The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-24
DURRANT'S GUILT DENIED.
BLANTHER CLAIMED TO HAVE CON-
FESSED THE MURDERS.

The Confession just Disclosed by n
CeIImate of the Deceased in "a Let
ter Which the Survivor Claims
BIanther Put In One of His Coat
POckets-POints of Similarity in
the Killing of the Three Women
Admitted by the Police, But They
Believe Durrant Guilty.
Morgan, Tex, Nov. 23-In March last, in
the columns of the Post was noted the
death of Joseph E. Blanther alias Forbes,
who committed suicide in the Meridian
jail, in this county, on March g Though
escaping the keen vigilance of the most
famous detectives of the country. Bosque
county was the scene of the ending of his
eventful career. But developments of the
past few days bring to light even a more
startling crime, of which he is self-con-
fessed, than was the murder of Mrs.
Langfeld, for which he was hunted. While
Blanther was incarcerated in the Merid-
ian jail there was also a fellow prisoner
named Pitts, who was arrested on some
minor charge and occupied the cell adjoin-
who now lives near Iredell, in this county,
and is known to have conversed with
Blanther during his two or three days con-
finement. In a letter to Word billiard &
Word, attorneys of Meridian, under date
of Nov. %, Mr.. Pitts encloses a letter from
Blanther and says: 81 have been looking
through some papers that l had on file in
jail at Meridian and 1 find the enclosed
sheet, which speaks for itself. The papers
alluded to worked through a hole in my
pocket, hence the delay in not discovering
them sooner l now remember that
Forbes, or Blanther, asked me the evening
he took the poison at night which coat
was mine, of several that were hanging
in the cell he occupied. / never thought
further of the question he asked until 1
found the letter he wrote. l send 1t to
you for the reason that you best know
who to notify in California. l hope that
it may be worth something in the way
of saving Durrapt of California, who un-
derstand is sentenced to death for killing
Miss Lamont"
Following is the Blanther letter:
meridian Jail. To Mr. Pitts-As this
is my last day on earth, wish to say that
1 cannot die without telling truth. l
murdered Mrs. Langfeldt, also Blanche
Lamont and Minnie Williams. put this
in your coat pocket and hope you will find
it in time to save the life of Durrant 1t
may also be of service to Mr.. Womack
in getting his reward money. 1 want you
to have my watch for your kindness to
me- You have my best wishes, and hope
your troubles will end, but not as mine.
(Signed) Blanther Forbes"
The letter written by Blanther was COM
pared with a letter written by him to
County Treasurer Randall while he (Blan-
ther) was teaching school at kopperel,
this county, and the Identification is pro-
nounced to be beyond doubt. Cashier Ru-
dasill, of the First National Bank of Me-
ridian, says it compares favorably with
Blanther's handwriting while others have
no hesltancy in declaring the letter writ
ten by Blanther.
The original written confession is now
in the possession of WoSd, Dillon & Word
of Meridian, who will at once advise the
San Francisco officials of the startling
confession.
San Francisco. Cal, Nov. 2S.-No cred
ence is placed by the authorities here in
the alleged confession of Blanther or
Forbes, made in the Meridian CTeX) Jail,
that he murdered Blanche Lamont and
Minnie Williams in addition to Mrs. Lang
feldt. 1t is recalled, however, that at the
time of the killing of Mrs. Langfeldt,
about eighteen months ago, the Sugges-
ton was advanced that Blanther had mur-
dered all three, is being claimed there
were certain points of similarity in the
three murders.
At the lime of the Langfeldt murder
Durrant had already been in Jail for
year. and the police secuted the idea of
any one but the prisoner having commit
ted the crimes. The police are confident
that the Emanuel church murderer is stin
alive and in San Quintin prison.
While recognizing the possibility of err
ror, the authorities are, nevertheless, con-
vinced 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 attor-
neys, who are utilizing every available
pretext for delaying the execution of their
client.