Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-10-09
UNSATISFACTORY.
The Latest Testimony. in the
Trial Of Durrant.
DOES nut PLEASE EITHER SIDE

Witnesses Are Disappointing to Both De
fensc and PrOsecution-The Man who
Tried to Pawn a Ring at Oppenheim's
Fails to Exactly Connect with the Wishes
Of Duprey and He Tries to Impeach His
Own Witness.
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 9.-After wander
ing through n mass of unimportant wit
nesses, the defense in the Durrant case
yesterday afternoon summoned to the
stand two of the most important witnesses
that have been called since the prosecu-
ton closed its case. One Of the witnesses
materially aided the defense, from the
fact that upon cross-examination he failed
to give important testimony expected by
the prosecution. The examination of the
other witness had only just begun when
the court took recess for the day, but in
the short time the witness was on the
stand he testified to one important fact
which was directly opposed to what the
defense had hoped to establish. The most
important witness of the day was Charles
L. Lenahan, the young man whom the de-
fensc contends was mistaken for Durrant
" opptIlucllu
Always Cog Out Somewhere.
Lcnahan, who does not bear Il striking
resemblance to the prisoner, said that on
April he attempted to pawn small
diamond ring similar to the one worn by
Blanche Lamont ut Oppenheim's store.
The witness said that he askei Open
helm the same questions and received the
t,l -,
relating the conversation he had with the
young man whom Oppenheim testified
| was Durrant. Then came the surprises
to the defense. Lcnahan said he tried to
pawn the ring in the afternoon, while OD-
pcnheim testified that Durrant was in his
shop i'll the morning. Attorney Duprcy
| was considerably disconnected by the state.
| mcnt of the witness, and endeavorcd to
impcach Lcnahan 5 testimony by reading
| a letter written by Lenahan to the attOr-
neys for the defense in which he divulgcd
| that he had tried to pawn Il small diamond
| ring mt Oppcnhcim s on the same day that
Durrant was said to have entered the
place.
Suspicious OF His Own Witness.
The court interrupted Duprcy, how
| ever, and permitted him to read only such
parts of the letter rs referred to the ques.
ton at issue. Duprey then asked that the
| letter he admitted in evidence and at the
close of the struggle over this move court
| adjourned for tine day. The court refused
to admit the whole letter i'll evidence, rs
some passages Were devoted to the express
sion of the writer's opinions as to the cor
| rrctncss OF Oppenheims testimony. The
remainder of the letter was admitted
| After Lcnahan surprised the defense by
| stating that he tried to pawn the ring in
| the afternoon, Attorney Duprey became
| very suspicious of the witness and asked
him several questions intended to indicate
that he had transferred his sympathies
from the defense to the prosecution.
| Disappointment for the Prosecution.
Duprey also asked him when he had
shaved off his mustache that he wore when
he entered Oppenhcim's shop. Lcnahan
said he had never worn Il nhistaclc in mis-
| life. Duprcy intimatcd that he would
impeach the testimony of the witness on
this point by a statement contained in the
letter written by Lenahan to the attorneys
for the defense. W. \. Dukes, a student
at Cooper medical college, who was cx-
pected to give strong evidence for the
prosecution, gave disappointing testimony.
Dukes said that Durrant asked him if he
could not remember that lie attended DIR.
Chcncy's lecture on the afternoon
of April 3, and to that end
recalled number of incidents
said to have taken place at time. Al
though Dukes seat in the lecture room
was next to Durrant's Dukes could not
remember whether Durrant was there or
not, and told him so.
| Print of u Number Nine Shoe.
| Dukes said ii was untrue, as had been re.
ported that Durrant asked him rs favor
that he would offend the lecture. On the
contrary, Dukes said that Durrant told
him he wished him to testify only to the
facts as he remembered them. IN. +
Marshall, a reporter on "a morning paper,
testified that on April ii Detective Gibson
who discovered Blanche Lannon'S body in
the belfry of Emanuel church, told him
that he SAW the prints of number nine
shoe near where the body lay. Durrant
wears "A smaller shoe.
Reporters Arc Privileged.
In the case of Miss Carrie Cunningham.
a newspaper reporter who refused to dis
close the source of certain information
relative to the nature of Mrs. Leaks testi
mony. Judge Murphy ruled that the wit
ness was right in refusing to answer the
questions. Miss Cunningham was there
fore not punished for contempt
Democrats Garry indianapolis.
INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 9-The municipa
contest excited much interest here and ,
full vote was pollcd. The returns from
thirty-five OF the lS3 precincts give Tag
e.,