Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1895-10-25
ALL AGAINST HIM
Ourrant's Lawyers Failed to In
troduce . Favorable Point.
HAVE CLOSED THEIR CASE
Prosecutions Witnesses. Have
Utterly Failed

San Francisco, Oct. 31.-The defense
in the Durrant trial practically closed
today. Although some Of the most i'm
portant evidence on the part OF the
prosecution Is yet to be submitted, from
the present outlook the case will go to
the jury at the close Of next week.
1t is the opinion Of those who have
watched the trial that the defense has
failed to establish a single fact that
Attorney Deuprey In his opening state
ment said he would show. Although 1t
was announced that an abb would be
proven for the prisoner not witness
has been called to show that Durrant
was elsewhere than at the Emanuel
church on the afternoon that Blanche
Lamont was murdered.
Failing to show that Durrant was not
at the church, the defense has attacked
the credulity of the witnesses who tes-
titled that they saw him in that vicin-
ity in company with Miss Lamont. The
latest attempt Of this kind was made
this afternoon when DR.. G. c. McDon-
pert testimony on the Authorizations of
elderly women. Attorney Dickinson
asked the doctor IL it was not a fact
recognized by the medical profession
that in time of great excitement over an
extraordinary crime. elderly women Of
ten became impressed with the delusion
that they had a personal knowledge of
the existence of the alleged facts. An
objection to the question was sustained
in its first form, as the court said 1t
had not been shown that the witness
was competent to give expert testimony
on the subject. After proper founda-
ton for the question had been laid, the
objection was over-ruled. The witness
said that under such circumstances
people often became possessed of vari-
| Gus decisions. but denied that elderly
women were more likely to have such
Authorizations than anybody else.
The question was plainly for the pur-
pose Of throwing discredit on the tes-
| timony Of Mrs Leake and Mrs Vogel,
| two Of the strongest witnesses for the
prosecution. Mrs. Leake, who lives OPP
posite Emanuel church, testified that
| on the afternoon of the murder she
| saw Durrant and Miss Lamont enter
the church. Mrs. Vogel said she saw
| Durrant standing in front of the Pow
ell street normal school for an hour,
waiting for Blanche Lamont, and that
when she came out he boarded a car
with her and rode away with her in the
direction of the church.
A DISAPPOINTING WITNESS.
Charles T. Lehman, who 1t is asserted
by the defense was mistaken for Dur
rant by Pawnbroker Oppenheim, prov
ed a disappointing witness. He made
several conflicting statements. among
which was the assertion that 1t was in
the afternoon instead of the morning
that he tried to pawn ring at Open
| helms. In a letter written to Durrant's
attorneys some time ago, Lehman said
he tried to pawn the ring in the morn
ing at the very hour Durrant IL said to
have entered the place. Attorney Dick
inson intimated that he had made con.
hicting statements.
The defense sought to show by Robert
N. Lynch, Rev. ]. George Gibson's pri
vate secretary. that he gave Miss Gun
bingham, newspaper reporter. the
first clue to the fact that Mrs. Leak'
had seen Durrant and Miss Lafnon
enter the church on the afternoon O.
April 3. The object OF the question wa.
to impeach one feature of Mrs. Leake'
testimony and to show that Rev. Glib
son, in his zeal to convict Durrant
had been instrumental in making pub
lie damaging evidence against him
Lynch said he did not tell Miss Gun
ningham of what Mrs. Leake ha,
seen. as at the time he did not know
that Mrs. Leake had any Information
on the case.
THE LEATHER STRAP.
Attorney Dickinson was sworn an
took the stand himself for the purpos
, of Identifying leather strap bearin
Blanche Lamnot's name, which he sal
, | was sent to him by mail last July. H
| said he did not know who sent tn
| strap. 1t will be remembered that tn
strap was produced in court by tn
+ | defense some time ago and Miss Maud
Lamont was asked II 1t was not tn
strap in which her sister was accus
toned to carry her books. While Mis-
Lamont was not positive. she did nc
think the strap had ever belonged I
I her sister. Attorney Dickinson aske
that the strap be admitted as an e,
i hibit. District Attorney Barnes oil
: jected and the court withheld the ruin
: on the question until tomorrow morI
|. ing.
g An attempt was made to discredit IL
e testimony of w. ]. Phillips, who sal
y he saw Durrant enter Pawnbroker o.
s penheims shop on April IL. Phillips w;
e recalled and asked about the charact
It of hotel that he had formerly col
e Quoted at Victoria, b. c., but the que
d ton failed to show that he was ever e.
gagged in any business that was not r
spectacle.
e Attorney Deuprey was not W,
10 enough to appear in court this NOR
ing He is still very sick. although h
y physician reports that he is on t
n road to recovery. 1t Is understood tn
3 in the event Deuprey is not sufficient
IA strong to come to court when all L
70 evidence is in District Attorney Barn
10 | will consent to a continuance un
y Durrant's lawyer is able to present l
al argument.
EIGHT THOUSAND MEN STRIl
a All the Mines but Three Along the YC
q ghioghcny Closed.