The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1895-04-25
A MANIA FOR MURDER
San FranciScO'S Rival of lack
the Ripper.
A REGULAR CARNIVAL OF CRIME

Missing Blanche Lamont, Murdere.
Minnie Williams Friend, Suffered
a 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 seen,
of two of the most atrocious murder
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 O.
tower of the same church. The same
hand the authorities believe, slew both
girls, and w. II. T. Durant, the youne
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 a
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 Miss Lamont disappeared
Diligent search failed to reveal 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 thrusting
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-
ton 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 disap-
pearance last Friday night, and the
fact that person answering Durant's
description had been seen entering the
church with a woman who answers
Miss Williams description, said:
"Durant made his appearance at DIR.
NO&G1 . uOuSO dG dDOuU O.OV VI IO L
M, remaining there until about 1870.
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 hair
was dissheveled, and he asked DR.. Vog-
els permission to wash his hands and
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, and
during the evening read a letter pur-
porting to come from his sister, in Ger
man, and after reading the letter he
seemed more composed.
The Rev. J. George Gibson, the pas
tor of the Emanuel church, has made a
written statement to the press denying
rumors that he at any time sought to
have the finding of the murdered body
of Minnie Williams kept quite; or that
he was in hiding, or that he slept in
the church. He also tells how he came
to find the body, in company with lady
members of the church. He says he re-
fused to see reporters because he wanted
to aid the police and prepare state
ment.