The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1895-04-20
TIDI T1TID T02 NT1DIR
Student Durant Charged with Kill
ing Minnie Williams.
THE ACCUSED REMAINS SILENT.

BY Advice of His Attorneys He Gives No
Evidence at the Coroner's Inquest--The
Murder of Miss Isfanehe Lamont to be
Taken Up Later.
SAN FRANCISCO, April 20.-The usual
crowd of curiosity seekers was Present
when the inquiry into the murder of MfSs
Minnie Williams was resumed yesterday
Durant and his attorneys were also pres
ent Elmer Wolfe, the young man whose
statements have been questioned recently,
was recalled to the stand and offered to
produce witnesses to substantiate all he
had previously said in regard to his move
ments on the night Minnie Williams was
murdered but the coroner declined the Of
fer, and both that official and the chief of
police said they were satisfied with Wolfe's
statements, and did not believe he was
connected with the crime.
DR.. BARTLETT who conducted the autopsy,
testified that Minnie Williams died of as
phyxiation as a result of having part of
her clothing forced down her throat by
the murderer, and that the knife wounds
found on various parts of her body were
inflicted after her death. He also testified
that the girl had been outraged and that
previous to the time of the tragedy she
had led blameless life Several other
witnesses were examined on minor mat
| ters, and the coroner then called Durant
| to the stand. The latter left his seat as if
to present himself for examination, but
his attorneys advised him not to speak,
| and no further effort was made to question
| him.
The jury did not occupy an hour in de-
liberating and returned a verdict charg-
ing Durant with the murder of Minnie
Williams. 1t was the case of her death
only that was being investigated. The
case of the murder of Blanche Lamont
will be taken up later.
Miss Gertrude Taber, stepsister of
Elmer Wolfe, the young man whose name
had been frequently mentioned in the case
within the past few days, has come for
ward and identified the pocketbook which
was found on the San Bruno road by a
clam digger, and which contained some
papers, among which was a business card
of DR.. Vogel, on the back of which was
written the name of Miss Williams
Miss Taber says that she missed the
pocketbook some time ago while out rid
ing near the Taber ranch, on the San
Bruno road, and explained the presence of
| a card with Miss Williams name on it by
saying that Miss Williams visited her
| some weeks ago and wrote her address on
| one Of DIR. Vogel's cards. Durants friends
| say it is a peculiar coincidence that the
pocketbook should have been lost by one
so closely related to Wolfe and found at
| this critical time.
| Mrs. Durant, mother of the acussed
says that she has evidence for the defense
which will go to upset the bearing of the
statement OF Witness Hill, who testified
before the coroner's jury to the fact that
he had seen a couple answering the de-
scription of Durant and the dead girl
standing near the church about $50 on
the night of the tragedy, and who after
wards entered the churchyard Mrs. Dur
ant says that a young couple had come to
her and stated that they entered the
churchyard about the time Hill claims to
have seen a couple pass into the front
| gate.
Today the police received information
| from a laundry that pair of bloody trous-
ers had been left for cleaning The police
say that the trousers are too big for Du-
rant, but that they will trace the clew to
find the owner