Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1895-10-17
OFF ON ITS DATES
DURRANT BECOMES RATIFIED
WHEN CROSS-EXAMINED.
1t Becomes Necessary for Him to
RefeH.ntO . Card Which He Car
His Pocket to Set Him
Right ON the Quest
Of Dates. ~
FORCED INTO AN ADMISSION
Durrant Finally snys That He
Wrote Letter to Be Opened In
Case He Is Convicted.

San Francisco, Oct. IL. = After
three days ordeal Durrant to-day left
the witness stand. District Attorney
Barnes tried this morning to draw
from the defendant admissions that
he was we'll acquainted with the use
Of brOmO seltZer as used in medicine
Durrant's replies Indicated that he
had devoted the night to study of
the compound, as he replied that he
had conversed with DIR. West about it
In the Jail last evening. He was able
to give its analysis and detailed it's
pathological effect.
For the first time during the trial
DulTant to-day pleaded ignorance. In
reply to a question by Mr. Barnes, he
said he did not know what an alibi
was until after his trial began.
While testifying today the prisoner
became badly confused at times, and
when questioned regarding his ex-
perience at Cooper medical college be-
came so mixed in his dates that he
had to refer to card that he carried
in his pocket to set himself right. He
became noticeably confused and rath-
er testy in his replies when examined
in regard to the interview that he had
with Gilbert F. Graham. fellow
student at the city prison when the
prosecution claims Durrant asked Ora
ham to furnish him with copy of the
notes of DR.. Cheney's lecture, remark
ing: ''If had those notes would be
able to prove an alibi."
Durrant. in his logged way. denied
absolutely that he made such dec
laration and tried to explain. by testi-
flying that Graham came to him with
proffers of assistance, going so far as
to inquire anXiOusly if Durrant had
the notes to DR.. Cheney's lecture.
Durrant finally admitted that he
asked him to furnish the notes, but
he testified that he made the request
at the advice of his attorneys who in
structed him to get the notes from
students of his class and compare
them with his own.
District Attorney Barnes forced
Durrant to admit that he had written
statement Of his case and enclosed
it in an envelope to his attorneys with
instructions to "open it if he was con-
victed and return it if he was not con-
victed."
Durrant was asked if he did not
| recently show an envelope bearing
such an inscription to Miss Carrie
Cunningham, local newspaper re-
porter Durrant replied emphatically
that he had not.
He also denied that he had told Miss
Cunningham that he heard suspicious
noises in the belfry of Emanuel
church on the afternoon that Blanche
Lamont was murdered. Several speci-
mems of Durrant's handwriting were
introduced in evidence for the purpose
Of comparing them with the writing
on the wrapper in which the rings
of Blanche Lamont We're mailed to
her aunt, Mrs. Noble.
The district attorney closed his
cross-examination of the witness by
trying to show that when he was at
the ferries. ostensibly to search for
Blanche Lamont. that he was in reali-
ty looking for Minnie Williams who
came over from Oakland that after.
| noon and was found murdered in the
church the next day. The defense
fought vigorously against the admis-
sion of anything bearing on the case
of Minnie Williams. and after long
| argument Judge Murphy sustained
| the objection.