The Topeka state journal., 1897-11-24
PERHAPS DURRANT's LAST
One More Fake Confession of the
Murder of Blanche Lamont.

murder OF blanche Lam ont.
Houston. Tex. Nov. ga special to the
Post from Morgan. Tex, says:
Joseph Z. Blanther, alias Forbes, com,
mitted suicide in the Meridian Jail in this
city on March last.
Developments of the past few days
bring to light the fact that Blanther was
the self-confessed perpetrator of even
more startling crimes than was the MUIR
der of Mrs. Langfeldt in San Francisco,
for which he was hunted. While Blan-
ther was incarcerated in the Meridian jail
there was also a fellow prisoner named
Pitts. who was arrested on some minor
charge and occupied the cell adjoining
that of Blanther. Pitts is a farmer, who
now lives near IredeI, in this county, and
is known to have confessed with Blanther
during his last two or three days con-
finement. In a letter to Word, billiard
& Word. attorneys of Meridian, under date
of November ., Mr.. Pitts enclosed a let
ter from Blanther and says:
I have been looking through some pa
pers that had on file in the Jail al Meri-
dan and L find the enclosed sheet. which
speaks for itself. The paper alluded to
here. worked through a hole in my
pocket, hence the delay in not discovering
them sooner. 1 now remember that
Forbes, or Blanther, asked me on the
evening he took the poison which coat
was mine OF several InaE were hanging
in the cell he occupied I never thought
further of the question he asked until I
found the letter he wrote. I send it to you
for the reason that you best know whom
to notify in California. 1 hope that it may
be worth something to you in the way of
saving Durrant of California, who,I under !
stand, is sentenced to death for killing |
Miss Lamont"
Meridian JaiI-To Mr. Pitts: As this is
cannot die without telling a truth. |
murdered Mrs. Langfeldt also Blanche |
Lamont and Minnie Williams. I put this |
in your coat pocket. and hope you will |
find it in time to save the life of Dur |
rant. 1t may also be of service to Mr.. |
Womack in getting his reward money. |
want you to have my watch for your /
kindness to me. You have my best wishes, |
and I hope your trouble will end, but
not as mine. (Signed)
'BLANTHER FORBES"
The letter written by Blanther was
compared with letter written by him to
County Treasurer Randele, while he |
(Blanther) was teaching school at Kop-
herl, this county. and the identification is
pronounced to be beyond doubt. Cashier
Rudasfn of the First National bank of |
Meridian says it compares favorably with
Blanther's handwriting. while others have
hesitancy in pronouncing the last as writ
ten by Blanther. The original written
confession is now in the possession OF
Word, Dillard & Word, who will notify
the San Francisco officials of the start~
ling confession.
THE NEWS IN SAN FRANCISCO.
San Francisco. Cal, Nov. 24.-No Gre
dence is placed by the authorities here in
the alleged confession of Blanther, or
Forbes, made in the Meridian, Tex, Jail.
that he murdered Blanche Lamont and
Minnie WiIliams.i in addition to Mrs. Lang
feldt It is recalled, however, that at the
time of the killing of Mrs. Langfeldt,
about eighteen months ago, the sugges-
tion was advanced that Blanther had MUIR
dered all three. it being claimed that
there were certain points of similarity in
all three murders. At the time of the
Langfeldt murder, Durrant had already
been in Jail for - ar and the epolice scout
ed a the idea of anyone but the prisoner
having committed the crimes. The police
are confident that the Emmanuel church
murderer is still alive and in San Quen-
tin prison. While recognizing the possi-
biIity of error, the authorities are never
theless convinced that they have the
right man in the person of Durrant.
The alleged confession of Blanther will
probably prove a powerful weapon of de-
fense in the hands of Durrant's attorneys.
who are utilizing everything available for
delaying the execution of their client.