The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1895-04-18
TWO GIRLS MURDERED
Their Bodies Found In a San
Francisco Church.
A MEDICAL STUDENT ARRESTED.
Circumstantial Evidence Points 20 His
Guilt-supposed to Have Killed One
Because She Knew of His Numbering the
other r-Promlnent Church Member.

SAN FRANCISCO, April l5.-The Eman
nel Baptist church at Bartlett street
between Twenty second and Twenty
third streets, in this city, has been the
scene of two of the most atrocious mur
ders ever committed in the state. Sat.
urday the mutilated and murdered
body of Minnie Williams was found in
the library of the edifice. Sunday the
nude body of Blanche Lamont wa,
found in the tower of the church The
same hand, it is believed. slew botl
girls, and w. H. T. Durant, young
man suspected Of both crimes, is now
in custody. Blanche Lamont and Min
ME Williams were members of the
Emanuel church and members Of the
same Sunday school class The former
was q student at the Normal school on
Powell street in this city; the latter wa,
a companion in a family in Alameda
across the bay from the city. They
both were 2l years old, brunettes aEg
modest girls. Both had been the recip
tents of attentions from young medI
cal student named w. H. 7. Durant
who is also the librarian of the church
and the secretary of the Young People !,
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. Miss Lamont camg
from Dillon, Mon, several months ago
having been in San Francisco for her
health and at the same time to attend
the normal school to perfect herself a.
q teacher. The last person seen in her
company was Durant, who it seems ha
been on friendly terms with the miss
ing girl. On Saturday the mutilated
body of Minnie Williams was found II
the library of the church. The CIR,
had been assaulted and her remains
were cut and hacked the girl having
evidently died from loss of blood. On
further examination it was found she
had been gagged, the assailant tearing
part of her underclothing and thrust
ing it down her throat with SHARP
stick, badly lacerating the tongue. Two
witnesses state they saw young man
and q young woman, the former answe
ing the description of Durant and Il
latter that of Minnie Williams, ente
the church, after attending a meeting
at DR.. Vogel's residence nearby. This
was on Friday night.
The next morning Durant arose early
and went with his comrades of the sig
nal corpse for Mt Diablo, 90 miles away
The two murders are so closely con
nected that it is now necessary to 60
back to the Lamont case.
Saturday, Mrs. Noble, the aunt Of Miss
Lamont, received through the mails a
paper containing the four rings worn
by her niece the day she disappeared
On the paper was written the name and
address of Theodore Durant. This, TO-.
gether with the fact that Miss Williams
an intimate friend of Miss Lamont. had
been heard to say she knew Blanche
had been murdered, but had refused tU
tell what she knew and how, led the
police to suspect that some one who
had killed Miss Williams had slain Miss
Lamont, and that, learning that Miss
Williams knew of his crime, attempted
further concealment by committing a
second murder. Late Saturday night
the detectives had about decided Duranr
had murdered Miss Williams, and this
theory was further strengthened Sun
day morning when, after making q
thorough search of the Emanuel church.
the dead and outraged body of Miss
Lamont was found concealed in the
steeple. Death was caused by strangu
lation. The body was lying just inside
the door of the lower room, nude and
on the floor.
Durant was arrested at Walnut Greek
on the road to Mount Diablo. He was
caught by Detective Anthony, whC
brought him back to this city. The po
lice are certain they have the right man
They claim to have two witnesses who
saw Durant and Miss Williams in com
pany last Friday night and also state thai
when a search was made of Durant''
house that in the pocket Of his coat wa.
found a purse which Miss Williams /,
known to have carried Friday night
They think Durant is another Jack the
Ripper with mania for murder, They
state that it is highly probable tina
Durant is responsible for the killing o
Eugene Ware, young drug clerk, VIII,
was found stabbed to death severa
months ago.