The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-10-22
GOING TO THE JURY
Durrsrt'S Case Will Be There Some
Time Next Month.
DECIDEDLY WEAK DEFENSE
Sometimes Old Ladies' Are "Off"
When They Are Excited - Op-
penheim's Shop and the Ring
Brought Up Again.

san Francisco. Oct. 2i.-The defense
in the Durrant trial practically closed
to-day. Although some of the most
important evidence on the part OF the
prosecution Is to be submitted. from the
present outlook the case will go to the
Jury at the close of next week. II Is
the opinion OF those who have watched
the trial that the defense has failed %
establish a single lact that Attorney
Deuprey In his opening statement said
he would show. Although IL was an
nounced that an alibl would be proved
for the prisoner. not witness mas
been called to swear that Durrant
was elsewhere than al the Emanuel
Baptist church on the afternoon that
blanche Lamont WIS murdered. Fall
lng to show that Durrant was not az
the church. the defense has attacked
the credfbIlltv OF 1he Witnesses who
testified that they saw him In that vi
clnity In COMPANY with Miss Lamont.
The lates; ATTEMPT OF this Kind was
made this afternoon when DR.. q. Z.
Mcdonald was called TO the stand 20
give expert testimony on the h1llu-
cinatlons of elderly women Attorney
Dickinson asked the Doctor II II wns
not fact recognized by the medical
profession that IN a time OF great eX-
element over an extraordinary crime.
elderly women often became impressed
with the dclusion that they had per-
sonal knowledge OF the existence OF al
legged facts. An objection to the ques-
ton was sustained In Its first form.
as the court said 1t had not been
shown that the witness was competent
TO give expert Testimony on the sub
ject. After a proper foundation Tor
the question had been laid the objec-
ton was overruled. The witness said
that under such circumstances people
become possessed OF various deluslons,
but denied that elderly women were
more likely Ito have such hallucina-
tions than anybody else.
The question was plainly for the
purpose OF throwing discredlt on the
testimony Of Mrs. Leak and Mrs. Vo-
gel, two Of the strongest Witnesses for
the prosection. Mrs. Leak. who lives
opposite Emanuel church. testified that
on the afternoon OF the murder she
saw Durrant and Miss Lamont enter
the church. Mrs. Vogel said she saw
Durrant standing In front OF the Pow
ell street nomal school for an hour
waiting for Blanche Ta-"-t. and tnat
when she came out he boarded a car
with her and rode away In the direc-
tlon Of the church.
Charles L. Lenihan. who Il Is asserted
by the defense, was mistaken for Dur
rant by Pawnbokes OppcnheiIn.
proved disappointing witness. He
made several CONFLICTING statements.
among which was the assertion that Il
was in the afternoon instead OF the
morning that ne TILED to pawn a ring
at Oppenhelm's. In a letter written tc
Durrants attorneys some time ago
hLenfhan SAID he tried 20 pawn the r!ng
In the morning at the very hour Dur
rant Is said to have entered the place
Attorney Dickinson intlmated that hs
had made conflicting statements. Ths
defense sought to STOW by Robert y
Lynch. Rev. J. George Glbsons private
secretary. that he gave Mss Cunning
ham, a newspaper reporter. the frs
clew 10 the fact that Mrs. Leak hat
seen Durrant and Miss Lamont entel
the church on the afternoon OF Apr
| 3. The object OF the question was u
| lmpaach one feature OF Mrs. Leak
testimony and TO show THAI Rev. Mr.
| Gibson, in his zeal to convict Durrant
| had been instrumental In making pub
he damaging evidence against him
Lynch said he did not tell Miss Gun
| ningham Of what Mrs. Leak had seen
as at that time he did not know tina
Mrs Leak had any Information on IN
case
Attorney Dickinson was sworn AM
took the stand himself for the purpos
OF identifying n leather strap. bearini
\ Blanch Llmont's name. which he sal
was sent to him by mail last July. IL
sad he did not know who sent IN
strap. II will be remembered that N
strap was produced In court by the dc
Tense some Ime ago. and Miss Maui
Lamont was asked II II was not IN
\ rap In which hes sister was accus
TONED to carry her books. While Mis-
Lamont was not positive, she did no
think the strap ever belonged 20 he
sister. Attorney Dickinson asked t!.a
the strap be admitted as an exhloi
District Attorney Barnes objected an
the cour, Withheld the ruling on IN
question until tomorrow morning. "A
attempt was made 10 dlscredit the tes
tlmony Of w. J. Philips. who said h
saw Durrant enter the shop OF Pawn
broker oppcnheim on April Il. Phillip
was recalled and asked abou; the chai
acter OF hotel that he had fc-merl
conducted at victoria. b. c.. but II
question failed 10 show mat he wa
ever engaged IN any business that va
NJ. respectable. Attorney Deuprey va
rot well enough to appear In eoul
this morning.