The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-10-31
BARNES PLAIN TALK
A Synopsis Of His Closing Speech at
the Durrant Trial.
SOME DRAMATIC BY-PLAYS
It Is Considered One Of the Strong
est Arguments Ever Made to
California Jury-The In
different Prisoner.

central figure in the last scene of the
trial OF Theodore Durrsnt. While the
spectators in the crowded count room
cnned their necks to eaten every word
OF the speaker, he delivered what Is
considered dn many respects one OF the
strongest arguments ever made to a
California jury. Aside from being log
deal and convincing in his discussion
OF the testimony. he made two or three
dramatic by-plays that put to Sc
we're test the iron nerve OF the prisoner.
While look,ng intently at THE frame
bearing Miss Lamonts dress, which
stood near the jury box. and telling
how, through the long days of the trial.
he had seen the young school girl cloth
ed in all her innocence and purity.
Barnes reached the climax Of the scene.
Turning upon Durrant. who was seated
only three fest away, the district at
torney, with clenched fists and in a
voice of thunder. exclaimed: II see her
now: there she stands behind him at
this very moment. not praying for ven-
geance for her deep and remedyless
wrongs; not for the law Of retribution
upon her murderer, but with uplifted
hands and streaming eyes, praying that
God will not put it into your hearts by
the moclsery of verdict OF not guilty
to set free this monster 10 prey upon
other souls, pollute with vile hands THE
unsullled snow of other children, and
defy anew that God of justice, whose
| ministers you are"
Durrant was the least affected person
| In the court room. While Mrs. Noble.
| the dead girls aunt, wept silently. and
| everybody else was thrilled with the
| impresslveness of the scene. Durrant
was stolid and Indifferent. AS the DIS
trict attorneys last words were uttered
the prisoner whispered something in
| the ear of his mother, who sa. near
| him, and smiled, as If pleased at the
| wit OF his own remarks. Barnes began
sgis argument by dwelling upon the
| personalities Of Miss Lamont and Dur
| rant and outlining the grounds upon
| which the state bases its contention
that no one but Durrant could be the
murderer. lie spoke in part as fol-
| lows:
'"rhe individual who perpetrlted the
| hideous murder with which the defend
ant stands charged. and which has
| narrowed the soul and frozen the blood
of this community. is no ordinary GRIM
| inal, and his crime, in every aspect In
which It may be considered. Is without
parallel. 1t was In every sense cold
| blooded, vicious murder. IL was with
| out the slightest provocation or appar-
ent excuse or palIlation. The assassin
chose for his victim an innocent maid
en-. She was undevelcped in mind, pure
| in Efe and Thought, Of simple and un-
suspectlng nature and presenting in
body none Of the qualities which are
supposed TO arouse the evil passions Of
| the seducer and Hbertine.
For the scene of his dreadful assault
| the murderer selected an evangelical
church. dedicated TO the worship Of
God He took the life Of his victim.
| not with the savage mercy of the quick
pistol on the silent knife, but tortured
her with the lingering process OF stran-
| gulation. He hid the remains where he
believed they would remain undlscov-
cred and have no promise of Chris
| tian burial. None saw the crime save
| God, whom ne feared. as he extended
| the naked and slender form on the bell
| fry floor, laid the thin arms across the
| undeveloped bosom, propped the head,
| and straigiltened the body in the dust.
| Not human being had beheld his re-
treat from the awful presence of death.
which was his work and secret. safely
| locked In his own breast. Toe murderer
| went his guilty way. with his undivulg-
| ed crime, unscathei and unwhlpped Of
| Justice, while the victim lay in the spire
that pointed Its slender finger to the
sky, as II reproaching It's ruler for HIS
unmoving indignation"
Barnes then related the circum-
stances in connection with the discov-
cry OF Miss Lamont's body. and from
the facts drew the conclusions that she
was murdered by some member Of the
church who had keys TO the building
and in whom she had confidence. The
murderer must also have been a man
whose cunning was sufficient to enable
| him to stife the natural feeling OF tim
ldlty which always accompanies inno-
cence and induce her to go alone with
| him to the darkened church in which
they both worshipped on Sunday. Such
a man, he said, is Durrant. only a
monster capable OF taking the life of
an innocent girl. he said, could remain
cool. impass:ve and almost defiant
when accused Of such a crime.
Gentlemen" continued Barnes.
"such a man is OF such rare quality
that II confronted at last with the
proofs Of his crime. whose recital has
shocked all civilization, he could and
he would. as he has done. sneeringly
smile in the awful presence Of relies Of
his victim, torn by his hands from her
st!ffening body. and exhibit neither
passion nor emotion. neither sympathy
nor regret for tine unfortunate child he
had brought 10 a premature grave
Such a man could we'll lie in Jail await
| ing his trial for murder and clothe his
/ villainy with the mask of pretended
trust of Jehovah. whom he had defied.
| and play saint with verse and phrases
stolen from holy writ. He could listen
with gr!n compilcency when his coun-
sci struggled 10 weave the web o. sds-
p!clon and accusation around one whom
he knew to be innocent. and from the
beginning 10 the end OF his trial for the