Evening journal., 1895-10-05
DURANT IS IN DANGER.
His Defense Peters Out, and
Conviction Seems Certain.
THE AIIBI IS NOT ESTABLISHED.

Pastor Gibson Denies ON the Witness stand
That He Wrote the letters Exhibited.
Testimony as to the Prisoners Good
Character Given.
SAN Francisco Oct. 5.--If tho manner
n which the attorneys for the defonso in
lac trial of Theodore Durant are handling
their case is any Indication of the strength
II their position, the prosecution believes
the developments OF Friday leave little
doubt of the prisoners conviction. To
the surprise Of everybody the defense be-
gan the calling Of witnesses to show the
previous good oharacterof the young sun
lay school superintendent.
BY the prosecution this step is inter
preted 70 mean that the defense has intro
duced all of the evidence that IL has TO ro-
fute the mass Of testimony piled up by the
people If this be true the verdict Of the
jury Is a forcgono conclusion.
Not only has the defense failed TO cstab-
lish an alibi for Durant, but it has actual
ly strengthened the case against the pris-
oner
Miss Cunningham, the newspaper re-
porter who was threatened with imprisor-
ment because she would not answer n
question propounded TO her by the de-
fense, was called to tho stand again TO
give her another opportunity to answer
the question She refused 20 disclose the
source of her information with regard to
the nature Of Mrs. Leake's testimony, but
instead of sending her TO prison the court
took the matter under advisement until
next Tuesday. In similar case the su.
premo court OF California sustained the
position Of a newspaper reporter, and the
court is therefore, in doubt of its power
in the promises.
Pastor Gibson Called.
Rev. J. George Gibson, pastor Of the
Emanuel church, was called by tho de-
Tense for the purpose Of Identifying spcci-
mems OF his handwriting. Tho witness re-
fused positively TO identify any Of the
specimens handed TO him He said tho
writing looked like his own, but as the
document had not been in his possession
for some time, If at uli ho could not posi-
lively identify the writing AZ the re-
luest OF Attorney Duproy, Mr.. Gibson
printed the name and address Of Mrs. r.
q. Noble, Blanche Lamonts aunt. He
also wrote several specimens for the dis
trict attorney which were introduced In
evidence.
Tho writing Of Rev. Gibson will play
an important part in tho future proceed
lngs, as Attorney Duproy has announced
in his opening statement that he would
prove that Mir. Gibson directed the wrap
per i'm which Blanche Lamont's rings were
returned TO Mrs Noble.
Tho defunso summoned cx-CongresG-
man Henley and several other witnesses
to show the bad reputation of Attorney
noon of April no saw Durant and
Blanche Lamont walking toward Eman-
uel church Fifteen witnesses were placed
On the stand TO show tho previous good
reputation of Durant. Tho witnesses all
regarded Durnnt as "A model young man.
Not one-half ever heard of his doing any
thing wrong.
Tho cross examination was brief as the
prosecution expects 20 have no difficulty
in proving that Durant's immortality WAS
notorious among tho lower classes, with
whom he often associated
summed up briefly, the result of the
FIRST ten days OF testimony introduced by
the defense Is as follows:
DIR. Cheney failed 10 testify, as Attor-
ney Duprey had said he would, that Du-
rant was present at the lecture given on
the afternoon Blanche Lamont was muir
iercd. The prosecution established tho
fact that the roll call book in which Du-
rant was recorded as present at the lee
ture is unreliable, as another student is
recorded present who testified that no was
absent. To Offset these two strong points
gained by tho prosecution, the defense has
placed on the stand 65 students who testi-
fed that they did not answer to Durant
name at roll call ON April 3. As next
Monday is Labor day in California, court
adjourned until Tuesday.