Arizona weekly citizen., 1895-11-09
DURRANT THE ARCH CRIMINAL
After an Absence of 20 Minutes the Jnry Returns a Verdict of Mur-
 der in the First Degree.

SAN FRANCIsCo, Nov. 1-Theoiore DuTrant, assistant superintendent of the Emmanuel Baptist church Sunday school, was today convicted of the mur- der of Blanche Lamont, for which he has been on trial since July 2 fast. The jury was out twenty minutes and arrlv- ed st q verdict on the fret ballot. As there was DO recommendation to mercy, the punishment wGs fixed at death.
 The scene In the courtroom when the verdict wGs announced will never be foE- gotten by those who were present. Judge Murphy finished his charge at 5:3O and the Jury at once retired. Al though there was supposed to be little prospect of a verdict being returned be fore ' or 8 o'clock in tho evening the thron2 of spectators who had remained ID the overcrowdtd courtroom ell the afternoon to heGr the judges charge, settled themselves back in their seats to await the return of the jury.
 Mrs. Durrans and the prisoner talked and laughed together as if an acquittsI 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 a gha5tiy hue and his mother was speechless. Then the big doors at the rear of the room opened and the mem- bers ef the jury filed in.
 Foreman Warren Dutton then said: "We, the jury, find the defendant, Will ian Henry Theodore Durrant, guilty of murder in the first degree"
 The next moment men were cheering wildly, while women wept hysterically in excitement. The bsiiiff rapped loudly fer order but the tumult continued for minute before anything like quiet could be brought out of the disorder. Judge Murphy sad that sentence would be passed next Friday, upon which day he would also set a day for the trial of Durrant On a charge of murdering Min nie Williams.
 As the last words of the verdict were uttered DurrREt made spasmodic effort to rise to his fees, but before be could do so bis mother with half sigh, half moan, threw her arms around his neck and eeuk back into her char. His mothers grief seemed to mGke Durrant forget hio o1n position and for the next few minutes he sat with his arms around her neck. 1t was some time before Mrs Durrsnt could leave the courtroom.
 Durrant recovered his old time com- posture Bs soon as he left his mother and prepared to return to the county jail. With his overcoat swung carelessly over his arm he walked leisurely out of the room, twiriing his slight moustache with apparently 6s little concern as If he were merely spectator Of instead of the principal figure iu the exciting scene.
 The case will be appealed to the su- preme court. and it is expected that nearly a year will elapse before de- cIsion will be rendered. General Dick inson took exceptions to three features of the district attorneys argument to- day. He also took exception to the ludge'e charge.
 Crowds gathered about the bulletin boards in various parts of the city, and general satisfaction wss expressed that the arch criminal of the century had been convicted.