The herald., 1895-04-24
Weaving a Web of Criminality
About Durrant
WORK OF THE DETECTIVES
-Four Witnesses Who Positively Identify
the Accused
Strong Statements Made In the San Francisco
Police Court Under Osth-DeveIopments
:. Constantly Coming to the Surface
and the End Is Not Yet

nttle IL any aDatemenC OI lHuereSt III bne
Durrant case. and Judge Conlon's police
court was crowded today. 1t was the
second day of the preliminary examina
tion of Theodore Durrant for the murder
OF Minnie Williams.
Durrant appeared little more cheerful
when he woke this morEing. He had
had good nights rest and good break
fast frightened him perceptibly. So far
nothing new has been brought out by the
examination of the witnesses, though
several things have been brought out
which seem to make the case against the
prisoner stronger.
Another female crank appeared this
morning. She presented herself at the
prison and was admitted to Durrant's
presence and after some conversation
with him, most of which was spoken with
her mouth almost touching his ear, left
him and went to Chief Crowleys office
and said
He is not the man."
She said that she had looked at his
head and neck, and was positive he was
not the murderer. She SAID she was the
gypsy queen, the most famous mind
reader in the world She was elected by
IDe O1HCerS WlJnOuJ JrOuOle.
Mrs. Williamson. the crank who created
so much amusement yesterday. was hov-
ering around the prison again today, but
was denied admission.
The first witness this morning was
Harry Partridge classmate of Durrant's
at the Cooper medical college. Partridge
sale that he had known Durrant for four
years and had answered to Durrant's name
at roll-call on April Sth. Durrant was at
the surgical clinic but left right after it
was over and wanted Partridge to answer
for him at the other lectures.
April 8th is the day that Miss Willis.
who testified yesterday said she had rid
den on the Alameda train with Durrant
on the afternoon be is supposed to have
visited Miss Williams at the Morgan resi-
donce in that city.
Charles A. Dukes and C. A. Dodge, also
fellow students of Durrant's, testified that
they had met the defendant at the ferry
on the afternoon of the murder, and that
lie had told them he was waiting to see
some comrades of the signal corps with
whom he was going to Mount Diablo on
the next day. Saturday, and he requested
that one of them answer to his name at
roll call in his absence.
Emma Struven, young girl, was the
next witness. She said that she and some
other girls of her own age, about 16 years,
were walking near the Emanuel church
shortly after 8 o'clock on the night of the
murder, and were accosted by young
man who called to one of them by the
name of Flora and told her to stop. The
girls stopped, but the stranger saw his
mistake and excusing himself walked
away. The witness did not get a very
good view of the man. but says he looks
like Durrant from the back She told re-
porters that the man appeared nervous
and agitated, but this did not come out
in the testimony.
Miss Eva Lucille Turner tall, hand
some young lady, was then sworn. She
had known Durrant for year; they were
both members of the Christian Endeavo1
Society. Durrant had walked home from
church with her several times. Miss
Turner said that on one occasion Durrant
had spoken to her in words not those of
gentleman. Durrant wanted to make a
medical examination of her, and said he
knew of place in the church where such
an examination could be made without
anybody being the wiser. Witness told
him that her family could attned to such
matters.
Several objections were raised to this tes-
timony by counsel for the defense, but
Judge Conlon overruled them all and the
evidence was admitted.
Witness said that her actions toward the
defendant were not changed on account of
the affair, as she knew that any coolness
on her part would attract attention. but
she never felt as free with Durrant after
the occurrence. She told her aunt and
several friends of the conversation with
Durrant. She said that Durrant had
given her set of questions to answer,
and counsel for the defense submitted a
paper which Miss Turner said contained
some of her writing.
The contents were not made public.
but it is surmised that they are answers
to Durrant's queries. Miss Turner had
not discussed her condition with Durrant,
but they had alluded to it.
During Miss Turner's examination
Durrant looked very pale and anxious,
and has not shown such pronounced
symptoms since his arrest. lie listened
to every word and watched every move
ment OF the witness.
After luncheon J. P. Hodgson was
called. He testified that on Good Friday
night about clock he left his house,
which is near the church, to take stroll.
AS he passed down the street he saw a
man and girl standing together, and the
man seemed to be taking liberties with
the girl
The witness first impulse was to go
up to the couple and separate them The
man seemed to be trying to persuade the
girl to so somewhere with him. He
could not identify the man, but was al
most certain that the hat and overcoat
that were exhibited as Durrants were