The San Francisco call., 1897-06-01

its hower-beds and the parquets of blaz-.
ing geraniums that have given the place
fame for flowers. There was NO detail
wanting to make it a memorable scene.
Durrant's vision roamed5 over every nook
and Granny in the hills and valleys. Once
in his boy hood he had come on Sunday
school excursion to this pretty peninsula,
and the great prison seemed like blot on
the hanGiwork of nature. He had that
day roa med in company with play mates
al about these hills. while his wondering
eyes. saw behind4these walls a weird pic.
Iure of ogres and demons. ~:a:
But it was very different now. The.
slight striped fisure between the blue
coated guards was drinking his last
draught of pure. air, gazing for the last
time on the floral effects of the great gard:
ener. There were some things Durrant
could not see. The brick walls of the
building shut off the view of Mount Tam
alpais in its suit of green and foggy dia-
dem. He could not see the Tiburon hills
over which column of thick air rose a above
the big City he came from. He would
crane his neck and tiptoe, but these were
beyond his lin e of vision. But just past
point OF land to the south: the neck OF
Goat Island lay blurred and mel lowed in
the hight, and spectral ferryboat passing
and repassing might aid his ima gination
The guards allowed him to com plete the
feast. - ~: " - ~ -
Fully two minutes he stood like statue
with the eyes of half a hundred curious
watching him from the Mills above the
prison, while haIf-tho onsand convicts
watched him through the gratings of
oi = 10 tir aH Z Ivy II
signifed he was ready to go inside The
door opened and he passed within as I'M
emotional as an image in stone. Without
word Durrsnt and his keepers crossed
the floor to the oor of the Slated cage
that IS known as the chamber of death
At the threshold Captain Blrlem gave the
prisoner his hand. Dnrrant took it pas
sivelv. Good by, Durrant; will come
up to see you tomorrow" said Birlem.
Good by. captain, replied the prisoner,
and repeated the words to Captain Edgar
and Guards Jameson and Sullivan. The
big door swung closed, the lock snapped
and Durrant was in the ca that will
open again only 10 allow him to pass into
An adjoining room and up pair of stairs
to the hangman's trap.
Durrant took a chair behind the bars
while the death watch proceeded to ar
range his couch. His evening meal was
then served, and it was noticeable that his
surroundings and change OF quarters had
not in the least impaired his digestion.
He ate heartily and freely, the guards
watching him like pair of hawks. After
ward lay down on his bed. He in
spected the walls minutely, but tn ere was
nothing attractive about them; they were
clean but stained with age. Above him
and out of the reach of the tailest man
burned a gas jet. Its feeble, Pickering
light heightened the gloominess of the
situation. He sought vainly for shadow
where he might hide himself from the
guards, but the place was all alike large
square chamber in the center OF big
black apartment, house within house,
that never heard any thing but the vain
regrets of a man condemned to die. = He
was taciturp and gloomy, but never once
did a sigh or tear escape him, An hour
later he lay down to.sleep and Theodore
Durrant was alone with himself.
Guards Jones and Miller will alterpate
in their watches and sleeping Jones b as
the post of duty at. night. He is one of
the most fearless and trusted men about
the prison. From his present location
Durrant cannot see the place of execution, 4
but the door leading to it is. scarcely ten
PAGES from his cell. He has the same CELL
that his former acquaintance, Frank
Kloss, occupied before his execution on
April %. The spirit of hope that has
heretofore characterized him is still with
him. He told the guards tonight that he
expected a delay in. the executions. but
Durrantis the only man about San Quen::
tin in this frame of mind. His removal
to the death chamber came about in the
usual state of prison routine, and the re
fusaI of Governor Budd to respite him had
nothing to do with it. In fact Warden
Hale has as yetno knowledge of the Gov
ernor's action beyond what he mas read in
the newspapers. Durrant was sleeping
soundly at midnight: ....
The prisoner has given or; :ers to War
den Hale that he desires no visitors ex.
cept his father and mother. His wishes
will be respected. From this time on il is