The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-10-29
latest DURANT STORY
Mysterious Letter from George Rey-
nOlds, Who COntemplates Suicide.
DARK HINTS AT CONSPIRACY
Reynolds Claims That There Was IN
Organized Schcmc to Implicate
Pastor Gibson in the Murders
ut Emanuel Church.

Sam Francisco, Oct. 2S.-Coroner
Hawkins this morning received a let
ter signed by George Reynolds, am
nouncing the writer's Intention ito COM
nit slricide. In lit I:ednolds virtually
acuses the counsel for lDurant of CON-
spiIacy TO implicate Pastor Gibson, of
Emmanuel church, in the murders Of
Miss Lamont ard M!nnie WILLIAMS.
Reyno!dS, i'm hi5 statement says he
with four either men, named Smyth,
Dugan, Stewart and Taylor were to be
Witnesses fO< the defense. tSmyth was
TO swear that Blanche Lamont was AIT
his thome near iIitayward's until Fri
day, ApIfl 5, when she left for her own
home. Dugan and Stewart were to
swear they saw Miss Lamont on the
Oakland boat on the afternoon of Fri
day, the 5th of April, Dugan knowing
her. The second strap produced by the
defense with Blanche Iamont's name
on it, Reynolds alleges he marked him
self. The end of itlhe strap he cut off
and sent to Chief Crowley some three
or four months ago.
There was also a plan to produce a
bloody handkerchief in the W'illiams
case marked with the letter &c" and
Reynolds marked five other handker-
chiefs with THAT letter and Taylor sent
them by messenger ITO Gibson. Subse-
Gibson lin THE manner proposed and
the plan fell Through.
RynoIds Thought to BE Dead.
1.-The Letter and statement" said the
coroner, "have all THE appearance of be
ing genuine. Still, however, they may
have been written to raise new issue
in THE present trial of Durant. l, of
course, have MO desire to investigate
this letter until I have good reason to
believe THAT Reynolds. or whoever he
may he, is dead. ] think, however, the
matter will bear investigation by the
police. Durant or some one connected
with the defense may have prepared
this story, as thds MAN said. That state
menit shows careful work, and was, no
doubt, drawn UP by some one who had
made close study of the case. If Dur
amt could prove what is stated in tlhat
document he would SO forth from court
a free man."
Chief of Detectives Captain Lees said
he 'befseved THE statements contained in
Reynolds letter. He bases his belief
upon information which has been in the
possession OF the police for some time.
This lis not a new matter, however,
Though the nlame of George Reynolds
has mot appeared in the case hereto
fore. Precisely the same information
was IN the hands of the detectives and
the district attorney for some time.
That's to say, the authorities received
Gnforna'iiOn itihat the defense would Of
fer witnesses to prove exactly THE state
Of facts set forth by Reynolds and
there is now ON file "a typewriter state
ment similar i'm tenor to the one re-
ceived Through the coroner's office to-
day. ut us believed by the authorities
that the plan to present witnesses to
swear THAT Blanche Lamont was seen
alive ON the 5th of April was not aban-
doned until after 1t was proved in
court that THE ihandle of the door Lead
ing to the belfry of Emmanuel Bap-
t,st church was found broken off on
the fourth of Apr!l-that physical fact
fixing beyond controversy, as the prose-
cution cortenidIs THAT the girl was MUIR
dered and placed in the belfry before
the 4th of April. 1t rs not likely THAT
there will be any attempt ITO reopen the
Lamont case, but 1T Is said the whole
truth will be brought out in the trial
of the Williams case.