The record-union., 1897-11-12

jumped into bed, and, taking up his
Bible. read from it's sacred pages for
half an hour. He finally closed the
book, turned over on his side, said
good night" and sank into a profound
Slumber
All through the tagging hours the
guards sat in silence. No troublouS
dreams disturbed the sleeper He slum-
bered like a child until 1880 O'Clock this
morning, when he awoke and again
asked what time it was. When in
formed he arose, dressed himself and
ate a tempting breakfast with evident
satisfaction. He spent the greater
part of the day in reading and had lit
tie TO say TO anyone.
At 4:30 p. M the news that the Su-
preme Court had granted a reprieve
was received at the prison in a mes
sage 10 Warden Hale from Justice Be-
atty. Captain Edgar, who opened the
dispatch in the absence of the War
den, Immediately wrote a note convey
ing the information to the condemned
man. The message was sent to the
death cell by guard. Durrant quick
ly read it, and without any great dis
prayed silently for several minutes.
Mrs. Durrant, the mother of the
prisoner, was a passenger on the 4:3o
boat from San Francisco. When she
reached the prison the news was told
to her She was cheerful on the way
over, saying that ''she had put her
faith in God, and felt that He would
not desert her. On her arrival at the
prison she was informed that her sons
life had been spared, and that she
might see him later.
Thank God!'' she said. Then she
went to a hotel for rest and refresh
ment. AT p. m. she returned to the
prison, and was escorted to Cap
tain Edgar's office, where her boy was
waiting to meet her
The death veil was removed when
Durrant was brought down to the Of
flee, and will not again be placed over
the prisoner unless required by future
developments in the case.
Mrs. Durrant remained with her son
in close conversation for some time
An Associated Press reporter was
| subsequently admitted to the prison
! Office where Durrant and his mother
Were seated on a sofa in each others
arms. Durrant had expressed a desire
to make a statement to the Associated
Press, and in the course of an inter-
view said:
Naturally, I was greatly elated al
the news of the reprieve, although my
first intimation, based on a telephone
| message, was not positive. Soon after
ward the news was confirmed. All ]
could do was to thank Cod
WAS the reprieve a surprise?" Dur
/ rant was asked.
Not exactly. All along 7 have had
perfect faith in my God. This after
noon I was visited by two Sisters of
Charity. and believe that their pray
er's and the prayers of all those who
have interceded for me have been in
strumental in bringing about this re-
suit"
Then Durrant remarked that he could
not understand why Christian people
should beg him In letters to confess.
Il am innocent" he said, "and would
never confess to such vile crimes.
Sooner or later the truth will be known.
III hare faith that the real perpetrator
1 will yet be discovered and punished.
All of these little stays bring us near
er or later set all things right I shall
/ never give up the fight. because the
/ Lord is with me-" he added. embrac-
| ing and kissing his mother.
| On Mrs Durrant's face was a smile
of contentment, but the son looked sad
I and his eyes We're dull. He earnestly
repeated many times that faith in God
! would save him in the future, as in
| the past.
| You may say I am innocent" said
| Durrant, in conclusion. "I will never
! yield, end God is with me-"
! After half an hours private talk
/ with her son. Mrs. Durrant returned to
her hotel, and DurTant was taken back
/ to cell y, in murderers row, which he
| had occupied before the death watch
! was set over him.
Shortly before midnight Attorney
/ Eugene Deuprey, ST counsel for Dur
! rant, arrived from Sacramento. having
/ crossed the bay in a steam launch.
! The purpose of this trip was to make
! personal service on Warden Hale of a
! certified copy of the order of probable
| cause issued by the Supreme Court at
/ Sacramento this afternoon. DELAYING
! the execution. The precaution Of this
| personal service was taken that there
might be no pretext for executing Dur
rant tomorrow
The Warden was asleep, and was
/ deaf TO all efforts to arouse him. Cap-
! tain Edgar, Assistant Warden, accept
/ ed service, and agreed to deliver the
| documents to his superior early in the
/ morning.
Warden Hale had stated earlier in
] the evening that he was in doubt as
/ to what course to pursue He said that
in any event he would have delayed the
! execution until the latest legal limit OF
/ time-noon o-morrow-but that he had
been advised that he should proceed tc
hang the prisoner, as he had received
no personal service of the stay Of ex-
ecution- However, he finally decided
to act on the following dispatch re-
ceived from Prison Director Devlin OF
Sacramento:
supreme Court made an order and
has stayed all proceedings until fur
ther order of court. ACCORDINGLY. you
VIII postpone the execution
After reading this Warden Hale said
that he would retire, and that there
would be no hanging in the morning.
NO further developments are expected
tonight.