The herald., 1895-08-02
A Woman Says That He Burned
His Clothes
HIS MOTHER CONTRADICTED
Six Jurors Have Been Secured Up TO
Date
Interest Lagglng In the Trial Of the Supposed
Author Of the Emanuel Church
Tragedies
Associated Press Special Wire.


SAN FRANCISCO, August 1.-The
story, il repeated in court. may prove
disastrous to Theodore Durrant's defense
against the murder charges of which he
is accused. The new witness is a woman,
and it is said that she declares that on
the night OF the murder of Minnie Will
liams Durrant arrived home very late
and burned something-probably cloth
ing-,n stove before he retired to his
hed room.
The young medical student claius that
on the night Minnie Williams met her
targic end. he escorted two young lad!es
home from the reception at the Vogel
residence, and then went to his own
abode. on Fair Oaks street. where he re-
mained until about o'clock the next
morning.
The police have contendei all along that
Durrant strangled Minnie Williams be-
fore he went to DR.. Vogels. and after
tho reception returned and hacked her
body with knife. The story on which
they are now working follows up this
iuea.
Mrs. Durrant. the mother of the accused,
has stated that her son arrived hume on
tudt cNcutlul HlRut SUOub tu0 Sdu6 TIME
as usual and went directly to bed. This
story has just been directly contradicted
By woman who claims that she stopped
in the Durrant house that night. She
has told feminine friend of hers that
she was awakened by the noise which
Durrant made getting into the house.
~ heard nose down stairs" said
she, "made by somebody who was at the
stove. Mrs. Durrant called out is that
you, Theodore? The answer came.
Yes What are you doing down there?'
asked the young mans mother. 4 am
burning some old letters of mine. he
replied | paiu no more attention to the
matter but soon l detected the odor OF
burning clothing. 1t was not long after
midnight when this occurred and |
thought no more of the matter until |
heard that Theodore was charged with
the murder of Minnie Williams. Then
the experience of that night came back
to me. But l have kept my own counsel,
as l do not wish to get mixed up in the
nlattor.'
The police authorities are very reti-
cent as to this important witness, but
the general impression is that they have
located ner and will have her in court at
the proper time.
:. Captain Lees. chief of detectives. in
speaking on the subject TODAY, ad:a tilted
tEat he had heard the story but would
give no information as TO the indentity
OF TIE witness In fact, he denied that he
knew her.
THE only way IN which such matter
could be effective" said he. would be
to have this witness tell her story on the
witness stand. | have heard that the lady
has told the story but whether she will
tell it in court is another me- tier
The Chronicle SAYS: Charles ii, Clarke
did not see Blanche Lamont with a man
who looked like Theodore Durrant but
who was not Durrant OF Powell street
car on April Sd, the dry Miss Lamont
was murdered in Emanuel chucrh.
Therefore Clarkes deposition will not be
taken in Boston. to be used at the trial of
Durrant and the testimony OF three
young girls that they saw Durrant and
Miss .amont on the car will 20 unchal-
lenced so far as Clarke is concerned.
Today Mrs. Clarke, wife of the man
who is now in Boston, made statement
to Captain Lees District Attorney Barnes,
which proves co,lclusively that Clarke
could not have been on q Powell street car
at the time Blanche Lamont is known to
have taken her last street car ride. She
also exhibited letter from Clarke to
herself. written from Boston. in which he
stated that he was mistaken as 60 the
date.
The letter said that Clarke was riding on
the dummy of Powell street car, and
sitting close to him was young lady es.
corted by young man. At the corner
of Powell and Market streets the young
lady took transfer to Market street
car. The young man took no transfer.
Clarke stated that he saw the couple sep
arate, and heard the young man say,
Good bye, Miss Lamont" as he raised
his hat and left her.
1t is known that Clarke, on Arril Sd.
the day Blanche was murdered, was at
his mothers Ledsioe all day until 80 IN
the afternoon. 1t was therefore impossi-
be for him to have seen Miss Lamont OIL
a street car that day. Carke's mother.
Mrs. Mylras. came here from Los Ange-
les about April 1st and had surgical
operation performed. On April Sd she
was very i'll. and because of that illness
Mrs. Clarke remembers the date. On
that day Clarke arose at O'clock and
after breakfast went to his mothers
house. where he remained all day. Mrs.
Clarke remembers a day when Clarke
could have seen Miss Lamont with
man, hut it was not the day the girl was
murdered. 1t was week prior to April
Sd. AS result of these developments
the police are highly delighteh, as
ClaTke's testimony as outlined by the
defense would have seriously affected the
mn AIx<.