The herald., 1895-04-16
|IOOKSDARk FOR DURRANT
Clearing Up the Murder
Mystery
SIDE LIGHTS ON 4 GREAT CRIME
School Girls Identify the
Alleged Girl Slayer
STORY OF THE ORGANIST
The Medical Student Who Played Jekv
and Hyde
STORY OF THE ORGANIST
A Formal Charge of Murder Has Been
Entered
The Police in San Francisco Have Discovered
Many New Facts Regarding the
Killing of the Two Girls

SAN FRANCISCO. April To- Theodore
Durrant was today formally charged with
the murder OF Marian Williams. The
warrant was served on him in the city
prison. sworn to by the officer who ar
rested him with the signal corps squad on
Mount Diabo. The coroner's inquest
upon Miss Williams will be held tomor-
row. 1t will be dual investigation. The
police will produce their evidence regard
ing the murder of both girls. They say
they have more than enough testimony
to convict Durrant of the murder.
Further mystery is added to the affairs of
Emanuel Baptist church by the report
that Mrs. Ella Forsyth, who has been
missing for week. was also member of
the parish of the fatal place of worship.
Her husband. who has been searching
diligently for her, says she left home to go
to the beach to gather shells. She has
never been seen or heard of since, and it
is surmised that she may have shared
the fate of Blanche Lamont and Marian
Williams. The city was alive today with
sensational rumors regarding the horri-
BILE tragedy. One widely circulated report
concerned the finding of the remains. OF
another woman in the church. Another
was that Durrant had confessed. Both
proved to be canards.
The theory now is that Durrant had just
accomplished his tiendish task when seen
!. by Organist King. The report that Dur
rant, the accused murderer, has broken
down and will confess is Indignantly de-
MED by ]. W. Thompson, who is acting as
Durrant's attorney.
"Durrant has made no statement and
will make none, said Judge Thompson,
somewhat tersely when questioned at the
morgue late this afternoon. The young
man told all he knew yesterday after
noon,' he continued, land has nothing
more to say"
Judge Thompson. has asked and. re-
present at the inquest with stcnographer
that he may follow the testimony i'll be-
lalf of his client.
The street in front of Emanuel Baptist
church was blocked all day with Curl
Gus and excited throng. Police and de-
tectives spent the day in searching every
nook and corner of the sanctuary for fur
ther evidence which would throw light
upon the crimes. The police believed it
impossible for the butcher of Miss Will
Jams to accomplish his brutal murder
without having smea red with blood some
article of clothings. To find some trace
of the assassin's presence was the object
of their unsuccessful search. The rumor
was circulated in the Mission that there
was plot on the part of residents to
burn the desecrated church. No overt
attempt at violence was made, but the
project was seriously discussed by respect
able citizens.
Police Surgeon Summers says;
Medical works abound with cases Of
men whose animal passions could not be
aroused without the sight of blood. 1t
may be that Durrant is one of that class
of human tigers. The crimes with which
he is charged appear to have been the
acts of man inspired by such bloody in
stincts, as the post mortem examination
clearly proves that the victims were killed
and afterwards outraged.
1otivc of the Crime
In the search for motives for the crime
many curious theories have been evolved.
Even those who believe Durrant guilty
are forced to admit that it is barely prob
bable that he had outraged the girls after
they were Dead even if he would have
committed such crime when they were
alive. Assuming that Durrant is guilty,
one theory for the motive of the murders
is that the crimes were committed for
the purpose of medical investigation.
The statement has been made that Dur
rant proposed to number OF girls that he
be allowed to examine them for female
troubles, which he professed to be able to
cure. The persons to whom he made
these proposals Indignantly refused. 1t
is known thai Durrant was an ardent
medical student and took great interest
in diseases of women. The theory was
that he was crazed on the subject nd be-
ing unable to conduct his Investigations
in any legitimate manner, murdered the
girls for that purpose. The condition OF
the bodies after they were found tends to
carry out this line of reasoning. Instead
of abating the excitement of possible devel-
opments is on the increase. Every fresh
rumor is an excuse for an extra edition of
the newspapers, which are eagerly bought
by crowds of people on the streets. Other
crowds gather in front of the bulletin
boards and haunt the scheme of the crimes
Emanuel church.
The home of Durrant's parents is also
an object of curiosity. Although some of
Durrant's friends have deserted him in
his hour of trouble. most of them have
stood manfully by him and assert their
belief in his innocence.
A range feature of the case is the fact