The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-11-02
DURRANT IS GUILTY
The Jury Returns With a Verdict in
Just Twenty Minutes.
WILD SCENES IN COURT
The Crowd Cannot Restrain Its
Jubilance - Durrant's Mother
Overcome With Agony. the
Murderer Remains otolId.

Emmanuel BdpIlSl cnurCn, was Wo-udy
convicted of the murder of Blanche
Lamont. for which he has been on trial
since July 22 last. The jury was out 20
minutes and arrived at the verdict on
the first ballot. AS there was no rec
ommendation of mercy the punishment
was fixed at death. The scene in the
court room when the verdict was an
nounced will never be forgotten by
those who were present. Judge Muir
ply finished his charge at $3.50 o'clock
and the jury then retired. Although
there was supposed to be little pros
pect of a verdict being returned before
Z or o'clock in THE evening, the throng
Of spectators who had remained in the
overcrowded court room all the after
noon to hear the judges charge, set
tied themselves back In their seats TO
await the return of the jury.
Mrs. Durrant and the prisoner
talked and laughed together as If an
acquittal were a foregone conclusion.
They were Joined 10y half a dozen
friends, and the conversation was be-
coming animated when 1T became whis-
pered about that the jury had agreed
upon verdict. In an instant, a hush
fell upon the little circle that had
gathered around the prisoner. Dur
rants face-always pale-assumed
ghastly hue, and his mother was
speechless. Then the big doors at the
rear of the room opened and the MEM
bers of the jury filed in and took their
seats in the box.
In the intense excitement that fol-
lowed, the room although it was filled
to its utmost capacity, was almost as
quiet as if it had been vacant. Judge
Murphy, who had retired to his cham
bers. was summoned and took his place
upon the bench. Clerk Morris asked
the usual question as to whether the
jury had agreed upon a verdict. Fore
man Warren Dutton arose and replied
in the Affirmative.
I'VE. the jury" said he, find the de-
fendant. William Henry Tneodore Dur
rant. guilty of murder in the first de-
gree"
AS the aged foreman, pale and trem-
bling, read the words that fixed Dur
rants fate, a low rumbling noise like
the roar of a mob arose from the rear
of the court room. The next moment
men were cheering wildly, while wo-
men wept hysterically in excitement.
The baihff raped loudly for order,
but the tumult continued for a minute
before anything like quiet could be
brought out of the disorder Then Dis
trict Attorney Barnes arose and asked
that day be set upon which the SEN
tence of death should be passed upon
the prisoner. Judge Murphy said that
sentence would be passed next Friday,
upon which day he would also set the
day for the trial of DurraDt on the
charge of numbering Minnie Williams.
During the tumult that followed the
announcement of the verdict, Durrant
and his mother were lost sight of ex-
cept by the few who sat nearest to
them. AS the last words of the verdict
were uttered. Durrant made a spasmo-
die effort to arise to his feet, but be-
fore he could do so, his mother, with
sigh, half moan, Threw her arms
around his neck and sunk back into
her chair. His mothers grief seemed
to make Duuant forget his own posi-
ton, and for the next few minutes he
sat with his arms around her neck try
ing to soothe her. The long strain of
the trial. however. had completely
shattered her self control. and 1t was
some time before Mrs. Durant could
leave the court room. Durrant's
father was not in the room when the
verdict was returned. AS soon as the
jury retired he went out into the corri-
dor. not believing that the jury would
return for several hours, and he first
learned that his son had been convict
ed when a cheer went up from the
crowd in the building as the news
spread.
Durrant recovered his old-time COM
- n-G. -
and prepared to return to the county
Jail. With his overcoat swung careless
ly over his arm, he walked leisurly ous
of the room, twirling his slight mus
tache with apparently as little concern
as IL he were merely a spectator of, in
stead of the principal figure in the ex-
citing scene.
Aside from that. the spectators, Mrs
Noble. Blanche Lamont's aunt, Maud
Lamont, the dead girls sister, were ap-
parently the happiest persons in the
room. When the verdict was announced
Maud Lamont sprang from her seat
ciapped her hands and then cried, of
sheer excitement. Mrs. Noble mixed
smiles with tears and shook hands with
a number of friends who crowded
around TO congratulate her. As soon as
Durrans left the building the crowd
surged out OF the room and gathered
around the door out of which the prls-
oner usually came 30 reach the prison
van. Fearing that some violence might
be offered the prisoner. he was taken
out OF another door and driven by a
| circultous route TO the county jail.
The verdict fell with all fts force on
Durrant and his family. who had bank
ed all their hopes on a disagreement.
While Mrs. Duran, knew that f. was
among the possibilities that her son
would be acquitted. her friends said
she steadfastly maintained that a
shadow OF a doubt would rest In the
mind u one of the Jurors and that
her son would not be convicted. She