The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-09-28
IS DARK FOR DURRANT
HIS ATTORNEYS OFFER LITTLE
IN REPUTATION OF THE
STATES CASE.
HIS CASE GROWS MORE HOPELESS


on and His Lawyers Seem to be
Cropping In the Dark--But Durrant
Shows no Sign OF Emotion as he sits
by His Parents Day after Day and
Listens to the Evidence Against Him
Testimony OF the Two Gas Filters.
SAN FRANCISCO, Cal, Sept. Eff Dur
rant has anything tangible upon which
to base his denial Of the charge that
b murdeced Blanch Lamont and Minnie
Williams, his attorneys have failed
to give satisfactory evidence of the
fact. After two days devoted to
testimony of the defense, the trial
was adjourned at noon to day until next
Tuesday In the meantime, however,
| the defense had disclosed enough to sat
| isfy the prosecution that Durraht's at
| torneys are groping in the dark in the
hope that something will develop within
| the next few days to save the prisoners
| life
The weakness Of the defense is made
| more apparent at this time on account Of
| the extravagant assertions that Durrant's
attorneys have uniformly made since the
| trial began. When the prosecution was en-
gagged in putting IN its case, and thesitua
| tion looked darkest for Durrant, Attor
| ney Duprey was accustomed to snap his
| fingers and remarked that he had no
| fears for the future OF his client. "We
viii clear him in three minutes" said
Duprey, "and the public will be at loss
| to understand how Durrant's name was
ever connected with the case"
The same line of extravagant claims
was continued when Attorney Duprey
made his opening speech for the defense.
''Not only will the prisoner tell with his
own lips the simple story of his life on
the day that Blanche Lamont was muir
dered, said Duprey. "but DIR. Cheney
will tell you that Durrant was at
the Cooper Medical College at
the very hour when the murder
of Blanche Lamont is said to have taken
pee. Besides that, we will prove to
,ou that Durrant never tried to pawn
Miss Lamont's ring at 0ppenheims' store.
On the contrary, we will bring forward
the young man who did try to pawn a
ling at Oppenheims' similar to the one
worn by Miss Lamont"
In view of these startling statements,
it was first believed that the defence
might have strong case held in reserve
which would pat to a severe test the case
of the prosecution. La one day, how
ever, the case of the defence crumbled
and fell Of its own weight, and to day
Durrant's alibi has not a leg upon
which to stand. DR.. Cheney, who was
expected 10 tell so much for the defense
was as strong witness for the prosecu-
ton as has taken the stand during the
trial. Instead of fulfilling Duprey's
statement, and swearing tnat Durrant
attended lecture at Cooper Medical
College On April 3, he said he had no
recollection OF seeing the young medical
student there. The denial dunno founded
the defense.
If further proof were needed on the
belief that the defense has little to offer
in refutati0n of the case put forward by
the prosecution, it was furnished to-day.
Instead Of placing witnesses on the
stand to testify TO some material facts
in connection with Durrant's alibj,
two gas filters weae called to
testify with regard to the sunburners in
the gallery Of Emanuelchur For two
hours the crowd vas bored and the jury
made tired by a long series OF questions
and answers relative to the minu est part
Of the construction Of sun burner. Not
once during the entire session was the
name Of Blanche Lamont mentioned,
nor was anything said to indicate that it
was not suit to collect plumbers bid
instead of murder trial that
vas before the court. Tie evident
purpose o. the examination, hooe ,eT,
Was to show that the repairing Of sun
burners would necessarily re-Ll. ia the
es ape of gLeat deal Of gas. This tes-
tim0Gy will be used to substantiate Dur
rants story that liz was suferiua from
asphyxiation when he came down from
the church b ,lfry, trembling an1 flushed
and met org4nist King in the audi
torium.
significant feature of the testimony
of the two gas filters was the fact that
each testified that he made an examina
ton of the sun burners in Emanuel
Church on September 81. The prOsecu-
tion interprets this to mean the defense
had nothing upon which to base "a case
until the case Of the people was nearly
completed. Only when confronted by
the actual necessity OF opening its case,
it is believed that the defense III lde an
attempt t1 secure witnesses TO testify
with regard TO sun burners. The appar
ent hopelessness Of his case. however,
produced no change in the demeanor OF
Durrant. Day after day besit5 in the court
room beside his father aud mother and
listens TO the evidence against him
W thout q sign of emotion. This stoi-
cism ou the part OF the prisoner is ouly
surpassed BY lhat Of his mother
MIS-. Durr4nt seems to have 40 c0BCep
ton Of the gravity of her sons situation
Atrired in waving piumes and a tailor
made gown, such as lady might wear at
a matinee, she laughs and chats with her
friends while the evidence that the prose
cution believes viii hang her son is be
ing put in against him. To frequenters
of the court room, Mrs DurranJ's con
duct is almost as unfathomable as that
Of her son.