The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-10-11
POINTED QUESTIONS
Durrant Sharply Inkrrogatsd by Dis
tiet Attorney Barnes.
HE FLlNCHED NOT ONE WHIT
Waiting at the Ferry for Blanche
Lamont. Who Never Came
The Mysterious Man Who
Gave the Prisoner a Clew.

truth that has surrounded Theodore
Durrant's head on account of the prom
inent position he held in Emanuel Bsp-
tist church was dispelled to-day. I'm
der the rigid cross-examinatlon of Dis
trict Attorney Barnes. Durrant did
more to convict himself Of the murder
of Blanche Lamont than any Of the
witnesses who have testified against
him have done. The young assistant
Sunday school superintendent even
went further than that and proved, to
the satisfaction of the most casual list
ener. that he was deliberately perturing
himself. Under the rigid cross-enami-
nation of District Attorney Barnes to-
day. Theodore Durrant made a number
of answers that are regarded as decid-
edly incriminatlng, inasmuch as they
appear to be in direct conflict
with well established facts. Be-
sides that, he gave an explanation OF
a clew regarding Blanche Lamonts
disappearance. said to have been re-
ceived by him. that was SO palpably
false that everybody In the court room
laughed aloud. The sitting atmosphere
of the overcrowded court room came to
Durrant's rescue. and he was enabled
to recover from his confusion during a
short recess that followed.
When he again came to the stand he
had his old-time seh-assurance at his
command. and remained calm during
the most trying ordeals. Without a
tremor Durrant handled Blanche La
mont's torn clothing, which was found
hidden away in the crevices Of the bel
fry. and denied that he secreted the
garments. Even the grewsome model
bearing the waist and skirt worn by
Blanche Lamont when she was muir
| dered did not affect him, although 1t
stood within three feet of where he
was sitting. But the prosecution was.
nevertheless. well satisfied with the
days work. for 1t had accomplished
what had never been done before
Durrant. for a moment. had lost his
wonderful self-possession. and had
been caught in number of barefaced
untruths. The maze In which Durrant
lost his bearings and disclosed the
tact that he was perjuring himself was
| In telling about the-afternonn hs- spent
at the ferries, waiting to see II Blanche
! Lamont would appear. Two days be-
fore the body Of the young woman was
| discovered, Durrant said he obtained
q clew to the effect that upon that af-
ternoon she would cross the bay to
Oakland. District Attorney Barnes
asked him where he obtained the clew.
Durrant said that as he was standing
at the corner of Market and Montgom-
cry street a man whom he had
never seen before and whom he has
never seen since approached him and
asked him II his name was not Dur
rant. The prisoner replied in the af-
frmative. The stranger then asked
Durrant II. In view of the fact that his
name had been unpleasantly connected
with the disappearance of the girl. he
would not like to find her. Durrant re-
piled that he would be overjoyed even
to obtain trace of the missing girl.
Watch the ferries. then. this after
noon." said the stranger, "she will try
to cross the bay. That is my advice"
When questioned by the district at
| torney. Durrant said that, although he
| was greatly interested In finding Miss
| Lamont, he did not ask the stranger
| his name, his residence or for any ad-
dltional information other than that
which was volunteered. He went to
| luncheon and from there to the ferries
where he remained until o'clock with
out having caught glimpse of the
| missing girl. While he was waiting,
| however, he saw three medical stud
ents and an old school mate. To one
| of the men he said ne was waiting to
see IL he could not find Miss Lamont.
| To the two others he said that he was
waiting for several members Of the
signal corps who were coming over
from Oakland. The fourth man testi-
fed that he saw Durrant accost a
school girl whose description answered
that of Minnie Williams who was MUIR
dered that night and ride away toward
| the Mission on a Howard street car.
| When Durrant was asked IL he told
| two of the students that he was walt
| ing for some members of the signal
corps. at first he replied that he did
| not. In a moment he remembered that
| on a former occasion he admitted the
| conversation. and then he replied in
the affirmative.
| District Attorney Barnes asked Dur
rant why he abandoned his search at s
| o'clock to make preparations 10 go TO
Mount Diablo on a pleasure trip II he
| was so deeply interested in the disap-
| pearance OF Miss Lamont. Durrant re-
piled that ne had made preparations
| to go on the trip and did not think II
was necessary to remain at the ferries
any longer Mr.. Barnes asked him II
he told anybody else of the clew given
| him by the stranger. so they could
continue the search. Durrant said that
| he had had no opportunity TO tell any
| OF Miss Lamont's friends. When ques-
toned closely Durrant admitted that
he attended a meeting OF the Young
Peoples society the same evening.
where he saw several OF Miss Lamont S
intimate friends. Among Others was
| Thomas Vogel. who Durrant had said
a moment before was more interested
In the disappearance os the young wo-
man than anybody else except Mrs.
Noble, her aunt. Durrant admitted
| that he had a private conversation
with vogel. but did not think TO tell
him about the clew he had obtained.
After the short recess during which