The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-10-24

Government Lands in the Sierras.
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 23.-The
prosecution made some more holes in
Du1Tant's case to-day. Miss Carrie
Cunningham, the reporter, who alleges
that she got a statement regarding
the body in the belfry from Durrant,
was called this morning. She was
questioned about the envelope shown
her by Durrant on which she says was
written request that it should not be
opened except on his conviction, but
her testimony concerning it was not al
lowed Miss Cunningham said she had
interviewed Durrant on October I'd and
District Attorney Barnes asked her:
In the course of that interview did
he say to you, When I was fixing the
sunburners I heard a noise and followed
it to the belfry and saw her on the Sec
ond landing She was murdered on the
second landing?"
Yes; he made that statement to me"
replied the witness.
About whom were you speaking
when he made that statement?'
About Blanche Lamont"
Barnes then read from DurrantS s
testimony, III which he said that such
a story had been brought to him and
that he had refused to either affirm or
deny it. and had told Miss Cunningham
that such q story, if published, would
get him into trouble, as she had with
the Sweet Pea Girl " story, and that
he had sworn her to secrecy. Did any
thing of that kind take place. he
asked.
Miss Cunningham replied: mo men
Of +1o.. De. tjT1f Il
at all l gave a note to Mr.. Durrant
asking him to please tell me the whole
story, and | promised l would be a wit
ness for him and tell his story on the
stand. He said, w i'll you promise me
ret to tell this story?' He said 1 was
not to tell anyone without his consent
| told him 1t was a good newspaper
story-that it was a corller. and he
said, You won't publish it without my
consent l said l would not. He said
to me- Put UP your hand and did so.
Did you say to him at an interview
you had on the 9TH Of October: Are
YOU sure it was the second landing
where you saw Blanche killed? Is that
not a little to one side Of the gallery? ="
Excuse me, Mr.. Barnes" said the
witness, that is a mistake; he didn't t
tell me he saw her killed
Barnes then reframed his question,
leaving out that portion relating to the
killing, and closing: And did Durrant
not reply. No; you can look directly
into it? Did you then say. oh, yes, it
was on the second landing where the
NDIood fell on the covered picture
frame?' Did he then reply that there
was not any blood at all, and the spots
had been analyZed and found to be
only water? Did such a conversation
take place? If so, please state what
was said
such conversation took place
please state what was said
1T was not exactly as you stated.
Those were not quite his words about
the blood
rs ii correct with that exception? ?"
Yes; with only the mistake about the
blood He said there was not any blood
not a bit. There was not any blood at
all.
Miss Cunningham was cross examined
at some length, without making any
change or modification in her testl
mony.
DR.. K. H. Mays, from the Insane Asy-
lum at Stockton. gave testimony as to
hallucination, which showed that the
old ladies who said they saw Durrant
on the way to church were probably not
victims of it. He was also questioned as
to the effects Of gas, and by hypotheti
cal questions asked what the effects Of
an experience such as that OF Durrant's
at the burners would have been on
a person With the measurement about
the sun-burners and the facilities for
ventilation in view, he said man to
have remained over the burners two
minutes would have become insensible.
He also said that gas, instead Of making
a person inhaling it pale, would flush
him.
The prosecution stated the incidents
connected with Durrant'S descent from
the sunbUrners. and the witness was
asked if after inha.ing the gas he could
have taken down nfty-pounQ ladder and
descended to the lower floor, but the
question was ruled out as was one asking
for witness opinion as 10 the appearance
Of a person after having committed a
murder. The witness further testified
that q removal Of person TO the fresh
would not cause a revival in the time it
Is alleged to have done in DurrantS ease
DF. Julius ROSenStern, another expert,
corroborated DR.. Mays as to the reddeuing
effects on the surface of persons suffer-
ing from gas inhalation. lie gave il as
his opinin that the utmost length OF time
q person could stand such VoiuYae OF
gas as Durrant must have wiJhstood. if
he had was at the sunbnrneFs, was four
or five minutes, the time Duuant said he
was there The subject would then he
said. become insensible.
District Attorney Barnes announced
this afternoon that he might or might not
put on one more witness tomorrow morn
ing and would then close his case. As
sistanI District Attorney PeiXotto viii
begin his opening address tomorrow fore
noon The prospects are good that the
case will go to the jury at the end of next