The herald., 1895-08-17
ANOTHER ACCOUNT
How the Chain Of Damnng Evidence Was
EiiIed Against Durrant

SAN FRANCISCO, August ia To-
cal paper says the last link in the ch ain
of evidence against Theodore Durrant
has been discovered. A woman who
lives across the street from Emanuel Bap,
tist church has reported to the police that
she saw Durrant and Blanche Lamont
enter the church at 4 10 O'Clock on April
Sd. the day of Miss Lamont's disappear.
ance. The woman's name is Mrs. Eeake,
and she lives at 124 Bartlett street. She
is 70 years old and has been member of
the church for number of years. She
knew both Durrant ana Miss Lamont in
timately, and therefore cannot be mis-
taken with regard to the identity OF
either. She says she has remained silent
since the discovery of the bodies of the
two girls because she did not wish to
undergo the annoyance of being wit
ness in the Case, and did not consent to
divulge her information to the police un-
til she became convinced it was a duty
she owed to the state.
On April Sd Mrs. Leake sat at the win
dow of her residence nearly all the after
she expected to arrive from San Mateo.
At o'clock she saw a couple coming up
the street. one of whom she instan tly
recognized as Duirant, but at first she
was puzzled over the identity of the girl.
She first thought that the young lady was
Lucille Turner. but as the couple came
nearer Mrs. Leake recognized the girl as
Blanche Lamont. Miss Lamont wore a
short school girls dress and carried a
package of school books. The dress and
school books were afterwards found BE-
creted in the church.
When the couple reached the church
gate they stopped for moment. Durrant
opened the gate and they PASSED through.
Mrs. Leake, from her point OF observa-
ton. was watching item. and when the
girl steppad through the gateway she said
to herself, What an imprudent thing for
ner to do"
Mrs. Leake knew nothing detrime o ntal
to Durrant. She had always considered
him '.such an exemplary young man.
but notwithstanding that fact she thought
it exceedingly imprudent for the girl to
90 into the church with him alone. She
feared some one might have seen them,
and might make unpleasant remarks.
She imagined that they had some errand
in the church, and expected in a few
minutes they would come out. She
watched carefully, but the gate did not
Open
mere is only one entrance 10 Emanuel
church during the week, and that is by
the side gate and rear door. Mrs. Leake
knew the young people would have to
pass through the gate. and She wanted to
see them on the street again before she
left the window. She waited long tim =
but household duties finally called her to
another part of her fiat. and she was
obliged to give up her vigil.
Mrs. Leake's testimony completed the
chain OF evidence against Durrant. Three
school girls saw Durrant and Blanche
Lamont riding On a Powell-street car at
3 80 on the afternoon of the day on which
Miss Lamont disappeared. Miss Quin-
Ian saw the couple few minutes before
A clock. Now comes Mrs. Leake, who
says she saw Durrant and Miss Lamont
enter the church few minutes later.
George King, the organist, has already
testified .hat he entered the church about
o clock and saw Durrant coming down
from the attic. Durrant's nair was dis
hevelled. his face was red, he was pant
ing for breath, and was in state of utter
physical and nervous collapse. In an
sw-r to inquiries he statnd that he had
been engaged in repairing electric wires
in the organ loft and had been overcome
by gas. An expert electrician afterward 8
examined the wires, and testified that
no repairs of the nature Durrant claimed
to have maoe had been made within six
months