The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-20
WITNESS WEST RECANTS.
Admits He Was Mistaken as
to the Identity of
Durrant.
SPRINGS ANOTHER SENSATION.
Saws King and Miss Williams We're
on the Same Car With the
Accused.

One of the witnesses for the prosecution
in the celebrated Blanche Lamont murder
case, Conductor j. ?. West, has recanted
his testimony as given in the preliminary
examination, and now makes a statement
that is more sensational than anything
that has developed in what are known as
the Durrant murder cases. If this state
ment can be corroborated it will show, at
least, that George r. King, the youthful
organist of the Emmanuel Baptist Church,
knows more about the movements of Dur
rant on that tragic Wednesday afternoon
of April than he has heretofore admitted.
When West gave his testimony before
Police Judge Conian on May . in the pre-
liminary examination of Durrant on the
charge of having murdered Blanche La
mont. he stated that he saw Durrant and
Miss Lamont board his car at Powell and
Clay streets at 3 p. NJ. on April ), and that
they sat inside the car. He was positive
on this point, and his testimony was not
shaken on cross-examination.
1t was, however, in direct conflict with
that of three other witneSSes-all young
ladies-who testified that Durrant and
Miss Lamont when they boarded the car
took seats on the dummy Their testi-
mony followed that of West and caused
him so much mental and moral uneasinesS
that after breeding and worrying himself
into state of dependency and remorse,
mixed somewhat with apprehension, he
yesterday, after consulting with Attorney
Charles G. Nagle, resolved to free himself
from further mental torture by confessing,
what he called his mistake, to the District
Attorney. He stated that he testified to
Durrant's being seated inside the car
under a misapprehension, and was now
sure that he could not have been, having
been influenced 10 make this change of
opinion by the character of the testimony
OF the three young ladies.
After he had told his story he was in
formed he need not fear any harm for hav-
ing testified as be did, and he went away a
happier man than he had been for many
weeks. He was further informed that he
would not again be called as witness in
the case. This course was doubtless due
to the previous unreliable character of his
statements, for this is not his first recanta-
ton. His testimony at the preliminary
hearing had varied in important details
from that which he had given at the Coro-
ner's inquest, and when at the bearing his
attention was called to this he said he was
positive of the correctness Of his latter
statements.
DUt the sensational feature OF MS latest
knowledge and belief was developed in the
course of an interview. He was found Oh
his car yesterday afternoon and frankly
admitted his having made q mistake in his
locating Durrant and his lady companion
inside the car. Asked TO account for such
grave error, he said:
Il got mixed up between Durrant and
King. Let me explain. l am now firmly
convinced that King and Miss Minnie Viii
lams we're seated inside the car and Dur
rant and Miss Lamont on The outside. Be-
fore giving my testimony | was introduced
10 King IN the office OF the District Attor-
ncy, and was also shown the two hats
those of Miss Lamont and Miss Williams
l recognized King s face as one mad seen
before out could not then place it. l also
remembered having seen both hats. But
il was hot until after had heard the testi-
mony of the girls who followed me on the
stand that l began to think the whole mat
ter out clearly.
Then / became firmly satisfied that
King and Miss Williams were inside the
car and Durrant and Miss Lamont on the
dummy. To my mind there is consider
able resemblance between them, and this
helped to confuse me.
a. felt very much annoyed at the
notoriety l had already acquired in con-
nection with the case, and after the way l
had already testified l didn't like the idea