Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1895-04-26
A MANIA FOR MURDER
San Franchises Rival of Jack
the Ripper.
A REGULAR CARNIVAL OF CRIME
Missing Blanche Lamont, Murdered
Minnie williams Friend, Suffered
Like Fate in the Church.


San Francisco, April 16.-The Eman-
uel Baptist church on Bartlett street,
between Twenty second and Twenty
third, in this city, has been the scene
of two of the most atrocious murders
ever committed in the state. Yester-
day the mutilated and murdered Min
ME Williams was found in the library
of the edifice. Today the dead body OF
Blanche Lamont was found in the
tower of the same church. The same
hand the authorities believe, slew both
girls, and W. H. T. Durant, the young
man suspected of both crimes, is now
in custody.
Blanche Lamont and Minnie Will
Jams were members of the Emanuel
Baptist church and members OF the
Sunday school class. The former was
pupil at the normal school on Powell
street in this city; the latter was
companion in a family in Alemeda,
across the bay from the city. Both
were 81 years old, brunettes, and pref
ty, modest girls. Both had been re-
cipie nts of attentions from a young
medical student named Durant, who is
also librarian of the church, and secre-
tary of the Young Peoples Society OF
the church.
April 3 Miss Lamont disappeared.
Diligent search failed to reveal a trace
of her whereabouts, and her aunt, Mrs.
Noble, with whom she had been living,
was totally unable to throw any light
on the affair. Miss Lamont came from
Dillon, Mont, several months ago,
having been sent to San Francisco for
her health, and at the same time to at
tend the normal school to perfect her
self as teacher The last person seen
in her company was Durant, the young
medical student, who, it appears, had
been on friendly terms with the miss
ing girl.
Saturday morning at II o'clock the
mutilated body of Minnie Williams
was found in the library of the Eman-
uel Baptist church. The girl had been
assaulted and her remains had been cut
and hacked, the girl evidently having
died from the loss of blood. On fur
ther examination it was found that she
had been gagged, the assailant tearing
part of her underclothing and thrustine
it down her throat with sharp stick,
badly decorating the tongue. Two wit.
nesses state that they saw young man
and young woman entering the church,
the former answering the descrip.
tion of Durant, and the latter that OF
Minnie Williams. Following this
clew, the police at once put the resi-.
dence of Durant under surveillance.
Chief Crowley, in speaking Of the
case tonight, after detailing the Cir
cumstances of Miss Williams digap.
pearance last Friday night, and the
fact that person answering Durant's
description had been seen entering the
church with woman who answers
Miss Williams description, said:
"Durant made his appearance at DR..
Vogel's house at about $50 or 10 P.
M, remaining there until about 1880.
DR.. Vogel states that at the time
Durant arrived at his house he noticed
that Durant was somewhat exer.
cised, and that great beads of perspira-
ton came from his forehead. His hail
was dissheveled, and he asked DR.. Vog-
: els permission to wash his hands anG
comb his hair before he made his ap
pearance where the young people were
stating to the doctor that he had just
returned from the signal corps, and
consequently his hands were dirty.
He afterward came down stairs, ant
during the evening read letter pur
porting to come from his sister, in Ger
man, and after reading the letter HI
seemed more composed.
The Rev. J. George Gibson, the pas
tor of the Emanuel church, has made {
written statement to the press denyins
rumors that he at any time sought t.
have the finding of the murdered bod,
of Minnie Williams kept quite; or thai
he was in hiding, or that he slept i,
the church. He also tells how he cam,
to find the body, in company with lad,
members of the church. He saws he re
fused to see reporters because he wanted
to aid the police and prepare a state
: ment.
: Noted Los Angeles "Fence."
Los Angeles, CAL, April 16.-Joh,
Thompson, an ex-convict, was arrested