
it was her duty to furnish the knowledge
which she possessed to the proper authori-
ties. Torn by these conflicting emotions
she sought confdant to whom she could
unburden her soul, and from whom she
might obtain such counsel as would set
her Alright. She called on the Rev. j.
George Gibson, the pastor of the church,
and to him she told her story. The pastor
advised her TO. communicate with the
authorities. This conference occurred
about two weeks ago, as nearly as can be
learned, and the pastors confidential Sec
setary, Mr.. Lynch was the medium OF
communication. When Captain Lees was
informed of the story he detailed Detec-
tive Seymour to call upon Mrs. Leak. Upon
that visit the old lady again described
what she had seen, and later on consented
to make full statement of her knowledge
of the affair to be taken down in short
hand, transcribed and signed. This prom
Use she has fulfilled, and her signed state
ment is now in the possession of Captain
Lees, to await the day when Mrs. Leak
shall have taken the stand to describe to
Judge and jury what she saw on that fate
full afternoon from her second-story win
dow.
That is the story of Mrs. Leak, and in it
the prosecution places the utmost reliance.
1t is the one link they claim, to make the
chain of circumstantial evidence against
the young medical student complete. 1t is
the testimony needed to amplify and es-
tablish the testimony of those Normal
School girls and Martin Quinlan, the, attor-
ney, and to connect it with that OF George
R. King, the organist of the church, the
once companion of Durrant.
These three girls-the Misses May LAM
gan, Alice E. Pleasant and Minnie Belle
Edwards - testified positively that they
saw Durrant and Miss Lamont board a
Powell-street car at Powell and Clay streets
on the afternoon of April 3, shortly after
- " N4OShs ACJ SDulO uOt Uc IllSUdkSn dS
to Miss Lamont as she had Just left their
company. and in the courtroom and at
Chief Crowley's office they positively iden-
titled Durrant as her companion.
Martin Quinlan, an attorney, about an
hour later on the same afternoon, was
crossing Bartlett street, at Twenty-second,
when he almost brushed against a young
man, whom he identified as Durrant, walk
ing on Bartlett street in the direction of
Emmanuel Baptist Church, in company
with young lady, who had school books
in her hand.
George r. King, the organist, testified at
both the Coroner's inquest and the pre-
liminary hearing, that at about O'Clock
on that same afternoon, Durrant rushed
into the Sunday-school room. from the
upper part of the church. His coat was
off. his face was pale and his hair dishev-
eled, while beads of perspiration stood out
on his forehead. King asked him what
was the matter, and Durrant replied that
he had been upstairs fixing the sunburners
and had been overcome by the gas. AT
his request King went for some bronco
settler, and when be had returned he found
Durrant somewhat more composed.
To fill the gap between the testimony of
Quinlan and that Of George King has been