The record-union., 1895-04-16
Special to the REcoRp-uNIoN.

Special to the RECoRD-UNIoN.
SAN FRANcIsCo. April 15.-Theodore
Durrant was to-day formally charged with
the murder of Marian Williams. The
warrant was served upon him in the city
prison, sworn to by the officer who ar
rested him with the Signal Corps squad
on Mount Diablo. The Coroner's inquest
upon Miss Williams will be held to-mor-
row. 1t will be dual investigation.
The police will produce their evidence re-
garding the murder of both girls. They
say they have more than enough testi-
mony to convict Durrapt of the murder.
Further mystery is added to the affairs
of Emmanuel Baptist Church by the re-
port that Mrs. Ella Forsythe, who has
been missing for a week, was also men,
ber OF the parish of the fatal place ofwor-
ship. Her husband, who has been search
ing diligently for her, says she left home
TO go to the beach to gather shells. She
has never since been seen or heard OF, and
IL Is surmised that she may have shared
the fate of Blanche Lamont and Marian
Williams.
The city was alive to-day with sensa-
tlonal rumOrs regarding the horrible
tragedy. one widely circulated report
concerned the finding of the remains OF
another woman IN the church. Another
was that Durrant had confessed. Both
proved TO be canards. The street in front
of Emmanuel Baptist Church was
blocked all day with curious and excited
crowd. Police and detectives spent the
day in searching every nook and corner
OF the sanctuary for further evidence
which would throw light upon the
crimes. The police believed 1t impossl-
accomplish his brutal murder without
having smeared with blood some article
OF clothing. To find some trace Of the
assassin's presence was the object or their
unsuccessful search.
The rumor was circulated in the Mis-
sion that there was a plot on the part of
residents to burn the uesecrated church.
No overt attempt at violence was made,
however, and the project was not seri-
Ously discussed by respectable citizens.
Police Surgeon summers says: M ed
ical works abound with cases of men
whose animal passions could not be
aroused without the sight OF blood. 1t
may be that Durrant is one of that class
OF human tigers. The crimes with which
he is charged appear 10 have been the act
OF man inspired by such bloody in
stincts, as the post-mortem examination
clearly proves that the victims were
killed and afterwards outraged"
2 George K. King, the organlst of the
Emmanuel Baptist Church, to-day made
the following statement TO Chief OF Police
Crowley and Detective Seymour: "On
April Sd last, the day Miss Lamont was
first missed, L Strolled into the church by
the front door at about o'clock that
afternoon, and the first thing l noticed
was that the library door was open and
strong smell OF gas lmpregDated the
atmosphere throughout the building. |
then closed the library door and locked
il, and then played the piano. This was
in the lecture-room. l had been playing.
l should Judge, some hve or ten minutes,
when Durraut came down through the
back folding doors. He came into the
room with his coat off, in his shirt sleeves.
His hair was mussed, and he looked
quite pale and was somewhat nervous. L
imagined that he might have been startled
et my presence there in the church. tie
said that he had been overcome by the
gas; that he had been upstairs fixing the
gas fixtures, and he said he was so over
come that he could barely come down 20
the library.
''At this time he asked me to go out
aud get some bromo-seltzer, and L went
to the drug store to get him some. What
he did during the time went to the drug
store do not know. When returned l
brought him a bottle of bromo-seltzer.
Then he drank dose of it, and it seemed
to nauseate him. He then went into the
other room, and asked me how he looked.
l told him he was somewhat pale, ana
that his eyes were little cOngesLed. SO
he went into the ladies' parIor, where
there is a mirror, to look at his face, and
afterward | found on a little shelf under
meath the mirror little clot OF blood, as
though he had wiped his finger on the
shelf spoke OF the gas, and he said he
hoped it would not be noticed at night at
the prayer-meeting. We then carried a
little organ from upstairs down into the
lecture-room, and he appeared quite
Hp had
times, making the remark that he was
overcome with gas. AT about O'Clock
we left the place. and he walked little
way down Capp street with me. do not
remember whether he went back to the
church or not when he left me-"
This is direct evidence of a most start
ling nature. Miss Lamont, it will be re-
nlembered, left the High School about 3
p. NJ. on the day she was last seen, April
Sd. She was seen with Durrant.
The theory now is that Durrant had
just completed his fiendish task when
seen by Organist King.
The report that Durrant, the accused
murderer, has broken down and will con-
fess is Indignantly denied by Judge a.
w. Thompson, who is acting as Durranps
attorney. "Durrant has made no addI-
tional statement, and will make none"
said Judge Thompson, somewhat tersely,
when questioned at the Morgue late this
afternoon. The young man told all he
knew yesterday afternoon" he cOnln-
ued, land has nothing more to say"
Judge Thompson has asked and re-
ceived permission from the Coroner to be
present at the inquest with stenog-
rapher, that he may follow the testimony
in behalf of his client.
In the search for motives for the crime
many curious theories have been evolved.
Even those who believe Durrant guilty
are forced to admit that it is hardly prob
able that be would have outraged the girls
after they were dead, even ii he would
have committed such a crime when they
were alive. Assuming that Durrant is
guilty, one theory for the motive Of the
murders is that the crimes wore commit
ted for the purpose of medical inyestiga-
tion.
The statement has been made that
Durrant proposed 10 a number of girls
that he be allowed to examine them for
female troubles, which he prolessed to be
able to cure. The persons to whom he
had made these proposals Indignantly re-
fused. 1t is known that Durrant was an
ardent medical student, and took great
interest in diseases of women. The
theory is that he was crazed on the SUBJ
iect, and being unable to conduct his in
vestigations in any legitimate manner,
murdered the girls for that purpose. The
condition of the bodies after they were
found would tend to carry out this line
of reasoning.
Instead OF abatlng, the excitement over
che horrible crimes is on the increase