Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1895-08-01
EXpacIS ~ Prove all Alibi b,
ChaS. Clark.
Is THE WITNESS FRIEND OR FOE ?
Al Important Link in The De
fe.idm m'S Testimony.

Charles II. Clark, the travelling salesman,
who, it is claimed, will be able to prove an
! aliOi for Theodore Durrant, now on trial in
| San Francisco for the murder Of Blanche La.
mont in the Emanuel Baptist church last April
! is very well known in Portland. He first
came there in 1885, and secured a position as
city salesman in the drygoods house OF White,
Goldsmith & Co., which he retained until the
dissolution Of the firm, about ~ years later.
After thathe removed to San Francisco, where
he was employed as travelling salesman firstly
A. 5. RoSenbaum g. Co., and aftcrward by
Steinherger & Kalisher, making frequent trips
through this portion of the country. His. last
visit hes. was about two years a 90 IN the in
terest O an Eastern house, but ever since that
time he has hal correspondent here, who know
pretty well what his movements have been
Clarl'S connection with the Dlrrant cas-.
was sprung upon the prosecution. Dur
ing the three mouths that have elapsed since
the murder was discovered, the police have
been utterly oblivious of the fact such per
sonage existed, or that he had the remotest
connection with the case. Now Dnrant's at
torneys bring him into prominence by asking
that deposition mlde by Clark in Boston be
admitted in evidence. By him it is expected
to prove that the young man seen with Blanche
Lamont on the Powell avenue car on the alter
noon Of April 3 was not Durrant, but
person who resembled him very closely.
Why Clark, who is admittedly the most i'm
portant witness for the defence is now in Bos-
ton, 5000 miles from where the trial is in pro-
gress is what puzzles the police and prosecu-
ton most, and the affair has accustomed quite
sensation in the already highly sensationa.
case. The Examiner says of the Clark affaiI:
''rhe application of the defence to take the
deposition eI Clark has practically revealed
an outline of the defendants case so far as the
charge of numbering Blanche Lamont is con-
cerned. Perhaps the most direct testimony
aginst Durrant is that which will be geven by
three normal school girls, who will swear that
he sat beside Blanche Lamont on the Powell
street car shortly after o'clock on April 3.
"Another witness will swear that he saw
Blanche Lamont and Theodore Durrant near
Emanuel church few minutes before o'clock
( that afternoon. Still another will tell the
story Of Durrant's appearance in the church,
when, descending from the upper galleries
he became overcome and startled King as ifhe
had been ghost and not his most intimate
friend.
"In this chain of circumstance pointing 40
terrible crime, the evidence Of the school
girls is OF vital importance. The attorneys
for the defense realize that they cannot i'm
peach these witnesses. Nothing can be said
against them. Their intelligence cannot
be questioed, and they have a good reason
with which to explain their closeness Of OBJ
servaton when Blanche Laniont took her seat
beside strange young man on the Powell
street car.
"The defense can attempt to discredis tina!
testimony only in two ways, both will be
adopted. They can try to prove that Dunant
was in the Cooper college at the time. and
that it was physically impossably for any one
to recognize person on the Powell street car
Win buulGlgul QiaklllAhSoo " aug@SH
auent identification. Elaborate photographs
and measurements OF the corner Of Powell
and California streets have been made, and
expert testimony will be introduced TO show
that the girls must be mistaken.
Upon this basis of'what the defense hopes
is doubt TO the jury and dismay to the prose
cution, the story Of Carries II. CLARK will be
supported.
sCla,k will swear in his deposition that
he knows DuuaDt, and did know Blaneh
Lamont. lie will declare that between
and 4 O'Clock on Apnl 3, At a time subse-
quent 10 that named by the schoolgirls, he
saw Blaneh Lamont on Valencia street
car homesard bound. She was accompanied
BY a young man, who strangely enough,
looked like Theodore DurAns, but WAS not
him, Miss Lamont bowed, and CLARK an'
swered her nod by recognition.
"1his is the substance of the story which
CLARK may tell, A the defense views the
matter. /, Is the truth - the prosecution secs
lhe sto,y, It is . clever suplsriags 70 defeat
iaslics. Thee o. iouf polus IA Clafka
sioy suggest themselves - eEtsmsly
interesting, independent Of The personality
ef him Who tells them o. u ,he conditions
under which hoy aIe told
"Whls ,hs dsisnss will slnye 20 disefedll
ths lhlss .ehoolglds lhs sisn may b.
failure, u ,hs sllorasy' isl here, clafks
s,ofy still possesses significance The pos
a,r Identification " lhos young somsn
all hays ,p selgh,, hul lhss Llsib slll
swssg lbai hs sav hlaneh Lamont siisi 'hs
eds ssw hs, bssld Ms eaL soil, che s''is
masi hays sssa yosng maa sab ihsi' elsss'
ma,s. lhsy eosld eol h aislsksn 90 'hsl
.eoss saA Clad slll ssesl lhai Ais' l'sn'qHl
.ss sl,h . yosng asa moss lhaa lhss shs
sss silh yosag man eh9 lssssi 's'y "afh
lie Ihaas's psgssL bsl sss '''s' s'''