The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-04-15

San Francisco, April 1.-the Eman.
uel Baptist church at Bartlett atreet, DO.
tween Twenty.second and Twenty.third
atrects, in this city, has bcon tho scene
Of two Of tho most a.rocious murders
ever committed In the state. Ysstcr.
day tho mutilated and murdered body
Of Minnie Williams was found in tho
library OF the edillco. To-day tho nude
body OF Blanche Lamont was found in
the tower OF tho samo church. The
same hand, the authorities believe, slew
both girls, and ". Ii. r. Duran,, tho
young man suspected OF both crimes, is
now in custody. Blanche Lamont and
Minnie Williams wore members Of
tho Emanuel church and members
OF tho Sunday school class. Tue
former was a student at the Normal
school on Powell streot, in this city; tho
latter was companion in family in
Alameda, across the bay from this city.
Both were twen!y.one years old, bsu-
ne.tes and pretty aud modest girls.
Both had beeen recipients OF attentions
from young medical student named
w. Ii. I. Durans, who is also librarian
OF the church and secretary OF the
Young Peoples Society OF the church.
On April 3 Miss Lamont disappeared.
Diligent search failed TO reveal any
trace Of her whereabouts, and her aunt,
Mrs. Noble, with whom she had been
living. was totally unable to throw any
light on the affair.
Tho last person seen in her company
wn, ". ii. I. Durant, young medical
student. who it seems had been on
friendly terms with the missing girl.
On Saturday about ll:l0 p. m, the
mutilated body Of Minnie Williams WAS
found in the library OF tho church. The
girl had been assaulted aud her remains
were cut aud hacked, the girl having
evidently died from loss OF blood. On
further examination, 1t was found shu
had been gagged, the assailant tearing
part OF her uuderclothing and thrusting
1t down her throat with 4 sharp stick,
badly lacerating the tongue. Two wit.
nesses state they saw young man and
q young woman, the former answering
latter that OF Minnie Williams, enter
tho church. Following this cine, tho
police at once put the residence OF
Durant under surveillance.
Friday evoning she was to have at
tended n meeting OF tho Young Poo
pies Society OF the Emanuel church at
DR.. Nogels house. At 7:l5 o'clock she
left Mrs. Mobiles house to attend the
meeting, taking n la.ch.key with her.
She never appeared there.
DuRANr's MOVEMENTS.
Abou. this time Durant left his homo
on Fair Oaks street in the aame vicinity,
bound for tho samo meeting. At $3.50
ho appeared a. DR.. Vogcls residence,
whore the meeting was in progress. AT
II o'clock he loft with party of young
people and went homo. Tho next
morning Durant arose carly and
wont with his comrades OF the signal
corps for Mount Diablo, fifty milcs
away. Tho two murders ARE so closely
connected that it is now necessary to
so back to tho Lamont case.
Yesterday Mra. Noble. tho aunt OF
Miss Lamont, received through the
mails paper containing tho four rings
worn by hor niece the day sho diaap.
peared. On tho paper werc written tho
name and address OF Theodore Durant.
This. together with tho fact Miss Will.
ans, an intimate friend OF MissLamont,
had boon heard to say she knew Blanche
had been murdered, but had refused TO
tell what she knew. lcd the police to Gus.
pect the same one who had killed Miss
Williams had slain Miss Lamont, aud
that, learning that Miss Williams know
OF his crimo. attempted further conceal.
mont by committing second murder.
Late last night tho detectives had
about decided Durnnt had murdered
Miss Williams. and this theory was
further strengthened this morning after
making II thorough search Of the Eman-
uel church. The dead and outraged
body OF Miss Lamont was found con-
coalod in tho stoople. Death had been
caused by stranpulation. Tho body was
lying just inside tho door OF tho tower
room, nude and on tho floor. Around
tho mock wero blue streaks, tho marks
OF fingers tina. had boon pressed dccp
into tho tender ileSll. The mouth was
opOn, showing tho regular teoth; tho
features wero badly distorted, being
drawn, aud tho lips wcrn swollen
and blood.staincd. Tho nose was tho
only feature that retained its original
shapc, for tho checks woro bloa,od. Tho
girls hair VA, matted with dirt and
hung closely about bor shoulders. Tho
body wna badly dccomposod, tho odor
emHnnting from tho romans having
roachoI tho nostrils Of tho detectives
before they oponed tho door. Whom
tho officers rcachod tho top Of tho stairs
they round tho door leading to tho
tower room locked. Thoyhro in tho
door. l. was SO darl; ,hoy could not 900
and one OF tho o,iicors struck II match.
As tho light ilarod mp thoy saw before
thom tho dead body Of tho girl for
whom thoy wcro searching. Tho body
was taken to tho morguc, whore 1t was
placed on slab by tho sido OF Miss
Williams.
INTENSE EXCITEMENT.
As uoon ~ tho nows became known,
immunso crowds surrounded the church
aud morguo. and had to ba kupt buck by
tho police. Tho excitement was In
tense.
At o'clock cams tho nova that Du-
rant had hcen arrested at Walnut Crook,
on tho road to Mount Dinblo by Dotcc.
two ANTHONY, Tho detective anl his