The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1895-10-23
DAMAGING FOR DIRRAN'T.
His Statement Oontradioted by
Several Witnesses
IN MANY VITAL PARTICULARS.

The Prisoners Evidence on important
Points Contradioted by Fellow students,
Church Trustees and Newspaper Men.
The Case May Go to the Jury Next Week.
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct 23.-At the open
ing of the court yesterday the defense i'm
the trial of Theodore Durrant announced
that it had finished its case and the taking
of testimony in rebuttal was at once begun
by the prosecution. The testimony was
the most important given during the trial,
as it conflicted with several vital state
ments made by DuTant while he was ON
the stand. The testimony Of DR.. Gilbert
f. Graham, for instance, is considered by
many to sweep away Durrant's entire de
fense. Graham, who is a medical student,
and an intimate friend of Durrant told
of a sensational interview that took place
between himself and the prisoner at the
county Jail on April 20.
DR. Graham was accompanied to the
prison by j. $ Dunnigan, n newspaper
man, who was asked by Durrant to retire
after he had been there few minutes
Graham said that after Dunnigan stepped
aside Durrant asked him to see his notes
of DIR. Chency's lecture in order that he
might compare them with his own. Gra-
ham demurred at first, after which he
said that Durrant stated frankly to him
that he had no notes of the lecture. He said
Durrant told him if he had the notes of
the lecture he could easily establish Il
strong alibi for himself, and urged him to
leave the notes with Mrs Durrant in order
that she might bring them to him at the
prison. DR. Graham said he refused the
request and never afterwards visited Dur
rant at the prison.
While Graham was testifying the jurors
watched Durrant closely, but he gave no
sign to indicate that he considered the
testimony Of any Importance.
The first witnesses called in rebuttal by
the prosecution We're the five trustees of
Emanuel church. While Durrant was on
the stand he testified that he was asked to
repair the sun burner at Emanuel church
on April by the trustees. The trustees
denied that they had asked Durrant to
make repairs of any kind vt the church
during March or April.
Witnesses were next called to disproye
Durrant's statement that IN tho after
noon of April II he was at the ferry for the
purpose of searching for Blanche Lamont
who he said. u mysterious stranger had
told him would cross the bay that after
noon. G. w Dodge and G. A. Dukes
medical students, said they say Durrant
at the ferry, and the prisoner told them he
was waiting for number of members of
the signal corps who We're expected from
Oakland.
A. A. Hobe, an old schoolmate of Dur
rant, testified that he saw Durrant at the
ferry the same afternoon in company with
young woman who answered the dascrip-
tion of Minnie Williams. 1t is known that
Minnie Williams came over from her home
in Alameda that afternoon, and the next
day her body was found in Emanuel
church. 1t is the theory of the prosecution
that instead of being at the ferry to look
for Blanche Lamont Durrant was there
for the purpose of meeting Miss Williams
and Turing her to her death.
E.A Glasser, "a student at the medical col
lege, testified that on the afternoon of
April 10 Durrant asked him to read aloud
his notes of DR.. Cheney lecture. Glasser
said he read his notes to Durrant who de-
voted three-quarters of an hour to writing
in his note book.
/ Thomas Price, chemist, called to give
/ expert testimony, was asked practically in
| what condition a man wound be who had
breathed Illuminating gas for the length
/ of time DulTant said he was working over
! the sun burners. The witness said IA man
would be unconscious in five minutes-the
length of time Durrant said he was en-
gagged at work over the burner. Professor
Price said the dark stain ON the sole OF
Rev DR. Gibson's shoe, which was found
in the pastors study in the church, was
only grease spot
Charles Morrison and J. II. Cooper,
newspaper reporters, told Of an interview
they had with Durrant in the city prison
on the night of his arrest. Both witnesses
testified that Durrant said he had arrived
at the church on April between anC
4:3O in the afternoon. This testimony con
flicts with the statement Durrant nov
makes, to the effect that he did not arrive
at the church until O'clock
From the present outlook the case will
go to the jury not later than the close o
next week, after having been on trial sine
July %.