The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-10-30
D[UPREY FOR THE DEFENSE
OF the Innocent Victim of
Circumstances
THE SURG|HG, STRUGGLING THnONGS
Fight for Positions to Hear the
Proceedings
THE Ul"CONTROLLABLE MOB
Break Down the Ropes Stretched TO
Keep Them Out
The Sheriff Is Ordered to Arrest Those Who
Refuse to Leave
General Dickinson Concludes His Argument
and Attorney Deuprey Speaks The
Prosecutions Testimony is Dis
sected by the Defense
Break Down the Ropes Stretched tC
Keep Them Out
The Sheriff Is Ordered to Arrest Those Who
Refuse to Leave

Associated Press Special Wire.
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 29.-The close
of the arguments for the defense in the
trial OF Theodore Durrant today was
marked by the greatest crowd that ever
struggled for admission TO murder
trial in this city. Judge, jurors, court
officials and attorneys struggled for nearly
an hour in surging throng of men and
women who crowded the corridor lead
ing to the court room. The sheriff and
his deputies were not able to control the
mob, and requisition was made on the
chief of police for squad OF twenty men.
Ropes were stretched across the corridors
and an effort made to keep the people
back, bat the ropes were brushed aside
as easily as pieces OF Irvine might have
been. 1t was not until half an hour after
the regular time for the session of court
to begin that the last juror was in his
seat. Then one of the jurors arose and
informed the court that he would never
enter the room again if he were COM
PEELED to fight his way through such a
crowd. The afternoon session of the
court was several times interrupted by
the shouts of officers and the cries of
women, and at last the court ordered the
sheriff to arrest every person who should
refuse to go out of the building. The
crowd was finally dispersed without the
necessity of making any arrests.
General Dickinson resumed his argu-
ment for the defense this morning and
concluded his address at noon. The only
significant feature of his remarks was the
suggestion that Miss Lamont was prob
ably murdered by two men instead of
one. lie closed by appealing to the jury
to bear in mind that the strength of the
chain of cir(sumstantial evidence was only
equal to it's weakest link. The pivotal
point in the whole case, he said, was DR..
Cheney's rolscall, which shows that Dur
rant was at Cooper medical institute on
the afternoon that Blanche Lamont was
murdered. The whole case conferred
around the call, which he believed had
been amply orroborated bv DR.. Cheney
and tie student who called the roll. He
said the prosecution had produced no tes-
who's character had been good all his
life. had suddenly been transformed into
a monster, when, it is alleged, he
strangled Blanche Lamont. He urged
the jury TO disregard public olamor and
the opinions Of the press in arriving at a
anu lleD Shlu tDaJ JQe Ue-
Tense would be satisfied, no matter what
the verdict might be.
When Attorney DeUprey appeared at
the afternoon session to make the con-
GLIDING argument for the defense be was
panied by his wife, nurse and
his physician. He looked weak from the
effects of his recent illness, and by per-
mission OF the court addressed the jury
while seated. Deuprey's impaired phys
jcal condition was apparent in his argu-
ment, which was disappointment to the
large crowd who fought their way into
the court room to hear him. 1t is gener-
ally considered that the case would have
been just as strong il ne had submitted
it at the close of General Dickinson's ad-
dress without further argument.
Attorney Deuprey SAID Durrant was an
innocent victim OF circumstances, and
begged the jury to right the great wrong
that had already been done the prisoner
by acquitting him as speedily as possible.
He attacked the testimony of the prose-
cution's witnesses in the same manner
that General Dickinson did. All of tho
witnesses who swore they saw Durrant
going toward Emanuel church on the
afternoon of A pril Sd were mistaken, No
evidence had been aduuced which he be-
lieved esta blished the fact that Durrant
strangIed Miss Lamont. The same
amount of energy directed toward casting
suspicion upon the Rev. John George
gibson, he belleYed, would have developed
as strong case against the clergyman.
At the same time MIR. Deuprey expressed
the belief that Rev. Gibson had no conneo.
ton with the crime. While the prosecu-
tion had proved nothing, Mr.. Deuprey
said the defense had proved more than
be promised in his opening address. He
could not see how any juror could doubt
for moment that Durrant attended DR..
Cheney's lecture on the afternoon OF
April Sd.
District Attorney Barnes will begin the
closing argument for the prosecution to-
morrow.
II consider it is peculiarly unfortun-
ate thing in this case that at the time of
the finding of the body search OF the
belfry was not made" was General
Dickinson's opening remark, 'for | feel
that had the proper authorities Of officers
taken these precautions some CLOVIS or
hints at least would have been discovered
throwing some light upon the perpetrat-
ors of this crime.
There is some discussion as to
whether there were foot prints in the bel
fry or not. But | submit that the pre-
ponderance OF evidence shows that there
were.
1.-THE evidence shows that there was no