The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1895-11-07
THE PENALTY IS DEATH
Durrant Convicted of the Muir.
der OF Blanche Lamont.
THE JURY OUT TWENTY MINUTES
When the Verdict Was Rendered Men
Cheerea Wildly, While Women
Wept HystericalIy.


San Francisco, Nov. 4.-Theodore
Durrant, assistant superintendent of
the Emanuel Baptist church Sunday
school, was today convicted Of the
murder of Blanche Lamont, for which
he has been on trial since July % last
The jury was out 90 minutes, and ar
rived at the verdict on the first ballot.
As there was no recommendation OF
mercy, the punishment was fixed at
death.
1t was exactly 81 minutes from the
time the jury left the courtroom to the
time the verdict was announced, but
that time was all taken up in delibera-
tion. In fact, there was no delibera-
tion at all. The jury had. evidently
decided upon verdict before they left
the jury box. 1t was 1884 when they
filed out Of the courtroom into the
grand jury room which had been placed
men until $3.50 o'clock before they set
tied themselves comfortably, and at
3:55 a knock on the door announced to
the anxious walters that verdict had
been found. It took just five minutes
of actual time to elect foreman and
take one ballot necessary.
The scene in the courtroom when the
verdict was announced will never be
forgotten by those who were present.
Judge Murphy finished his charge at
$3.50, and the jury at once retired. Al
though there was supposed to be little
prospect of verdict being returned be-
fore or o'clock in the evening, the
throng of spectators who had remained
in the overcrowded courtroom all the
afternoon to hear the judges charge,
settled themselves back in their seats
to await the reurn of the jury. Mrs.
Durrant and the prisoner talked and
laughed together as if an acquittal
were foregone conclusion. They
were joined by half dozen friends,
and the conversation was becoming
animated, when it became whispered
about that the jury had agreed upon
verdict
In an instant hush fell upon the
little circle that had gathered around
the prisoner. Durrant's face, always
pale, assumed CHASTITY hue, and his
mother was speechless. Then the big
doors at the rear of the room opened,
and the members of the jury filed in
and took their seats in the box.
In the intense excitement which fol-
lowed, the room, although it was filled
to its utmost capacity, was almost as
quiet as if it had been vacant. Judge
Murphy, who had retired to his cham
&ao hi
place upon the bench. Clerk Morris
asked the usual question, as to whether
the jury had agreed upon verdict.
Foreman Warren Dutton arose and re-
piled in the affirmative, saying:
1--WE, the jury, find the defendant,
William Henry Theodore Durrant,
guilty of murder in the first degree.
As the aged foreman, pale and trem-
bling, read the words which fixed Dur
rants fate, low rumbling noise like
the roar of mob arose from the rear
of the courtroom. The next moment,
men were cheering wildly, while
women Historically wept in their ex-
citement. The baliff raped loudly for
order, but the tumult continued for
minute before anything like quiet could
be brought out of the disorder. Then
District Attorney Barnes arose and
asked that day be set upon which the
sentence of death should be passed
upon the prisoner. Judge Murphy said
that sentence would be passed next
Friday, upon which day he would also
set the day for the trial of Durrant on
the charge of numbering Minnie Will
Jams.