The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-09-25
DURRANTS TURN NOW
The Prosecution Has Closed It's Nine
Weeks Case.
FINISHING TOUCHES ADDED
Counsel for Defense VIII Ask a Few
Questions Of Witnesses. Then
Continue Its Work In
Earnest To-Day.

san rrtncscot sept. -4-Tne case TOT
the prosecution In the trial OF Theo-
dore Durrant closed this afternoon.
The day was spent in putting finish
Ing touches to the testimony against
the accused. The testimony OF all the
witnesses to-day was brief. The
chief point which the prosecution
sought to establish to-day was that
Theodore Durrant had said that the
last time he had seen Miss Lamont
was when he parted from her on the
morning Of April 3. she going to sctcol
he to the Cooper medical college. In
all his statements regarding the dis.
appearance Of Blanche Lamont. the
defendant stuck to that dsclarn. lion.
Detective Anthony. who arrested nur.
rant went of on a iaunt with the sig.
nal corps. testified to-day that Dur.
rant had made that statement to him
when returning to the city afte. the
arrest.
DR.. Thomas A. Vogei. a memosr OF
Emanuel church. and an intimate &C.
quaintance OF both Blanche Lamont
and Theodore Durrant. stated on the
witness stand what Durrant had said
to him the Sunday after the girls oils.
appearance. He made the same state
meDt about the last time he had seen
Blanche Lamont. thus corroborating
Officer Anthony and several newspaper
reporters who have already testified In
the case
The prosecution expects 10 score a
strong point by demonstrating TO the
jury that the prisoner made false state.
ments regarding his movements and
the association with the girl who he Is
charged with ciaving murdered. The
district attorney, II Is said. will make
use of the matter In his address to the
jury and will use Vt as the basis of ar.
gument. the gist of which will be that
Durrants first statements were in.
spired by sinister motive. II he had
nothing to hide. II Is argued. he would
have told the truth about hls last meet.
ing with the girl. That was the rea.
son for the evidence Of Anthony and
vogel.
The plumbers who repaired the ga,
fixtures In Emanuel church on April .
were also called to-day. william Stir.
ling. one Of these gasfitters. explained
the work he performed In putting
new tips on the gas burners. He said
that on April 2. when he left the
church, no gas was escaping. He did
not work there on April 3, the day
blanche Lamont Is alleged to have
been murdered. but on the 4th he re.
turned to the church and no escapins
gas was noticeable.
Attorney for the defense cross-ex.
amined the witness at length. mis- In
tention being to show that an immense
quantity Of gas escaped while the re-
pairs were in progress. the object be-
ing to justify the assertion made by
Durrant that he was overcome by ga,
fumes in the belfry and not from ex
citement caused by exertions In kill
ing Blanche Lamont.
DR.. C. f. Farnum, demonstrator o.
anatomy at the Cooper medical college
was called to testify that the blocks
placed under the dead body of Blanch,
Lamont were laid In the same manner
as under a subject in the dlssectlni
room.
Harry Partridge. n fellow student o.
Durrant. swore that about a week az
ter Blanche Lamont disappeared. Dur
rant had told him the girl had elthei
met with foul play or had been led as
tray, adding that she was innocen
and would unsuspectingly respond t
any advances made to her.
Alien Church. former janitor o
Emanuel church. said Durrant had 1
key which would unlock all the roomi
in the interior Of the church. He haS
frequently seen him opening these va
rious rooms. The prosecution ther
rested and the defense asked a con
tinuance until tomorrow.
Durrant's attorneys wish 10 ask {
few questions of several witnesses VIII
have already testified and promis,
thereafter to proceed with the defens'
Immediately. The opening statemen
OF the defense Is awaited with mucl
interest. Owing to the refusal OF tn,
court 10 admit evidence OF the medl
cal students OF Cooper college relativ,
to Durrants attendance at the lectur'
on the afternoon of April Q. a numbe
OF witnesses summoned to testify wer'
not called and the prosecution there
fore closed its case much earlier thar
Vt had planned.