The herald., 1895-05-04
Some New Testimony in the
Case Against Durrant
STORY OF A MONEY LOANER
New and Startling Testimony in the
Church Murders
The Young Medical Student Held to Answer
for the Staying Of Blanche Lamont and
Minnie Williams

SAN FRANCISCO. May 3.--The unex-
pected happened in the Durrant examina-
tion today. A new witness was produced
and his testimony put another hard knot
in the rope that binds Durrant. This
was Adolph Oppenheimer, secondhand
dealer in jewelry and valuables on Du-
pont street. He reads the newspapers
and III them he found picture OF the
he had seen one of those rings some-
where. He thought it over and rcmem-
bered that early in April young man IN
a dark blue overcoat had come to his
store and offered the ring for sale. He
looked at the pictures of Durrant in the
papers. Yes. there were the same thick
lips and the same thin mustache that he
had noticed on the man who had offered
the ring for sale.
Mr.. Oppenheimer talked the matter over
with his wife. They concluded that the
matter might rest for a few days until
things developed little. Then there
was another family consultation and Mrs.
Oppenheimer suggested that if the man
was really guilty perhaps her husband
had better speak out.
Mr.. Oppenheimer told the policeman
on the beat, but that official does not ap-
pear to have paid much attention, at
least so far as results show. AS Mr.. Op
penheimer heard nothing from the city
hall, he concluded he would 60 there
himself.
The examination was nearly concluded.
Two or three formal witnesses remained
to be examined when the dealer in jew
elry arrived at the hall during the noon
recess. He saw Captain Lees and was
shown the rings worn by Blanche La
mont. He positively identified the dia-
mond ring as the one that was offered
him for sale. Then he saw the defen-
dant as he was brought from the prison
to tie court room. No doubt about it,
that was the man who came to sell the
ring.
He was put on the stand. and when he
swore that the diamond ring had been
offered him for sale by a man in a dark
blue overcoat that looked like the defend
ant, an irrepressible wave of inarticulate
sound swept through the room. The de-
fendant was the only absolutely impassive
man in the court. 1t was the Same when
OeHtIdl DlChlIsoi oShcu MI. OppcHuclAu-
er how did he size up the man who had
offered him the ring. The dealer re-
marked that he had put him up for "a
man who lives off the earnings OF wo.
man. and the court room laughed in
chorus-all but Durrant who neither
smiled nor budged, but sat like a stone
image.
Mr.. Oppenheimer made sturdy wit
ness-one not ready to swear too much,
but steadfast ana unvarying in his
affirmation of what he knew. The only
place where the slightest breach was
opened was when the cross examining
counsel brought out the fact that such
rings as Blanche Lamont wore are cheap
affairs turned out by the bushel in a
factory. There are, perhaps. thousands
of similar make in use. On this line
probably his testimony may be attacked
by the defense later, on the ground that
such things are esasly confused and
hard to distinguish. Yet the witness is
positive in his Identification of this par
ticular ring.
When the prosecution announced that
it had no more testimony to offer counsel
for Durrant moved that the charge
against him be dismissed. This the
Judge refused to do. and motion was
made that he be admitted to bail. This
was also denied and Durrant was held
to answer for the murder of Blanche La
mont