The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-26
The Pastor Questioned as to
s. Samples of His Hand
j.. writing.
HIS RELATIONS WITH DURRANT.
A New Witness Is Brought Forward.
Prosecution to Close
To-Day.


hearing yesterday.
DR.. Gibson was recalled TO the witness
stand and his testimony opened the morn
ing session of the court He had evidently
forgotten Judge Conlan's sarcastic lash,
under which he writhed the day before,
and the finely cut innuendo of Deuprey
and Dickinson had seemingly been erased
from the tablet of his rather cratic memory.
AS he stepped on the witness-stand his
manner betrayed considerable nervousness,
and when put on the rack OF cross-ex-
animation further indications of a per-
turbed condition OF mind were not want
ing. His answers came snapplshly-ln
some cases savagely, and as Dicklnson's
suggestive questions forged link by link
into a long chain of insinuatiOn weighed
on his mind he threw back his head
angrily, and as Dickinson proceeded to
tighten the inquisitorial thumbscrews his
whole manner became bitterly defiant.
1t is no marvel that the minister grew
angry under the searching questioning OF
the defense. The inquisitor was rigid and
the torture keen. In the tones OF DlckIn-
son there was a sarcastic draw, IN his
small penetrating eyes an expression OF
mirIh and IN every question propounded
70 the suffering divine something more
than an insinuation OF completely in the
foul crimes charged against the young
medical student, Theodore Durrant. If
anything was needed TO make the dlscOm-
future OF this ministerial witness complete
1t was found in the hypnotic gaze OF Deu-
prey, which was fastened on the reverend
gentlemen with peTslStency that would
indicate the lawyer desire to explore the
Utmost recesses of the minister's soul IN
the hope of finding something new 10 be
offered in evidence.
The conduct OF DR.. Gibson since the in
ception OF this inquiry into the Emmanuel
Baptist Church tragedy has been the sub
jeCt OF much unfayorable comment, and IN
some quarters OF the harShest kind OF
criticism. No one can deny that his course
has been impolitic, manifesting a Woeful
dearth of practical kuOwledge; but the
candid censor must take into consideration
the character Of the man, nodded as 1t was
IN an environment OF pastoral quletude,
and finding little sympathy with those
whose duty 1t IS to ferret out the dark
crimes Of q great city.
DR.. Gibson has never been at a coroner's
inquest or in a police court before IN his
life. He Is wholly ignorant OF the methods
OF criminal procedure. When the body OF
Minnie Williams was found murdered in
. the church ii never occurred 10 MIN that
the police should be notified. He thought
first OF an undertaken.
When questioned by the reporters he
answered evasively or refused TO answer at
all. It should not be forgotten in this con-
nection that he had been previously in
structed by the police 10 keep his mouth
shut" and that in his own country giving
information TO the press after police
prohibition in criminal cases is liable to
severe punishment.
In worldly matters DR.. Gibson is a child.
He is not a metropolitan minister with an
experience touching all sides Of life. Born
-. Z Il
Gated in the ClOister-like seclusiOn OF q
theological school near London his pas
tOral experience, brief and uneventful, has
been confined TO an unlmpOrtant parish in
England and country towns In California.
Once, while occupying the Baptist
church pastorate at Red Bluff he was &C
costed by q drunken man in the street who /
insisted on a fight. The reverend gentle
man straightway took 10 his heels, and the
town boys still remember the day when
they saw the dignlhed pastor Logging it
down the principal street as though puT-
sued by the "Old Nick" himself.
Men hardened by experience, who can
look unmoved on the nude and mutilated
form OF murdered girl, cannot, or will
not understand why man should shud- |
der at the mere thought of such a scene.
4 break occurred to relieve the monotony
OF the tedious and interminabIe question !
lngs on the same points, near the close of
NOgel was on the stand. Counsel for the
defense had asked him if he thought he
could remember and identity the clothes
worn by Durrant on the night Of the
Young Peoples meeting at the witness
home. That was on the fatal FRIDAY night
when the poor girl lost her life in such a
horrible manner in the desecrated and !
blood-stained edifice on Bartlett street.
DR.. Vogel was in doubt, and General
Dickinson asked Durrant 10 step out where
his old friend and whilCm associate could
get q full view of his attire. 1t was right
fully inferred from this instruction on the
part Of counsel that Durrant was dressed
the same as on the night OF the gathering
at DR.. Vogel's house.
a general movement among the specta-
tors followed. There was a craning of
necks and shifting OF positions and every
eve in the courtroom was directed toward
the prisoner. The stiffness which ensued
was as though every breath was being held,
only to be broken by the soft tread of the
accused as he left his seat beside his coun-
sci and walked over TO an open space
almost directly in front OF the witness
stand and very close 10 the press table.
1t must have been painful moment
for Durrant-not that there was any par
ticular significance attached TO the wit
ness ability or failure to identity, his
habiliments, but because he must have
realized that hundreds of keen, curious
and coldly critical eyes were fastened on
him and that in the minds Of many his
guilt or innocence, perhaps, would be
Judged according to his manner and con-
duct, even to the futter of an eyeGd or the
trem bling Of a finger
But he withstood the trying ordeal as he
has met all his trials. He was perfectly
natural and collected. AS he looked his
former friend strai ght in the eye an open
and frank smile lighted up his countenance
and warm color was in his cheeks That
smile and glance seemed to say to the mau
who stood before him, How strangely al
tered are our relative positions since last
we met; and it might have said further, |
Il don't think, old boy, that you can re- !
member what l wore that night at your |
house" And the doctor could not re-
member, and, so saying, was soon after |
dismissed from the stand.
Durrant resumed his seat as seIf-pos- |
sessed as though just returning to his |
studies after q recitation or class examina- !
ton in the college hall or schoolroom.
The examination was opened by the |
recalling OF DR.. Gibson by the defense.
Whose handwriting is the entry on that
blackboard? ?" asked General Dickinson,
handing witness a small blackboard eight