The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-04-27
GIBSON. CAN PROVE AN ALIBI.
THE CHIEF OF POLICE NOW salts
FLED OF HIS INNOCENCE.

lie Was ut N Meeting of the Chris
tian EndeavOr Society when the
Murders Were Committed - The
Chief Considers the Evidence
Against Durant Almost Conclusive.
The Defense 10 Make a Point on
the Breaking of the Lock.
San Francisco. Cal, April 26.-There was
as large a crowd as ever at the Durant
examination this morning.
The defense apparently have no hope Of
preventing the prisoner being held. and
are devoting their efforts to obtaining in
formation for use at the trial
Elmer Wolff was the first witness this
morning. He repeated the story told at
the inquest of his being present at DR..
Vogers on the night of the murder. Du-
rant arriving about $3.50 o'clock. leaving
the house with Durant and several young
ladies. of accompanying Miss Low home
and about midnight seeing a man who re-
sembled the accused near the church.
During Wolf's cross examination he was
requested to take OF mis- coat. but refused
TO do so. Counsel for the defense appeal
ed to the court and Wolff finally removed
the garment. He then admitted to counsel
that it bore resemblance to the one worn
by Durant. On the night in question the
a
light trousers, which now were at the
ranch where he was employed and could
be secured at any time.
George r. King, the organist of the
church, was then called for the first time
He had been organist for two years, was
secretary of the Sunday school, and had
helped to arrange the Sunday school libra
~ in company with Durant, who was SUI
perintendent of the Sunday school. He
had no key to the side door of the church,
but had one to the library. He put the
library heipgr assist
ed by Durant, who was the only one other
than himself who had "a key to it.
The lock, which was produced caused
a great deal of discussion among counsel.
IT was apparent that the defense would
maintain that Durant having a key would
have unlocked the door. and that in his
case there was no need why he should
break the lock. The prosecution, on the
other hand, is of the opinion that as only
he and King had keys to the room, he
knew that to have unlocked the door
would have pointed to one of them i'm
mediately
Chief Of Police Crowley is of the opinion
that there is not single fact that points
other than TO Durant.
MIR. Gibson has perfect alibi' he
said to-day. I'VE have studied him very
carefully and have spared no pains to as
certain the truth or falsity of his state
ments. 1t is evident that Mr.. Gibson ar
rived at DR.. Nogels house at 1880 o'clock
Good Friday night. He took part in the
business meeting of the Young People S
Society of Christian Endeavor and re-
These facts Mr.. Gibson can prove by
abundant testimony and to me the facts
seem conclusive as to his innocence. be-
Ieve the facts make a very strong case
against the prisoner, and though every
possible clew has been run down and
carefully investigated we have not sue
ceeded in finding any facts upon which
a reasonable man could construct theory
consistent with the innocence Of Durant." "
Speaking of the Lamont case, Chief
Crowley said the police department would
present, if possible, a stronger chain of
circumstantial evidence than in the case
of Minnie Williams. I'VE shall follow Du-
rants movements" he said "up to the
time when Miss Lamont met her death,
and his relations with her and all the cir
cumstances of the tragedy will be clearly
brought out 1t seems to me that his
case is perfect, and If Durant is innocent,
as his friends contend, have only to say
that he is in a most unfortunate position"
Chief Crowley added that at this time
II would not be prudent for him to make
public all the evidence in the case, but he
intimated that new witnesses would be
produced to show that Blanche Lamont
immediate vicinity of Emanuel church.
torney Bernes will elect to try the La
mont case in the superior court before
taking up the case of Minnie Williams.
The Durant case was continued until
next Tuesday. 1t said the defense at that
time will have Wolff present. dressed as
he was on the Friday night, and see
whether the witnesses who saw the man
near the church that night will swear it
was not Wolff