The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-04-23
SENSATION IN COURT
CRAZY YOUNG WOMAN APPEARS AT
DURANT's EXAMINATION.
She Declares Herself ''an Emissnry of
God,' Sent to Judge the Alleged
Slayer of Miss Williams.

SAN FRANCISCO. April 22-For hours
before the preliminary examination of
Theodore Durant, on the charge of killing
Minnie Williams in Emanuel Baptist
Church, commenced to-day, crowd began
to gather. Policemen were stationed in diff
ferent parts of the room, on the lookout
for cranks, who have written threatening
letters to Judge Conlon. Before the court
opened, at IL O'Clock, 5000 people sur
rounded the hall and filled the approaches
When the defendant arrived all eyes were.
turned on him, and he was sketched from
all points of view by the newspaper artists
present. The prisoner looked pale and con-
cerned, but showed no emotion.
A photographer exhibited several photo
graphs OF the scene in the church. and two
enlarged pictures of Minnie williams, show
ing the wounds and the work of the physi-
clans, were exhibited. and attracted much
attention They presented a revolving
sight. Mrs. Morgan, with whom Miss Will
hams lived in Alameda, last saw Miss Will
llams on the morning of the 21st inst, and
deceased told her she was going to Mrs.
Vogeps house.
Here the name of A. E. Williams the
father of the dead girl. was called,
but in his place young wom-
an rushed to the stand and said
that no one should testify before her. She
gave the name of Williamson, and said she
would be the one who should judge Durant,
and ordered him released. The police tried
to remove her. but she would not let them
touch her.. However, she left the stand vol
unfairly after some words. She handed an
was sent by God to judge Durant The
woman was subsequently identified as
Laura Lucy Gould Williamson. Of No i1O
to be an "emissary of God" She tlisap-
peared after being removed from the court
room.
A. e. Williams then took the stand and
Identified the pocketbook found in Durants
Sergeant Burke testified to the finding Of
the pocketbook He said there was a bunch
stasad singI9 Key Key oqrne n are .s and
when he found the ring in the overcoat
pocket was missing.
Sergeant Burns thsh gave a bit of sensa-
tional evidence whicn has not come out be-
fore to-day. He said that when he in COM
pany with other officers examined the lava
tory of the wash room in the back Of the
church, just to the rear of the pulpit, they
saw bloodstains on the wash basin and the
wall just above it. Sergeant Reynolds in
charge of the searching squad, had called
his attention to the. stains.
Maggie Fitzpatrick identified Durant as
the young man who had called on her and
two friends on Mission. street, near Michi-
iiams was murdered she said he was agi-
tated. Another girl who was with her, cor
roborated her evidence. but could not iden-
tify Durant, though she identified the coat
and hat he wore Mrs. Mary Mccoy, a
laundress, testified that she saw man and
young woman near Emanual Church be-
tween and 8 o'clock on the 18th. They APP
peared to be lovers. The man was urging
the girl to accede to some proposition and
the girl seemed to be coaxing him not to in
sist. Just as she passed them, Mrs. Mccoy
heard the man say: You're a coward"
The police are confident as ever that
Durant is the murderer, and Chief of De-
tectives Lees, who has returned to this
city from vacation, after an examination
of the church. hearing reports from his
subordinates and counseling with the chief
of police, has expressed himself in
readiness to proceed with the case. New
witnesses were found to-day in the per-
sons of three young ladies, who positively
identified Durant as the man who had
spoken to them on the night of the murder
near the church between and 9:15 o'clock.
He mistook them for acquaintances and.
after recognizing his error, apologized and
turned away. Miss Williams was killed be-
tween s and o'clock that night.
A dispatch from Napa, Cal. says that
ciated with some of the Emanuel Church
people, said in an interview: "As soon as
/ heard Minnie Williams was murdered,
had been most intimate with her. and I
know that he had key that would unlock
but would not lock the side door. / have
known Durant for five years and have
with him. The important part of this
statement lies in the declaration that
Durants key would unlock but not lock the
side door Of the church. It will be remem-
unfastened in making his escape from the
scene of his crime. Church will be ques-
toned by the police.
The two murders furnished topic for
four of five ministers to discourse on yes
terday to their congregations. Durant
maintains a cheerful demeanor. He still
denies his guilt, and says he has a sus-
refuses to give the name