The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-08-17
1T IS THE LAST LINK
The Chain Of Evidence Against Dur
rant Is Complete.
MRS. LEAKE INTERVIEWED
She Tells a Local Paper What She
Saw and II Is Taken as Great
Boost for the Proseou-
tion-No Jury.

San FRANCISCO, Aug. ia local pa
per says the last link In the chain
OF evidence against Theodore Dur
rant has been discovered. A woman,
who lives across the street from Eman-
uel church. has reported to the po-
lice that she saw Durrant and Blanche
Lamont enter the church at 4:l0 o'clock
on April 8. the day of Miss Lamonts
disappearance. The womans name is
Mrs. Leake and she lives at 124 Bart
lett street. She Is 80 years Of age and
has been member of the church a
number OF years. She knew both Dur
rant and Miss Lamont intimately and
therefore cannot be mistaken with re-
gard to identity. She says she has re-
mained silent since the discovery OF
the bodies OF the two girls because she
did not wish to undergo the annoy
ance of being witness In the case
| and did not consent to divulge her in
formation to the police until she be-
came convinced It was q duty she
owed the state.
On April Mrs. Leake sat at a win
dow Of her residence nearly all after
noon looking for her daughter. whom
she expected to arrive from San Ma
teo. At o'clock she saw a couple
coming up the street. one Of whom
she instantly recognized as Durrant,
but at first she was puzzled over the
Identity of the girl. As the couple
came nearer Mrs. Leake recognized the
| girl as Blanche Lamont Miss Lamont
wore girls short dress and carried a
Oh ~
and school books were afterward
found secreted in the church. When
the couple reached the church gate
they stopped for a moment. Durrant
| opened the gate and they passed
| through. Mrs. Leake from her point
OF observation was watching them
and when the girl stepped through the
| gateway she said to herself: What
an imprudent thing for her to do"
Mrs. Leake knew nothing detrimen-
| tai to Durrant She had always con-
sidered him such an exemplary young
man." but Notwithstanding that fact,
she thought it exceedingly imprudent
for girl to so into a church with him
alone. She feared some one might
have seen them and might make un-
pleasant remarks. She imagined they
had some errand in church and ex-
pected that In q few minutes they
would come out She watched care
fully, but the gate did not open.
There is only one entrance to
Emanuel church during the week and
that is by the side gate and rear door.
Mrs. Leake knew the young people
would have to pass through the gate
and she waited to see them on the
street again before she left the win
dow. She waited long time but her
household duties finally called her to
another part of her fiat and she was
Obliged TO give up the vigil. Mrs.
Leake's testimony completes the chain
of evidence against Durrant.
Three school girls saw Durrant and
Blanche Lamont riding on a Powell
street car at $3.50 O'Clock on the after
noon of The day that Miss Lamont dis
appeared. Attorney Martin Quinlan
saw a couple a few blocks from the
church a few minutes before 4 o'clock.
| Now comes Mrs. Leake who says she
| saw Durrant enter the church a few
minutes later.
| Mrs. Leake's standing In the church
OF which she has long been a member
is excellent and her testimony Is con-
sidered unimpeachable. The attor-
neys for the defense were somewhat
disturbed in court to-day over the
publication of Mrs. Leake's narrative.
The prisoner also showed signs OF un-
easiness for the first time since his
arrest. The defendants attorneys
declined 10 discuss Mrs. Leake's story
but admit its seriousness.
Out OF l50 venlremen summoned in
court to-day all but 22 were excused
by the court on various pretexts. None
of the remainder were accepted as ju-
rors. and court adjourned until Mon
day.