Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1895-10-18
HE SAW The BODY
Durant's Alleged Confession 10
the Young Lady Reporter
THE BLOOD DRlPPsD DOWN
Prisoner Added That blanche Lamont
Was Murdered on the Second
Landing OF the Stairs.

n
r,r,o, - 49, -, 49, II.
ness s'anu a'.i' 'as inaue answers -
All 'he accusations lmpiled by the
cross-quesuons or the prosecution, an
impression eNists among tnose VINO
nave watched the trial closely that
uhere Is something to come which WILL
perhaps, nave more erect on the minds
oi tue Jurymeh as regards the quit OF
innocence OF the defendant than any
'hlns that mas gone peIore.
Ihis Ieeilhg Is que 10 the confidence
with Whieh District Attorney Barnes
put series OF startling questions re-
iaihg 10 conversation heid by Dur
rant with a newspaper reporter. MISS
oarrie cunningham, at the county JAN
Wiollih the past week ana also touching
On ,ne auuress ana endorsement OF
certain envelope which may or may
not nave contained confession. Inc
questions implied luil knowledge on
.ne part OF Barnes ana II was evident
'hat "heh the proper Time came tesu-
mohy wouio pc produced TO contradict
the uenlals OF the prisoner.
Wheh the prosecutions witnesses are
put on the stand they VIII relate the
particular words OF conversation mat
bordered on confession. They will
seek 10 prove that this man talked OF
matters touching his very existence
ana at the very DAY and hour when IL
was most important FOR MIN to main
tam silence Ihese witnesses Will seek
TO show by their testimony that Dur
rant made admissions which destroy
the Whoie iaprlc OIL the DEFENSE. These
aliegeo ADMISSIONS are taken by the
prosecution as coming from the one
person on earth who knows all that oc-
Cured beneath the belfry OF the Eman-
uel Baptist church on that afternoon
| of April 3.
The record OF what passed at the
county jail between Miss Cunningham
and Durrant is thus told by the prose-
cution, which is in possession of the
| full facts:
ION the evening of September %,
Miss Cunningham visited Durrant at
the county jail and during the course
of their conversation Durrant showed
her small envelope which bore the fol-
lowing address and endorsement
"Messrs. Dickinson & Deuprey. To be
opened in case l am convicted and to
be returned to me in case l am &C.
Quilted
Durrant told the young lady that the
envelope contained a complete state
ment of all that occurred at the Eman-
uel Baptist church on the afternoon OF
| April 3. He said 1t had been written In
order that his attorneys might know
the facts in the event of his being con-
victed of the murder of Blanche La
mont.
"On the following evening, Septem
Der %, Miss Cunningham again visited
Durrant at the county Jail and wa:
there shown a large envelope addressed
like the other anu smaller one. Dur
rant told her that the contents or tn
other envelope had become damned III
and that he had transferred the writer
statement to the larger envelope.
ION the morning OF October 8, Mis-
Cunningham held conversation witt
Durrant at the county Jail and durin
! the course OF that conversation an
swered questions asked him by tn
; young lady said that among othe
things, that about 3 O'Clock on the al
ternoon of April he assembled to tn
space between the ceiling ana the roo
of the Emanuel Baptist church for tn
purpose of fixing the sun-burners
= While at work he heard noise whic
. at once attracted his attention. l
; seemed to come from that part or tn
building where the belfry Is situated
He walked along in the direction fror
! whence the sound came and peere
through the opening that connects IN
. space above the ceiling with the In
=. terror of the belfry tower. While 1
this position he saw the body G