The record-union., 1895-04-15
Special to the REcoRD-Uxrox.

Special to the RECoRD-UNIo
SAN Francisco, April 1.-THE Eman-
uel Baptist Church. on Bartlett street,
between Twenty-second and Twenty
third, in this city, has been the scene OF
two of the most atrocious murders ever
committed in the State. Yesterday the
mutilated and murdered body Of Minnie
Williams was found in the library of the
edifice. To-day the dead ana nude body
of Blanche Lamont was found in the
tower of the same church. The same
hand, the authorities believe. slew both
girls, and w. II. 7. Durrant, the young
man suspected of both crimes, is now in
custody.
Blanche Lamont and Minnie Williams
were mem bers OF the Emanuel Baptist
Church, and members of the Sunday
school class. The former was pupil at
the Normal School on Powell street, in
this city, and the latter was a companion
in family in Alameda, across the bay
from this city. Both were u years old.
brunettes, pretty and modest girls. Both
had been the recipients of attention from
a young medical student named w. II. T..
Durrant, who is also the librarian of the
church and the Secretary OF the Young
Peoples Society of the church.
On April Sd Miss Lamont disappeared.
Diligent search failed to reveal any trace
OF her whereabouts, and Mrs. Noble,
with whom she lived, was totally unable
to account for her absence. Miss Lamont
came from Dillon, Mont, several months
ago, having been sent to San Francisco
for her health, and at the same time to at
tend the Normal School TO perfect herself
as a teacher. The last person seen in her
company was w. II. Z. Durrant, a young
medical student, who, it appears, had
been on friendly terms with the missing
girl.
On Saturday morning at IL O'Clock the
mutilated body Of Minnie Williams was
found in the library of Emanuel Baptist
Church on Bartlett street. The girl had
been assaulted and her remains had been
cut and hacked. the girl having evidently
died from loss of blood. on further ex-
animation it was found that she had been
gagged, the assailant tearing part of her
undercIothing and thrusting it down her
throat with sharp stick, badly lacerat-
ing the tongue.
q
young man and young woman entering
the church, the former answering the de-
scription Of Durrant and the latter that oi
Minnie Williams. Following this clue
the police at once put the residence o1
Durrant under surveillance.
Miss Williams lived with friends in
Alameda, who gave her home until she
could secure position. She had been a
regular attendant at Emanuel Church,
having formerly lived in the neighbor-
hood, but on the separation of her father
and mother had removed to Alameda.
Friday morning the Morgan family, with
whom she lived, had packed their house
hold goods preparatory to moving, and
Miss Williams had removed her posses
sions to the house of Mrs. Voy, near the
church.
Friday evening Miss Williams was tc
have attended meeting of the Young
Peoples Society of Emanuel Church al
DIR. NogePs house. At 7:15 o'clock she
left Mrs. Voy's house TO attend the meet
ing, taking a latch key with her. She
never appeared there. About the same
time Durrant left his home on Fair Oaks
street, in the same vicinity, bound for the
same meeting. At o'clock Durrant me-
Philip Perkins and asked him some
questions about a trip TO Mount DiablC
which the Signal Corps, of which he was
member, was to make next day Al
$3.50 he appeared at DIR. VogePs residence
where the Young Peoples meeting was
in progress, and none were merrier than
he during the remainder of the meeting
AT IL o'clock he left with a party o.
young people and went home. The mex
morning Durrant arose early, and lef
with his comrades of the Signal Corps fol
Mount Diablo, fifty miles away.
The two murders are so closely con.
nected that it is now necessary 10 90 back
to the Lamont case. Yesterday Mrs
Noble. the aunt of Miss Lamont. receiyec
through the mails paper containing tht
three rings worn by her niece when sh,
disappeared. On the paper were writer
the name and address of Theodore Dur
rant. This, together with the fact tha
Miss Williams, an intimate friend OF Mis-.
Lamont, had been heard to say that sht
knew Blanche had been murdered, bu
had refused TO tell what she knew anc