The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-10-30
DfSSECTS DURRANT.

District Attorney IsarnHs Delivers a
Searching Arrangement of tho Criminal.
SAN Francisco, Oct 30.-District At
torney Barnes to-day made the closing
address in the Durraut case. He said:
''I he individual who perpetrated the
hideous murder with which the de-
PENDANT stands charged ami which har
rowed the soul and froze the blood of
this community is no ordinary criminal:
AID his crime IN every aspect in which it
may be considered ia without parallel.
ut was not com mitted under a blind
and furious impulse TO revenge some
real or farcied wreng to his person,
his property, or his character. nor from
motives of gain, ncr in the commission
of robbery, nor yet under the hot spur of
jealcuJy. Il was in every sense cold
Dlooded, vicious murder.
sit was without the slightest provoca-
ten or apparent excuse or paIlia,ion.
The assassin chose for his victim
ah innocent and helpless maid
en-. She was undeveloped in
mind. pure in life and thought. of simp pie
and unsuspecting nature. and presenting
il body none of the qualities which are
supposed 10 excite the evil passions Of
the betrayer and he liberlinc.
For the scene of his dreadful assault
the murderer selected an Evangelical
en- orch dedicated TO the worship of God.
lie took the life of his victim, not with
the savage mercy of the quick pistol, or
the silent knife, but he tortured her with
the lingering process of strangulation,
driving his cruel fingers deep into tho
tender flesh of her slender throat and SO
tiercely did he do his DEVILS work that
the stigma Of his crime reRalned until
The discovery of her corpse clearly dis
cernaLIe as the cause of death, not only
bv the expert surgical examiner, but the
niosE uniearned observer.
~ bat other, If any wrong was done
before Ter soul tXaaled and went to
heaven, = c do not know, The advance
ment of accommodation bGffl I'd investig2-
ton and made knowledge impossible,
bat we do know that either living
Or dying. or dead, she vas taken by him
up the steep stairs of the befry of the
c.lcrcn, w-nare he supported the poor
body with blocks of wood aud left it
thoTe to rot in nakedness."
Mr. Barnes then related he circum-
stances in connection with Miss Lamonts
body. aud from the facts drew the con
ciusiou that she Was murdered by some
member of the church who had keys
10 the building aad in whom she
had confidence. The murderer
must also have been one whose cunning
natural feeling OF timidity which always
accompanies innocence, and induce her
20 70 alone with him to the darkened
churcn in whscn they both worshiped on
Sunday.
Such Z mar, he said. is Theodore Dur
rant. Only mons er. capable OF TAX
ing the life of an lnnoceat girl, he snid,
could remain Geo, impressive and almost
defiant when accused OF sucn crime
"Durrants testimony is d mass of con-
Predictions from beginning 10 enc" said
Mir. Barnes. Not only has ne contra
dicted the testimony of the prosecutions
Witnesses. but be contradicted the testi-
mony Of his own. We submit to you,
gentlemen, that there is nothing in the
testimony Of the defendant or any wit
ness presented by the defense to estab-
fish the ali0i that the defense has tried
! 10 build up in this case"