The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1895-10-12
DURRAN1ss STORY.
The Accused Man Takes the stand
In His Own Behalf
Infinitely Describes His Movements ON
April 3 In Order 20 Establish AN
Ailbi-strongiy Denies HIS Muir
der or Miss Lamont.


was introduced Wednesday. when
Theodore Durrant took the stand. lie
walked 70 II with firm step
and related his story OF What trans
pired on the Sd of April with
characteristic GOODNESS. lie was per-
mitted 70 trace his movements from
the time he left his home In the morn
ing until he retired al night
lie said that he started from his
home 20 visit that OF Organist King.
but on the way met Blanche Lamont.
who was standing on corner waiting
for a car, MS she said she was late for
school. Durrant at her suggestion,
accompanied her as far as the school
while he himself went to Cooper coli
lcge, where he remained until noon.
AT the intermIssion he left the col
lege for half an hour. On returning
he learned that the early afternoon
lecture had been postponed. lie then
walked few blocks with another stu
dent, remaining away from the college
about an hour lie mentioned two
students with whom he conversed at
the college after noon. One OF these,
Student Diggins, has already testi-
fled that he had conversation, as
stated by Durrant, but. he did not
remember the date. Durrant said he
attended the lecture OF DIR. Cheney
that afternoon, which began at $3.50
and lasted forty-hye minutes. He said
he remained at the lecture until its
close and took notes, which were pro-
duced and put in evidence. These
notes, as introduced, were made by
him at the lecture.
After the lecture Durrant said he left
the college and went by car TO within
block of tho church, and thence
walked 90 il. entering IL by the rear
door. lie went to the library room.
there left his coat and then went to the
auditorium floor. HIS purpose In go-
ing to the church was TO fix the vibra-
tor on the electric apparatus connected
with one OF the snnburners. and he
intended to first reach this by
going up TO the attic in the
rear part of the church. lie cid
start up that way, but changed his
mind and went up to the gallery in
'front.' leaving a door in the rear
open. In the gallery he turned the
gas partly on and then assembled
10 the space occupied by the
sunburners by means of ladder lie
repaired the electric vibrator on one of
the burners, then tried all the lets To
see that they would light from the
electric spark, and fading every
thing satisfactory descended 20 the
gallery and turned OFF the gas
While working on the vibrator the
odor of gas nauseated him and made
him feel faint From the gallery where
he turned off the gas there was
staircase In front by which he could
have descended TO the library room
on the lower floor where his coat
was, but instead Of taking IL he
lpasscd through the auditorium OF the
church and went down rear
staircase TO the door below whcre
organist King was practicing on
piano His reason for going this way
was that he desired To close the rear
door lac had left open when he changed
his mind about the way he should 90
70 the sunburners. Durrant said he
heard King playing on the piano while
ne was nj WORK. vu the sun burner, :.:.a
knew King was In the Sunday school
room below when he went thither.
Had he desired TO do SO he might have
gone down the front staircase, got his
coat and left the church unknown to
King, who did not have view Of the
front part of the edifce.
Durrant's description OF what oc-
Cured when he came into the room
where KING was, agreed with what
King had testified to. While King was
absent TO get him some bromo settler,
Durrant said he lay down on
platform with his hands under his
head and rested till King returned.
Durrant said that when he took OFF
his coat IN the library he locked at his
watch and saw il was 4:55, or thirty-hve
minutes later than the witnesses for
the prosecution testified they saw him
near the church with Blanche Lamont.
Durrant said he never saw the girl for
whose murder he stands charged after
he left her at school on the morning OF
April 8.
The most dramatic OF the incidents
of the day was when his counsel came
TO ask him directly about the murder.
Every ear In the crowded court room
was bent 10 hear his answers. which
were delivered In clear, calm
voice. without feeling OF any kind.
He denied that he was nt the
normal schoo', where two witnesses
swore they saw him, or on the car
with Blanche Lamont. where three
witnesses claimed to have seen him.
Lastly, he said he did not accompany
Blanche Lamont or anyone else 10 the
church Then his counsel solemnly
asked him:
did you ever participate, directly
or indirectly. In any violence on the
person of Blanche Lamont?"
Never, replied the accused man.
did You kill or participate IN The
killing Of blanche Lamont, in this city
and county, on the ID OF April or at
any other place at any time?" he was
then asked.
lie replied: 81 did not"
ARM ENlAN CHURCHES CLOSED.