The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-18

know the caliber of the man. Instead of
showing any sign of weakness he becomes,
If possible. more composed and certainly
more cheerful.
Yesterday he greeted his friends with a
smile and chatted with them as pleasantly
and volubly as if he had been in the
church library instead of a cell in the City
Prison.
He strictly adhered to his resolution not
to speak to any one unless the permit with
the name of the visitor was first submitted
to him. The caller was not admitted to
the prison if Durrant intimated that he
did not wish to see him or her. In this
way large number of men and women
had to go away disappointed at not being
able to obtain entrance to the prison.
Among his callers were lady and
her daughter, Mrs. Thompson and Miss
Thompson. When their permit was handed
to him his face lighted up and he expressed
an eager desire to see them. He was al
lowed to leave his cell to talk to them, and
their greeting was ELUSIVE. They talked,
laughed and smiled for about half an hour,
and Durrant seemed to brighten up Won
derfully after they left him. Besides his
mother they have been the only lady
friends who have called to see him.
Several medical students and some mem
bers of the Emmanuel Baptist Church
were also among his visitors yesterday.
They shook him warmly by the hand, each
in turn, and it had all the appearance of a
reception by some distinguished parsonage.
To illustrate the devices adopted to see
him, lady and gentleman called at police
headquarters yesterday afternoon. They
told Detective Seymour that they lived
near the Normal School, and they mys-
teriously limited that if they could see
Durrant they might have something very
no J. 4 L. lot1 cO.l-
them to the prison and Durrant was led
from his cell so they could have good
look at him. They shook their heads and
said, THAT isn't the man." 1t was only a
ruse to see the prisoner.
Durrant still complains bitterly that
Pastor Gibson has not called to see him.
lis it not strange" said he, ''that min
lister of the gospel, who would naturally be
expected to be the first to call and see one
in my position, has studiously held himself
aloof. l cannot understand his conduct.
1.-The police are bending all their ener-
gies to convict me and they are entirely
overlooking the fact that Dr. Gibson was
the last one in the church last Saturday
before the body of Minnie Williams was
discovered.
II had a good start of the police and if 1
got away out of the State before they
knew OF the murder. Does my conduct
look like that of guilty MANI"
Shortly after 8 O'Clock last night Durrant
was taken to the detectives room opposite
the Chiefs office by Detectives Gibson and
Anthony. The Chief and all the detec-
tives were in the room. Durrant was taken
into an inner room by Detectives Seymour
and Handley. They made him strip and
carefully examined his underwear and
clothes for marks of blood, but none could
be seen. Then they carefully examined
his body for any recent marks or scratches,
but the only one was the abrasion on his
chin, which he said he got in the brush at
Mount Diablo, but which Drs. Somers and
Berry thought was received earlier than
that. After Durrant was taken back to
the prison the Chief discussed with the de-
tectives the different details of the two MUIR
ders.
Durrant had just got back to his cell
when his mother, accompanied by a lady
friend and Attorney Thompson, called to
see him. They remained with him till 10
o'clock, the hour for all visitors to leave.
Both mother and son appeared brighter
than on any previous occasion since his
arrest, and their parting was loving and
affectionate. Shortly after they left Dur
rant retired for the night.