The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-04-20
Verdict of the Coroner's jury
In Minnie Williams Case.
NERVE OF THE ACCUSED MAN.
As Si0,id as a Craven Image While
Listening 10 the Evidence.
Two Men and a Girl Give Damaging
the Police Have More in Reserve
Young Wolfe Cleared OF All >us-
picion.

San Francisco. april l9.-Theoiore Dur
rant has found that the evidence against
him. which he has been rather sconing
at IL strong enough 10 convince a jury
that he Is guilty Of the murder in Eman-
uel church. The c0r0ner's jury found
that Minnie Williams came 70 her death
al his hands. and there Is more against
him than was produced at the inquest.
4 corOner's verdict Is not a very serious
thing. as IL neither convlCts nor aCqUiis.
but II there was evidence enough 10 cun-
vince the twelve men who sat in Cor
ner Hawkins Office of his guilt, the prob
ability of there being enough 80 produce a
similar impression on the twelve men
whose verdict will mean death or life 20
Theodore DGrrant suggests itself. But
the significance OF the verdict did not
bother the accused man. He had not
curiosity enough 10 desire 10 wait 10 see
what the jury would do. but went hack
10 his cell as sooa as the coroner would
let him.
There was testimony introduced drriug
the last hours OF the inquest that appalled,
those who heard IL but il did not appall
DurTant. lie listened 20 the recital Of
the bloody savagery Of the slaughter OF
Minnie Williams with no more emotion
than he would display a Il college lecture.
When the worst was being told and there
was present on everybody's mind the pie
choked, bleeding. fightihg for her iife in
the dark church. Durrant was naturally
the object OF every eye. Tie sat there
ostentatiously absent-minded. neither in
terested in the story nor In its effect upon
his fate.
There was a great deal OF evidence that
was not presented to the jury. For in
stance. all the circumstances that point
to Durrant as the slayer of Blanche La
mont had TO be left ont as not bearing on
this particular case. IL Is the policy OF
the police to introduce only such evidence
as is absolutely necessary in advance Of
the trial
The first thing done al today's session
Of the corouers court was 20 clear Elmer
Wolfe Of the suspicious that had been
directed toward him on account OF al
legged discrepancies In his story and the
finding of the purse on San Bruno road.
The testimony OF DR.. Nogel and Wolfe's ;
statement were ali that was required for
this purpose. Wolfe was al the party at
Vogel's house from shortly after O'Clock
TO nearly midnight on the evening that
Minnie Williams was killed. and went
home directly after
Two OF Durrant's fellow medical stu
dents gave evidence that hurts his case
seriously They met him at the ferry.
where, according TO fhe prosecution. he
was waiting for Miss Williams, and he
asked them to answer for him at the~,ol-
lege roll call next day. so as 10 make IT
appear that he was there. About the
hardest blow of the day was dealt Dur
rant by dainty hands Miss Frances VIII
lis the prettiest girl the grim old morgue
has seen for many year. told OF meet
ing Durrant in Alameda a few days be-
fore the Williams murder Minnie Will
Jams told her guardian Durrant had call
ed on her at Alameda and made an ap-
pointment TO meet her in San Francisco.
In his statement Durraut denied this, and
said he had not seen Minnie Williams for
three weeks before she was found dead.
Miss Willis corroborates Mr.. Morgan. the
murdered girls guardian.
The autopsy physicians ghasFly state
ment and the testimony of the coroner 5
deputies, concluded the inquest. Durrant
yawned as the coroner instructed the
jury. and really seemed TO be bored with
the whole proceeding. 1t did not take
the Jury a great while 10 declare Theo-
dore Durrant the murderer of Minnie
Williams.