The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1895-11-09
THE PENALTY IS DEATH.
Durrant Convicted of the Murder of
Blanch Lamont.

Durrant Convicted of the Murder of
Blanch Lamont.
Theodore Durrant, assistant super
intendent of the Emanuel Baptist
e1urch Sunday school was on the End
convicted of the murder of Blanche
Lamont, for which he has been on
trial since July % last. The jury was
out 70 minutes, and arrived at the
verdict on the first BALLOT. AS there
was no recommendation of mercy, the
punishment was fixed at death.
1t was exactly twenty-one minutes
from the time the jury left the court
room to the time the verdict was an
nounced, but that time was not taken up
in deliberation. In fact. there was no
deliberation at all. The jury had
evi viiently decided upon a verdict be-
fore they left the box. It was 1884
when they filed out of the courtroom
into the grand jury room which had
been placed at their disposal. 1t took
the twelve men until $50 o'clock be-
fore they settled themselves comfort
ably, and at 3:55 knock on the door
announced to the anxions walters that
verdict'had been found. 1t took just
five minutes of actual time to elect a
foreman and take the one ballot neces-
sary.
The scene In the courtroom when
the verdict was announced will never
be forgotten by those who were
present.
When the jury fled in hush fell
upon the little circle that had
gathered around the prisoner. Dur
rants face, always pale. assumed
ghastly hue, and his mother was
speechless. Then the big doors at the
rear Of the room opened. and the mem
bers of the jury filed in and took their
seats in the box.
In the intense excitement which fol-
lowed, the room, although it was filed
to its utmost capacity, was almost as
quiet as if it had been vacant. Judge
Murphy, who had retired to his cham
bers, was summoned, and took his
place upon the bench. Clerk Morris
asked the usual question, as to whether
the jury had agreed upon verdict.
Foreman Warren Dutton arose and re-
piled in the affirmative. saying:
"We. the jury, find the defendant,
William Henry Theodore Durrant,
guilty of murder in the first degree"
Then, District Attorney Barnes
arose and asked that a day be set upon
which the sentence of death should
be passed upon the prisoner. Judge
Murphy said that sentence would be
passed next Friday, upon which day
he would also set the day for the trial
OF Durrant on the charge of numbering
Minnie Williams.
During the tumult which followed
the announcement of the verdict, Dur
rant and his mother were lost sight of,
except by the few who sat near them.
AS the last words of the verdict were
Durrant made spasmodic ef-
fort to arise to his feet, but before he
could do so. his mother, with half
sigh, half moan, threw her arms
around his neck and sank back into
her chair. His mothers grief seemed
to make Durrant forget his own posi-
tion, and fer the next few minutes, he
sat with his arms around her neck,
trying to soothe her. The long strain,
however, had completely shattered her
set-c0ntrol, and it was some time be-
fore Mrs. Durrant could leave the
Durrant recovered his old-time COM
posure as soon as he left his mother
and prepared to return to the county
Jail. With his overcoat swung care ]
lessly 0yel his arm, he walked leis-
urely out of the room, twirling his
slight mustache with apparently as
little concern as If he were merely a
spectator instead of the principal
figure in the exciting scene.