The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-04-26
in Defense OF DURAN1
His Attorneys Seek to Drag DR.. Glib.
son Into the Case.
THE TELL TALE HANDWRITING
Expert Monteith Discovers Ciew That
Strengthens Durnnt's Cnuse-TheO.
rics Advanced rs to DR.. Gibson's
Part In the Affair.

San Francisco. April 25.Dr. Gibson
was again called to the stand on the
| resumption of the Durrant eXamina-
tion this morning. He was asked for
II specimen of his handwritings, but
| declined to give 1t, After some tilt
| with counsel for the defense. however,
| the witness finally wrote his name on
| piece OF paper. and, at the request OF
| the counsel he also wrote the name of
George King and of professor which
Were In the newspaper In which the
| rings of Blanche Lamont We're en-
closed. 1t was evident from this that
the defense We're trying to connect DR..
| Gibson with the Lamont tragedy
The witness Identified the chisel and
hammer introduced by the defense as
| his property, He testified that they
We're kept in drawer In his study.
on being questioned as to his connec-
| tion with st. Andrews Baptist church,
Scotland, witness stated that he could
not remember the name of the street
upon which 1t was situated, although
he had lived there three years. He was
asked to give the location in the Eman-
uel church of the wash basin in which
that it was very close to his study.
He further stated that ne supplied the
| towels that were used and that they
We're kept in an unlocked drawer in
| the study.
DIR. voScfs Testimony.
The defense believes that 1t has case
against the Rev. DR.. Gibson. and 1t will.
it is said. try to show that he, and not
Durant. killed Miss Williams and Miss
Lamont. 1t was in support of this
theory that Dr. Gibson was asked to
| give Durant's counsel specimens of his
writing this morning. George Mon
teith, a well-known attorney, discov-
| cred what led to this line of investga-
tion. on the morning after the finding
of Minnie Williams body, the Call pub
| lished fac smile of names, written on
the margin of paper sent around the
rings, and returned to the dead girls
aunt, Mrs. Noble. Monteith is an ex-
| pert on handwriting, and says he dis
| covered pecularities in writing which
! showed that both We're written by the
! same hand. He reported his discov-
| cry TO Durants counsel and 1t Is said
| their investigations have satisfied them
| that Durant's case has received great
| deal of strength from 1t. Monteith was
| in court this morning when Gibson sub
mitted his specimens of writing, and
says that the additional specimens make
| the resemblance between the preachers
writing and that on the paper wrapper
| more remarkable. 1t is said that the
! defense will accept the police theory
| that the murder was committed at a
different time from the mutilation
should it follow this line of defense
| The idea has been that Durant wrote
the names found on the paper wrapper,
| and that in doing so he tried to initiate
| the writing Of Organist King. The
alleged discovery of the defence puts
this in different light.
| DIR. VOgers Testimony
DR.. Vogel at the examination this
! afternoon repeated his testimony taken
| at the inquest. He testified as to the
meeting at his house Friday evening
April IL, and the condition of Durant
on his arrival about $50. Witness saw
him when he entered. When he got to
the top of the stairs was perspiring
Witness did not remember exactly
|
allowed to wash his hands. On cross
examination he was asked whether he
saw anything unusual about Durant's
request to wash his hands. Vogel
said he did not, except that Durant
| looked heated.
DIR. Gibson closed his testimony by q
| corrected statement from that made
yesterday, to the effect that the library
door was locked with the old lock on
his first visit before the discovery of
the body. He had stated 1t was un-
| locked.
w. McElroy, another new witness,
| testified he saw a. man meet a woman
at $50 o'clock Friday evening near the
church. The couple stopped at gate
leading to the street entrance of the
church. While waiting for friend,
Bert Minna. he say a light in the rear
of the church, moving as If from a can
die or lantern. Minna corroborated
McElroy's statement. District Attor-
ney Barnes expects to conclude the
| examination tomorrow. In