The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-08-16
LAST LINK FOUND.
Observation-Disclosures Seems
to be Complete.
A New Witness Saw Him 60
Into the Church.
WITH MISS LAMONT.
She Watched Long and They
Didn't Come Out.
Thought it Was a Very I'm
proper Thing to Do.

SAN FRANCISCO, Cal, Aug. 16-A local
paper says that the last link in the chain
of evidence against Theodore Durrant
has been discovered. A woman who
lives across the street from Emanuel
church has reported to the police that
she saw Durrant and Blanche Lamont
enter the church at 4:1O on April Sd, the
day of Miss Lamont's disappearance.
The woman's name is Mrs. Leake, and
she lives at 124 Bartlett street. She is
80 years of age, and has been member
of the church a number of years. She
knew both Durrant and Miss Lamont in
timately, and therefore cannot be mis-
taken with regard to the identity of
either. She says she has remained
silent since the discovery of the bodies
of the two girls, because she did not
wish to undergo the annoyance OF being
a witness in the case and did not con-
sent to diVuige her information to the
police until she became convinced that
it was duty she owed to the state.
On April Mrs. Leake sat at the
window of her residence nearly all the
afternoon looking for her daughter whom
she expected to arrive from san Mateo-
At o'clock she saw a couple coming
up the street. one of whom she instantly
recognized as Durrant, but at first she
was puzzled over the identity of the
girl.
She first thought that the young lady
was Lucille Turner. but as the couple
came nearer Mrs. Leake recognized the
girl as Blanche Lamont. Miss Lamont
wore a short school girls dress and car
ried package of school books, The
dress and the school books were after
wards found secreted in the church.
When the couple reached the church
gate they stopped for moment Dur
rant opened the gate and they passed
through. Mrs. LeAke from her point of
observation was watching them and
when the girl stepped through the gate
way she said to herself: "What an i'm
prudent thing for her to do"
Mrs. Leake knew nothing detrimental
to Durrant She had always considered
him E'such an exemplary yonng man."
but Notwithstanding that fact she thought
it exceedingly i'm prudent for the girl to
go into the church with him alone. She
feared some one might have seen them
and make unpleasant remarks. She
imagined that they had some errand in
the church and expected in a few min
utes they would come out. She watched
carefully but the gate did not open.
There is only one entrance to Eman-
uel church during the week and that is
by the side gate and rear door Mrs.
Leake knew the young people would
have to pass through the gate, and she
wanted to see them on the street again
before she left the window. She waited
a long time but household duties finally
called her to another part of her fat and
she gave up the vigil
Mrs. Leake's testimony completes the
chain of evidence against DurraRt Three
school girls saw Durrant and Blanche
Lamont riding on Powell street Car at
$50 of the day that Mss Lamont disap-
peared. Attorney Martin Qunlan saw
the couple few blocks from the church
few minutes before O'clock. Now
comes Mrs. Leake, who says she saw
Durrant and Miss Lamont enter the
church few minutes later.
George King, the organist has already
testified that he entered the church
about o'clock and saw. Durrant com
ing down from the attic. Durrant's
hair was disheveled, his lace was
red, he was painting for breath and was
in state of utter physical and nervous
collapse. In answer to Inquiries he eI-
planned that he had been engaged in re-
pairing electric light wires in the loft
and had been overcome by gas. An ex-
pert electrician afterwards examined the
wires and testified that no repairs of the
nature Durrant claimed to have made
had been made within six months.