The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-09-21

San Francisco. Sept. 2o.-The main case
against Theodore Durrant is in. There are
some odds and ends Of evidence to prop
the carefully built structure OF ctrcun-
stances. but 10 ali fstents and purposes
the prosecution has had It's day.
Tonight after Oppenhe!m. the pawnbroE-
er had told how Durrant came TO him 10
pawn one Of Blanche Lamont's rings af-
ter Sademan the tanitor, had said that
the gas fixtures which DurTant asserted
he had been fixing on that fateful day
needed no fixing whatever. after the long
line OF witnesses had taken the prisoner
right up 10 the church door. after the
prosecution mad done its best 10 hang the
man they consider the criminal OF a CEN
tury. that mans attorneys were as merry
iarks and as confident as asseTuve men
can be. They also were silent as rocks
as 10 what evidence they propose 10 offer
10 break down an apparently inVulner-
able case against their client. Next week
you Will be Just as much with us as you
are now against u.s. said Attorney eeu-
prey. Next week YOU viii be with US,
but we are forced 10 silence now. AttoT-
ney Dickinson and Detective Morse were
equally confident. equally cheerful II y as
their manner more than what they said
that gave the listeners the impression mat
they expected to blow away all the struc-
ture of the prosecution as II il were a
house of cards or a castle of air. II they
were acting their counterfeit Of joyous
certainty IL was not 10 be distinguished
from the genuine article. This confidence
Is what now keeps those who have follow
ed the case on the tiptoe Of expectancy.
All are looking forward 10 the day. OF
far distant now. when Eugene Deuprey
shall ien 10 the jury ana the word. ~
his opening statement for the defense, Just
exactly how he expects 10 save the neck .
Of Theodore Durrant from the San ouen-
tin moose. There mas been no period of the
case awaited with such anxiety. II the de-
fcuse can make It's confidence good. there
VIII be nothing more dramatic in the an
nails or law A conviction on circums:an-
tiai evidence would be an 3mpossaillty in
the California courts after such a deuoue-
ment. for this young man, Durrant. has
been considered guilty by ninety men and
women ont Of every hundred for months
past. To have his innocence proven be-
yOnd a doubt in a few days ny a few bold
strokes OF evidence would make him the
hero OF the hour. He would be petted with
favors and peted with adulation. And
this Is Just the position IN which those Two
skilled attorneys Of his and his famous de-
tect.ve insist that they VIII place him.
The prosecution announced today that its
witnesses would he through with the direc.
examination next "Wednesday. The crowd
al the trial today exceeded in size that
of any previous day since the case opened.
The women outnumbered the men two 70.
one. Half an hour before court opened
there was not even standing room. At the
same time hundreds Of citizens were held
at bay By a squad OF police and deputy
sheriffs
Orgalist King was the first witness this
morning. His testimony consisted of re-
iteration Of the statement that he had
been playing the piano two or three min
utes in Emanuel church on April ; before
he was aware OF Durrant's presence. At
ter Durrant took the bromo-seltzer he and
King sat together on the platform of the
class room.
Frank Sademan. janitor OF the church
testified that the gas fixtures were in per
feet order on April and also on Apr.l l
and 8. The only thing wrong with the
fixtures after the workmou finished repair
Ing them at the end Of March was that
one key TO the chandelier on the lower
hoor was httle loose. emitting slight
odor. bat hardly noticeable. He met Dur
rant AZ the ferry on April y Durrant then
said 10 him that he had heard Blanche la
mont Who had hecn missing one week. was
10 cross the ferry that day with a friend
Durrant said be- was there 70 intercept
her and induce her TO return home Dur
rant said he was taking an interest ia
finding the girl. as he 'dcred the no
lice force inefficient Witness met Dur
rant az the ferry. The iauitor and King
hat KEYS 90 the front door Of the church
and The jaaitor and Durrant had KEYS 70
the rear door tie knew OF none beside
himself who had a key 10 the bClfry door
When the electrical apparatus was ont of
order Durrant had nXei it. AMI witness
ha3 cOmpi.mented him OG his succ es in
repairing IL The new lock 20 tho library
door was placed there by King and Dur
ra~t. They had explained taat they want
fE IN 81 - "A nt.v fr- K fa LcTr -f4~
~ ,he library. No orc had o key to the ~
brarv except Durrant and King
The iau.tor testified that several times O.
ha rad FOUND doors in the church un-
locked. These doors opened into interior
raorrs or closets and he had attached no
iuuo~tarce 20 their being left unlocked.
N1olVh Opncnheim. a pawnhrokcr tcs-
t}tad that between the 9Th and Ioth os
April pUrraut came 70 his store and Of
frre3 Tor sale riDE with "a small chip
diamond The witness selected ring
fra~s those identified as belonging 70
blanche Lamont. ard said that was the
ring -@rrod him by Durraut. He had de-
Cl51e3 ~ purchase it and prrrart bad
taken IL away vtfh him. The witness de-
s.ri.e1 Harraut's costume cu THAT occs-
~icu aud sl.5 ha could not he mistaken
In tha r.rg wtf-h hc identified ny a
~aaa~e ~h'ell- or top so which the dta-
wors WAS =rt Ike q star. The witness
ha3 reRer seen another r!ug Ike it
esne~ rtir0 stated that since tfst.fyiUE
az the preliminary exa0iration he haa r.-
CyiNe3 tvo letters Offering him brihss -
ruo.fIfs his testimony one % the letters
offered him So. ou cor 7itiou that he stat
81 ou the Witness stand that he could noe
positively identify purrant Tls was nor
- Seo amy cn, iu connection Wsfh the
hr#ae uutl after he had given his tesE{-
rany. when fhe money wo4l4 Be- paid 81
hl~s The second letter was ~ similar
F..r % q