The herald., 1895-10-01
Durrant's Attorneys Have Dis.
covered a Witness
HE PAWNED A DIAMOND RING
But He Bears No Resemblance to De.
fendant Durrant
The Prosecution Expects to Be Able to Make
the Rebuttal as Strong as the
Direct Testimony
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 30.-Since the
adjournment of the Durrant trial last
Friday, the prisoners attorneys have
visited Cooper Medical college several
times and have had frequent interviews
with students whom they will put on
the stand in hopes of bracing up the alibi
which the defense hopes to establish.
1t is thought that several of the college
boys will testify to baving seen the ac-
cused between 1 and o'clock on the af-
ternoon of April Sd but if any will give
evidence to the fact that Durrant was in
the college until 1 80 o'clock. it is not
known. The attorneys for the defense
are building much on what L. A. Dig
gins will testify tn. Diggins is men,
ber of the sophomore class, but frequently
attended the senior class lectures. There
he met the defendant. The latter claims
that he spoke to Diggins during Dr.
Cheney's lecture on tho afternoon that
Blanche Lamont disappeared, bat Dur
rants memory is rather hAzy just at
present.
When proceedings are opened tomorrow
Charles Lenahan Will be called to the
stand to testify to taking a diamond ring
somewhat resembling the one worn by
Blanche Lamont to pawnbroKer Open
helm. AT first great deal of importance
was attached to this witness by the de-
fense, but of late his testimony has lost
weight, as he did not visit the store un-
til the afternoon OF April 18th. Again,
Lenahan does not bear the slightest re-
semblance to Durrant, and it is not pos
sible that one could be m istaken for the
other. Their dress was dlssimilar, and
in personal appearance they form
strong contrast, on account Of difference
in size, build ana facial expression.
District Attorney Barnes and Captain
of Detect yes Lees are getting ready t. put
IN their rebuttal testimony, which they
expect to make as strong as the direct.
They will have lot of writing experts
to combat any testimony that might i'm
plicate Rev. J. G. Gibson in having writ.
ten the address on the newspaper in
wIich Miss Lamont's rings were sent to
her aunt, Mrs. Noble.
The prosecution, as a matter of course,
is Obliged to meet the claim of the de-
fense that Lenahan called on Oppenheim,
although the contention is denied.
While Oppenbeim claims that Dur
rant entered the store and walked up TO
him at the counter, Lenahan claims that
Oppenheim was at the door of his store
when he accosted him. Lenaban says he
carried an um brella that day, bnt did
not take 1T into Oppenheim place. He
says he left 1t with his friend Harry
Mahony, who waited outside. Young
Mahoney does not recollect whether Len
ahan went into Oppenheim' place or
not.
The purpose OF the prosecution Is to
attack Lenaban on TIE stand. He has
visited pawn shops quite frequently, and
as the records Of the police department
show, has not always been careful to
pawn his own property.
Attorney Dueprey and Detective Morse
have been busy at Cooper college and
have summoned several students, who
are reasonably positive they saw Durrant
at the college between l and 2 O'Clock on
the afternoon of April Sd. AS far as it
goes. this testimony will not be in con-
hict with the case presented against the
accused student. The prosecution has
made no effort to track the movements of
Durrant in the afternoon until after
O'Clock, when Mrs. Mary Vogel swears
that she saw him in front of the normal
school on Powell street.
he defense has been unable to finu
any student who saw Durrant at the COL
lege after ~ 80 o'clock. If he was in the
library he was there alone from o CLOCK
until $50 O'Clock.
Gilbert Graham has been Summoned as
witness both by the prosecution and by
the defense. For the prosecution he will
swear that Durrant several days after his
arrest, asked him for his note book,
which he wished to keep several days to
compare with his own. For the uefense
Graham will testify that he saw Durrant
at the college on April Sd. about 2
O'Clock.
Durrant still insists that it was Graham
who offered to loan his notes instead of
bplnp asked Ora hal m 6apiaa
this statement and declares it is absolute
lv without proof.
r. H. Carter. one of the students at
the Cooper Medical college, will be one of
the strongest witnesses for the defense.
He corroborates the story which Durrant
tells of his movements between and
o'clock on the afternoon of April 3d. Car
ter has been subpoenaed to testify for the
defense.
Already calculations are being made
for Durrant's safety should the verdictY
Of the jury be unsatisfactory to portion
of the community. 1t is blIeved unless
he is convicted an attempt at violence
will be made. The sheriff has mad,
new plans for keeping the mob at bay.
and is defending the county Jail so that
he thinks5any attack can be repelled.
What the prosecution believes to be
testimony of the most vital in porfance
in the Durrant case has at last been OBJ
tanned from a student in Cooper college.
1 VI HontHS tHe prosecution ana ue1enSe
have labored to find income among Dur
rants classmates who could give definite
information regarding the lecture which
DR.. Cheney delivered on April Sd. 1t was
impossible to find such d student. No
one knew definitely that Durrant was
there. No one could tell anything that
would indicate that Durrant was not
there. AT last there has been founu stu
dent who can shed definite light on the
subject. Charles A. Dukes, til o young man
who sat next 20 Durrant in the lecture
room, will take the witness stand and
swear that after being unable to tell
whether or not DIrrant was present at
the lectare, the accused student asked
him to say that he was there and that he
rsmen bered the fact.
Dukes tells this now only with the
greatest reluctance. He says he drew the
only inference that could reasonably be
drawn from the request which he couu
not grant. For the sake of his classmates
Dukes decided that he would not speak.
He saws that Durrant wanted tim to re-
pe no ber the fatal day and his presence at
she lecture without any reference to the
sfuth or the facts.
,ould not grant his favor said