The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-10-31
WILL FINISH HIS SPEECH TO-DAY
Then the Judge Will Charge the
Jury, Which viii Retire.
An Eloquent and Logical Summary OF
the Evidence and Appeal To the Jury
Made by the Prosecutor-Durrant
Sits unmoved During the Denuncia-
tion of the Criminal.

AeS barnes To-Day appeared the central
hgure IN the last scene of the trial OF
Theodore Durrant. While the spectators
in the crowded court room craned the;r
neeks 10 catch every word Of the speaker.
he delivered what is considered in MANY
respects one OF the strongest arguments
ever made TO a California jury Aside
from being logical and convincing I'm his
discussion OF the testimony. he made two
or three dramatic hy-plays that put 10 a
severe test the iron nerves of the prisoner.
or these scenes the most impressive
took place IN the early part OF
his argument. when he spoke of
how counsel for the defense had invoked
the spirit of Blanche Lamont. and voiced
her thought ny saying. Let him go free:
he harmed me not" While looking intent
~ at the frame bearing Miss T.amont's
dress. which stood near the jury box. and
telling how through the long days OF the
trial he had seen the young schoolgirl
clothed in all her innocence and purity.
Mr.. Barnes reached the climax OF the
scene. Turning upon Durrant. who was
seated only three feet away. the district
attorney. with clenched fists and in a voice
of thunder, exclaimed: II see her now.
There she stands. behind him at this ye'y
moment, not praying for vengeance for
her deep and remediless wrongs, not for
the laws retribution upon her murderer.
but with uplifted hands and streaming
eyes praying that God viii not put II INTO
your hearts. by the mockery of verdict
of not guilty, 10 set free this monster 70
prey upon other souls. pollute with vile
hands the unsullied snow of other chill
iren 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. went silently. and every
body else was thrilled with the impressive
..F tba a
Indifferent AS the district attorneys last
words were uttered the prisoner whispered
something in the ear of his mother. who
sat near him, and smiled as IL pleased at
the wit of his own remark.
Mr. Barnes began his argument ny
dwelling upon the personalities OF MISS
Lamont and purrant and outlining the
grounds upon which the state bases It's
contention that no man but Durrant could
he the murderer lie spoke in part as foi-
lows:
The individual who perpetrated the
hIdeous murder with which the delehdaht
stands charged and which has narrowed
the soul aud frozen the blood OF thls com
fnunity. Is no ordinary criminal, ana MS
crime. in every aspect in which 1t may he
considered. Is without a parallel. III Was
no, committed under blind and furious
impulse 70 revenge some real or iafcieu
wrong to his person, his properly or MS
character, nor from motives OF gam. nor
in the commission of robbery nor Yet
under the hot spur of jealousy ahat heil
of the injured lover. Ii was in every sense
a coId-blooded. vicious murder 1t was
without the slightest provocaton or ap-
parent excuse or palliation. The ASSASSIN
chose for his victim an innocent ana help-
less maiden, in years almost a chiiu' al
most a stranger in our city. a slmpie
schooIefrl temporarily residing with r
relative. and engaged in the struggle 10
obtain an education as a teacher in the
normal school. She was undeveloped IN
mind. pure in life and thought, Of simple
and unsuspecting nature, and presenting
in body none OF the qualities which are
supposed TO arouse the evil passions on
the seducer and the libertine.
.fFor the scene OF his dreadful assault
the murderer selected an evangelical
church. dedicated 10 the worship OF God,
a temple where the doctrines and the life
of Jesus Christ were taught and illustrated
in Sabbath assembly. in midweek prayer
meeting and in social gathering lie TOOK
the life Of his victim. not with the savage
mercy of the quick pistol or the silent
knife. but he tortured her with the linger-
ing process Of strangulation. driving MS
cruel fingers deep into the tender nesh or
her slender throat: and 50 fiercely did ne
do his devils work that the Stigmata of
his crime remained unsN the discovery ~
cause Of death. not only by the expert sur
gical examiner, hut by tho most uniearned
observer. What other. II any wrong, was
done her before her soul exhaled ana went
20 heaven we do not know. The advance
Taeut of natural decomposition banned IN
vestigation and made knowledge tnPos-
sfhIe b,Yt we know that. either living, or
diving. or dead. she was taken by him up
the steep stairs Of the steeple OF the bel
frv of the church. where he supported
the poor body with blocks Of wood. and
iert il there to rot in nakedneSs ana
vi Ter I'm the cool western wind that
sv-ept through the lofty sp3re. lie ND the
remains where he believed they would re-
main undiscovered and have no promise
OF Christian burial
There he left her. She was dead. bat
bs fsrcfad himself safe from detection
ard exposure. The heaven-po.ntinE spire
OF the Redeemer's church was ais oniE
confdaut and accompllce- No human
eve had witnessed the assault upon
T3lanrha Lamont No ear had heard her
first shrek OF terror and amazefnent as
this monster fell upon her. or the last
stgaed moan OF dying agony that preceded
the awful silence Of her final rest None
save the God whom he feared not. had
seen him az he extended the naked and
slender form on the belfry floor. laid fae
thgr arms across the undeYeloped bosom.
r-,,noed the head and Strengthened the
meager body in the d0v Not human
being had feheld his retreat from the aw-
f1,f r,resrnee os the death which vas MS
work. and the secret was safely locked IN
his ov-n breast There lay the speechless
and uutestifving corpse. and what was u
y,f,py 70 give HIM fcar2 T. had been net9-
ing bur a girl after ali and concerning ner
there p-os,ld he the same Oid story % which
he cou51 help 20 give cuTremcy~tne Same
old story q vanished girl. distracted
f.r,iiv an ineffective and perfuBctory
search among the houses Of iii-rspo'e.
rslugvta n conclusion mat TINS httie one.
IKE others OF Ewes daughters. had gone
10 her moral destruction. picture turned
=, he wall name never spoken, and oh
Irvfou. personal and social Tor poor. ioFt
blanche Lamont. And ne was right for
the moment. The wrath OF the Goa whose
Law ne had violated and whose temple re
had defiled. seemed 20 slumber. The mnT-
da~e- went his guilty. way, wtth his unfl-
x-73lged crime unscAtned and uu~hipped
az Justice. while hts victim lay IN the
snsre thai pointed its slender finger 20 the
SKY. as IL reproacaing its ruler Tor als un-
moving Indignation
Mr.. Barnes then related the circum-
stances OF the discovery Of Miss Lamont
tsoty and from the facts drew tHe cen
cIus.0r that she Vas murdered By some
member OF he church who mad Eeys 20
me building and 81 whom she had cona-
der,ce The murderer must have been
man whose cunning was sufhcienf 20 en-
able him 70 stife she natural feel5ng %
tirsl3ftv which always accompanies inuo-
cenee and induce her 30 20 alone with