The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-11-02
theodore Durrant is Adjudsed Guilty of the
Murder Of Miss Blanche Lamont.
taE VERDICT OF THE JURY MEANS DEATH
The Look on the Face of the Con.
demned Man Was One OF Defiance,
b"t thc FlystericRI Sobs of His
Mother Softencd His Heart and IFc
Ciasped Her I'm "a Fond Embrace.

zen idHGlSCO, S3l., NOV 1.-IhGO-
dore Durrant murdered Blanche La
mont.
That was the verdict of the jury in
the case this afternoon. The jury
were out twcnty-cight minutes. The
verdict was received with a shout of
applause from the auditors who pack
ed the courtroom. The closing scenes
OF the great trial were full of dramatic
interest, pathos, and excitement.
The District Attorneys pcroration
was an able effort He said he had
struggled to suppress his feelings Of
repugnance to the defendant. and to be
absolutely fair to him. and to lay aside
his feeling of horror and dctestation
wnieh hindered and oppressed him. He
confidently asserted that nothing had
been stated in his address to the jury
which had not been proved by coinpe-
tent evidence. Link by link the chain
mad been welded until ii had been
shown beyond doubt that Durrant had
murdered Blanche Lamont OH April Sd
by strangulation. The charge of Judge
-A1urphy occupied :, little over an hour
In delivery. Before he began ii General
Dickinson. Durrant's counsel formally
objected to the portions of Barnes adj
dress abusive IN their nature, but the
Court considered them proper.
The charge was II cold statement of
the law unrclievcd by any side disser-
tation. 1t was very fair and covered
the ground OF alibi. circumstantial evi-
uence ana motive completely. The mo-
tive would not necessarily need to be
shown. as ii might not appear on the
surface. Circumstantial evidence as TO
motive would apply as to other points
in the case. He stated the California
lew as To murder in the first degree,
which involved one whose death result
ed to victim OF criminal assault,
whether the killing was or was not med
itatcd.
AS soon as the Court completed the
charge, Dickinson took an exception on
the ground that His Honor had not
read the instructions submitted as the
defense had written them. The jury
was then given in charge of two Deputy
Sheriffs and conducted 10 the jury room.
Suppressed excitement was manifest
ed throughout the court room and the
corridors outside during the wait which
succeeded the departure of the jury.
There was great deal Of speculation as
10 how long the jury would remain out.
The opinion among those who had fol-
lowed the trial was that an agreement
would be soon renchcd. but owing to the
mass OF evidence il was thought pos
Sible that the jurors might remain out
all night. The result showed that the
jury men had already digested the evil
dcncc ana that the overwhelming case
which the prosecution had piled up
against the accused had left them no
option and not even room for doubt.
The jury, upon reaching the room, Sc
1cctcd Warren Dutton for foreman and
murder III the first degree. Word was
Immediately sent to the court room and
Judge Murphy sent for the jury While
this was going on Durrant sat in the
courtroom beside his counsel, convcrs-
ing with his mother and several OF her
lady friends
as soon as Mrs. Durrant learned that
the jury was coming in, her dcmcanor
changed from one of gaity and Il lool,
OF dread came TO her face. which was
it,
stoically watched the jurymen as they
TOOK their seats as il to Sct from their
FEATURES the import of the verdict which
their early return Dortcnded
AS FOREMAN Dutton pronounced the
verdict of guilty of murder in the first
degree, the large audience which had
listened In perfect silence for the words
Whlch he was TO utter, rose and uttered
Il Eeil which echoed far out in the corri-
dors.
Most of those in the audience v,oro
women. The cries which went M
from them fell upon the ear OF the
convicted murderer's mother like n blow
hlu IL seemed to bring her first reali-
Zation Of the force of the words of the
Jury'S foreman. Her face was nvertnd
US ne mad ncrved herself for the ordeal.
Dut though possessed Of marvellous cour-
age q cry burst from her lips followed
Dy Il hystcrical outburst of sobs.
As ne listened intently to the words
ie' 't''ici his latc Durrant partially
rose from his seat The look on his
lace was one Of defiance, and IL was
apparent that he had IL in mind 10
haaress the jury. The first cry from
ms mother changed his mind. If he had
such intention. He sat down, turned
10 ms mother. and took her fondlv i'm
ms arms. She rested her head on his
shoulder, and with his left arm about
ner slender form. he held her In a
lender embrace, patting her with his
iett hand, and with his right stroking
ncr hair. He seemed oblivious 10 tho
!act that verdict which meant death
TO him had beer returned: oblivious TO
everything except the weeping woman
VINO had sat patiently by his side
through the long trial. cheering him
Win words of hope. ] f his display was
or nerve II was marvellous. and ir of
callousness to any but nlial sensation
1t was equally marvellous
The triumphant shout from 50O
throats in the court room had been
hushed by the hailiffs. and n hush fell
upon the crowd when Judge Niurphv
began to address the jury He assured
them that they had his thanks for the
manner in which they had performed
their duty, and he believed they would
have the thanks OF the entire commu.
nifty. AS the jurymen marched by Dur
rant and his mother, they all looked
sympathetically upon the sad picture