Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1895-07-26
DURRANT IN COURT
Trial of the Alleged Emanuel
Church Assassin Begun.
A CHANGE OF VENUE ASKED
Articles Printed In Local Papers of san
Francisco Presented to Sup.
port the Motion.

San Francisco, July 22.-The trial of
William Henry Theodore Durrant for
the murder of Blanche Lamont in the
Emanuel Baptist church last April be-
gan this morning. Upon its conclusion
ne VIII be tried for the murder of Min
ME Williams, committed in the same
edifice.
The sheriff avoided the crowds that
waited around the Jail and city hall
thls morning to see the defendant Dur
rant was taken from his cell at 80 and
was driven to the city hall in an open
buggy, accompanied only by the chief
Jailer crowds waited to see the pris-
oner for hours, but all We're disappoint-
ed. None were admitted to the court
room but attorneys, witnesses and re-
porters. The attorneys for the defense
moved for a change of venue, with the
privilege of renewing the motion If 1t
should be found impossible to secure an
unbiased jury or should such a state of
feeling be developed as would make a
fair trial improbable. In support of
the motion Durrant presented a bulky
afiidavit containing all the articles pub
ilshed in local papers connecting Dur
rant with the Emanuel Baptist church
murders. The reading occupied the en-
tire day and will be resumed tomorrow.
Durrant's incarceration has made him
paler. but stouter. During the court
proceedings he displayed no feeling and
little interest
VICIOUS PLAY CONDEMNED.
san francisco, July 22.-Local clergy
men are making vigorous protest
against the production of THE Durrant
case. a play based on the Emanuel
church murders, which was recently
written. In preaching on the subject
last evening Rev. W. W. Case of the
Howard Street Methodist church said
The dramatiZation of the horrible
murders at the Emanuel Baptist church
should be condemned. Theaters and
theater managers who would put such IA
play on the boards would do more to
corrupt the youth of the city than all
the hell-holes of iniquity that flourish
so abundantly in San Francisco. Such
plays would tend to cultivate a morbid
spirit and lead the young men and wo-
men on the way to destruction"
Last April, San Francisco was thrown
into frenzy of excitement by the dis.
covery in Emanuel church of the out.
ragged bodies Of blanche Lamont and
Minnie Williams, two young girls who
had been members of the congregation
suspicion pointed to Theodore Durrant
a young medical student and also a
member of the church. He was arrest.
ed ana held for trial. At the coroner's
inquest and preliminary examination
II was shown that Durrant had been at.
tentive to both girls; that the day
blanche Lamont disappeared he ha6
been in her company and that on thai
afternoon he was seen in the church
greatly excited and in a disheveled con.
dition. 1t was also shown that he haC
an appointment to meet Minnie VIII
liams on the night she was murdered
and witnesses will testify that thoy saw
two people resembling Miss William,
and Durrant enter the church that even
ing. Miss Williams purse was alsc
round In purrant's pocket after he hac
| been arrested.
The police and attorneys for the pros
ecution say that Durrants conviction
| Is certain. On the contrary Duran
ana his attorneys are supremacy conf
dent and say that an alibi can be prove,
that will shatter the case as soon as th,
taking of testimony begins The pre-
liminaries of the trial have all bee,
arranged and tomorrow morning tn,
work of selecting jury will commence
| owing to the widespread notoriety o
the case, and the countless theories ad
Vanced by almost everyone, it is antici
| pated that there will be considera bl
dlfficulty in securing ~ men In Sai
francisco competent undoP the law [,
| decide Durrant's fate,