The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-11-02
WILD CHEERING In COURT
MALE SPECTATORS YELLED AND
WOMEN WEPT HISTORICALLY.
The Prisoners Mother overcome with
Pleased with the Verdict.

/ SAN FRANCISCO. Nov. 1.-Theodore
Durrant assistant superintendent OF
Emanuel Church Sunday school. was to-
! day convicted of the murder OF Blanche
Lamont, after he had been trial since
! July - last. The jury was out twenty
minutes and arrived al the verdict on the
first ballot. AS there was no recommsnda-
ton OF mercy, the punishment was fixed at
death. II was exactly twcnty-one minutes
| from the time the jury left the court room
to the time the verdict was announced. but
that time was not all taken up in deispcra-
ton. In fact. there was no deliberation al
all. The jurors had evidently decided on q
verdict before they left the box IL was 3:Si
when they flied out OF the court room into
the grand jury room which had been placed
| at their disposal. 1t took tho twelve men
until $3.50 o'clock before they settled them
selves comfortably and at 800 o'clock a
knock on the door announced TO the anxious
walters that a verdict had been found. IL
! took just five minutes of actual time TO elect
a foreman and take the one ballot neces-
| sary.
The scene in the court room when the
verdict was announced will never be for
gotten by those who were present. Judge
Murphy finished his charge 3:20 and
| a
was supposed TO be little prospect OF a
verdict being returned before or o'clock
this evening the throng OF spectators who
had remained i'm the overcrowded court
room all the afternoon TO hear the judges
| charge settled themselves back in their
seats to await the return of the jury. Mrs.
! Durrant and the prisoner talked and
laughed together as If an acquittal were
a foregone conclusion They were sur
rounded by half a dozen f.iends and the
| conversation was animated when IL became
whispered about that the jury had agreed
upon a verdict.
| In an instant hush fell on the little
circle that had gathered around the
prisoner. Durrant's face. always paliid. as
sumed gastly hue. and his mother was
specchless. Then the door at the rear OF
| the room opened and the jury filed in and
| took their seats in the box. Intense ex-
| citement followed. The room, although
filled to it's utmost capacity, was almost
as quiet as If had been vacant. Judge
/ Murphy who had retired to his chambers.
was summoned and took his place upon the
bench. Clerk Morris asked the usual ques-
tions as to whether the jury had agreed
on a verdict Foreman Warren Dutton
arose and replied in the affirmative.
Eve, the jury" said he. find the de-
! fendant. William Henry Theodore Durrant,
! guilty of murder in the first degree.
Az the aged foreman, pale and trembling.
read the words that fixed Durrant's fate.
a low rumbling noise like the roar OF
mob arose from the rear OF the court ROOM
The next moment men were cheering Wild
] ly while women wept Historically In ex-
element. The bailiff raped loudly for
order, but the tumult continued for
minute before anything like quiet could be
brought out of the disorder.
When District Attorney Barnes arose ana
! asked that a day be set on which the sem
tence of death should be passed on the
nrisoner. Judge Murphy said that sentence
would be passed next Friday. on which day
he would also set the day for the trial OF
Durrant on the charge Of numbering Minnie
Williams.
THE MOTHER OVERCOME.
During the tumult that followed the an
nouncement of the verdict Durrant and his
mother were lost sight Of, except by tho
few who sat nearest them. As the last
words of the verdict were uttered Durrant
made a spasmodic effort 10 arise TO his feet
but before he could do so his mother. with
! a half sigh, half moan. threw her arms
/ around his neck and sank back into her
chair. His mothers grief seemed 10 make
! Durrant forget his own position, and for the
next few minutes he sat with his arms
around her neck. trying TO soothe her. The
long strain OF the trial, however, had COM
| nIetely shattered her self-control. and IL wss
/ some time before Mrs. Durrant could leave
| tha court room. Durranrs rather was not
| in the room when the verdict was returned.
| ths Corridors not believing that the jury
would return for several hoJrs. and he nrst
| learned that his son had been conyieted
| when a cheer went, up from the crowd IN tne
| building as the news spread.
| nurrant recovered his old-time c0mposure
as soon as he left his mother and prepared
! 10 return TO the county jail. With his over
| coat swung carelessly over his arm, ne
| walked leisureiy out OF the room, twirling
his slight mustache with apparently as III
| lie concern as II he were merely spectator
! instead OF the principal figure In the excit-
! ing scene. -.
| blanche Lamont's aunt and Maud Lamori.
| the dead girls sister. were apparently the
| happiest persons I'm the room When the
verdict was announced Maud Lamont arose
| from her seat clasped her hands and then
/ cried from sheer excitement Mrs. NOBLE
mixed smiles with tears. and shook hands
with a number of friends VINO crowded
| around to congratulate her.
| As soon as Durrant left the building the
crowd surged out Of the room, room ana ND sasnerel r,n
usually came 10 reach the prison van. Fear
ing that some violence might be offered the
prisoner. he was taken out of another door
| and driven by circuitous route 70 tns
| county jail
HAD FAITH IN ONE JUROR
/ The verdict fell with all its force upon
! Duran; and his family. who had banked
all their hopes on a disagreement While
! Mrs. Durrant knew that 1t was among the
possibilities that her son would be acquii-
ted. her friends said she steadfastly main
tanned that a shadow OF doubt would resi-
| in the mind OF ons OF the jurors. and that
I hs. afod he NJ.
therefore, totally unprepsred for the jury
| 10 find her son guilty in twenty minutes
| When the verdict was announced the whole
weight OF her sorrow seemed TO fall upon
her aud she gave way TO uncontroIiqble
grief. But once during the whole trial ha>