The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1895-10-10
DRAWING TO A CLOSE
Eleventh Week of the Trial
of Theodore Durrant.

of Theodore Durrant.
A STATEMENT FROM DEUPREY
The Defense will Have All of Its Evil
dence In by Thursday, When
Arguments will Commence.
San Francisco, Oct. 9.-On the open
ing of the eleventh week of the Dur
rant trial tomorrow, TIE defense will
make final struggle to break down
the testimony of the prosecution-a
process which is expected to last three
days longer. A few more students
will be called to the stand, several ad-
ditional citizens will testify to Dur
rants excellent reputation, and then
the defendant himself will be called to
the witness stand. 1t is the intention
of the defense to have Durrant recount
the history of his adventures April 8
from the time he accompanied Blanche
Lamont to school until the hour when
he retired to rest in his fathers house.
1t is understood that the defendant s
testimony will be guardedly given, for
the purpose of shutting out the cross
examination of the district attorney.
Under the law laid down by the su-
preme court of the state, witness
cannot be cross-examined, except upon
actual matters brought out upon direct
examination. The defense intends to
leave no loophole for the attack of the
prosecution. A schedule of time
for the close of the trial is as follows:
Thursday, Attorney Deuprey will
close the case for the defense; Friday
and Monday will be occupied by Dis
trict Attorney Barnes in rebuttal;
Tuesday will be passed in su1-rebuttal;
Wednesday, the opening argument for
the prosecution will be made, and
Thursday, Friday and Monday the clos
/ ing efforts of the defense will be made.
The next day the district attorney will
close for the prosecution. 1t is con-
fidently expected that Judge Murphy
will charge the jury not later than the
morning of Wednesday, October %.
In discussing the Durrant trial At
torney Deuprey said the defense in
tended to put in its most effective evil
dence at once, and would undoubtedly
close on Thursday of this week. He
said he did not intend to spring any
sensations, but he expected to convince
the jury by means of powerful evidence
that all of the suspicious and cricum-
stances developed in the case did not
point to Theodore Durrant as the MUIR
derer of Blanche Lamont. Although
I,a i1r mo NV dc "a
intimated that Rev. ]. George Gibson
aud his handwriting would receive
more attention.
''There has been popular mistake
with reference to the defense in regard
to Gibson,' said Deuprey. "We have
never charged that he and not Durrant
was the murderer. The general public
and portion of the press have insisted
in shouting, 'Deuprey charges Gibson
with the murder. Now this has all
been based upon my opening statement
to the jury. The fact of the matter is,
1 simply told the jury we would point
out circumstances which would show
that suspicion could be cast upon other
persons that Durrant, if suspicious cir
cumstances were to enter into the case.
Our intention is simply to demonstrate
to the jury that evidence of this char
acter must not be taken as proof posi-
tive. That is why we contend that
there is a remarkable similarity be-
tween the writing of Gibson and that
found upon the wrapper which con-
tanned Miss Lamont's ring. That is
all there is to it. If DR.. Gibson de-
sires to consider that he has been
charged with murder, all right and
good. We cannot help it. It is not
our accusation"
The attorneys for the defense are
searching industriously for some young
man who closely resembles Durrant.
They have visited the Union iron
works and several other places, where
they had heard there were to be found
individuals who might be mistaken for
the accused. They have discovered
several, but just what they intend to
do with them has not been made plain.
Judging from the questions which are
put to these doubles of Durrant, it is
considered probable that an effort will
be made to show that Mrs. Crossett,
who is one of the states strongest wit
nesses, might have seen seme young
man, other than Durrant, on the Va
lencia street car that fatal afternoon of
April 8.
The young men who are accepted as
looking sufficiently like Durrant are
asked whether they rode on Valencia
street car on that day. So far as can be
ascertained none has as yet filled the
requirements, the remoteness of the
date cutting quite serious figure so
far as their recollections are concerned.
Detective Harry Morse is also en-
gagged in the same mission. If any of
the young men will say that he did
ride on Valencia street car that day
he will be brought before Mrs. Cros-
sett and she will be asked to swear that
he is not the man she saw in company
with young lady, instead of Durrant.
When the trial is resumed tomorrow
the defense will recall Mrs. Crossett
and J. w. Phillips for additional cross
examination. The attorneys hope to
obtain from them some admission that
there was bare possibility of their
having mistaken some other person for
Durrant. Whether they testify to this
or not, it is not expected to cut an i'm
portant figure. Their evidence will
simply open the way for impeachment