Evening star., 1895-04-16
Indications Pointing Strongly to
Durant as the Criminal.
FHE STORY TOLD BY THE ORGANyT
The Prisoners Actions the Day
Miss Lamont Was Last Seen.
MANY CURIOUS THEORIES

SAN FRANCISCO. April 16.-Chief Crow
ley Is confident that Durant is the muir
derer of Blanche Lamont and Minnie Will
iams, whose mutilated renains were found
recently in a church here. The chief says:
During the many years that have been
at the head Of the police department I
have had to do with hundreds of criminals
of every grade. but have no hesitation in
saying that in view of the terrible nature
of the crime for which this man is held re-
sponsible he is the peer of all in coolness
and power of self-control."
George King, organist Of the church in
which the horrible crimes Of last week
were committed, has made a statement to
Chief of Police Crowley which tends to fix
one crime at least 0he murder Of Miss La
mont upon Durant. King says that on
April 4, the day Miss Lamont was missed
he went into the church about pm. to
practice on the organ. Il saw Durant there,
much to my surprise. He came down to
the organ loft In highly excited and over
heated condition. asked him what was
the matter. and he replied that he had been
overcome by gas up IN the loft. He was
very weak and PALE and asked me to give
him glass Of bromo seltzer. I knew he
was fitting up an electrical contrivance
about the church. and thought nothing
strange about his going up in the loft"
hlng's story.
King said that he went to a drug store
and purchased a bottle of bromo-seltzer.
and continued:
when I returned Durant took a dose
and it seemed to nauseate him. He asked
me how he looked. I told him he was pale
and his eyes were a little congested. What
he did during the time was gone 1 don't
know. Afterward he went into the ladies'
parlor to look into a mirror, and after
ward I found on the little shelf under
meath q little clot of blood, as though he
had wiped his finger on it. We then car
ried little organ from upstairs down into
the lecture room. Several times he stopped
to rest and seemed quite weak. At O
with ME down the street. 1 do not re-
member whether he went back to the
church or not"
Startling Evidence.
This is direct evidence Of a most startling
nature.
Miss Lamont, 1t will be remembered, left
the high school about pm. on the day
she was last seen-April 4. She was seen
with Durant. The theory is now that Du-
rant had just finished his fiendish work
when seen by the organist.
Many curious theories have been evolved,
assuming that Durant is guilty. One expla-
nation of the murders is that the crimes
were committed for the purpose of medi-
cal investigation. Durant was an ardent
medical student and took great interest in
the diseases of women. The theory is that
he was crazed on the subject, and, not be-
ing able to conduct his investigation in
any legitimate manner, he murdered the
girls for that purpose. The condition of
the bodies after they were found would
tend to confirm this line Of reasoning.
A Practical Joker.
Sergt. Whitman found a small paper box
at the entrance to the central police sta
ton this morning in which were a woman's
glove and lock of long brown hair stained
with red ink inside. In the glove was the
following note:
You are on the wrong trail. Got the
wrong bird. My handiwork. Find me If
you can.
(Signed) HARRY, The Hacker"
There is no question that the affair is q
practical joke.