The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-11-12
AT SAN QUENTIN.
Conduct of Prisoner When He Re
ceived the News.


san Quentin Prison, Cal, Nov. IL
This has been a day of great but sup
pressed excitement in and about the
penitentlary. The preparations for the
execution of Theodore Durrant had all
been completed and the prison officials
were in readiness To carry out the
death sentence. from which there
seemed 20 further appeal Durrant
alone was hopeful that he might yet
obtain q longer lease Of life. BE spent
the greater part Of the day in reading
and had little to say to any one.
At APO p. ~. the news that the su-
preme court had granted reprieVe was
received at the prison in massage
To Warden Hale from Chief Justice
Beatty. Captain Edgar, who opened
the dispatch. in the absence of the war-
den. Immediately wrote a note convey
ine the info~ma ton TO the condemned
man. The message was sent to the
death cell BY a guard. Durrant quickly
read il and. without any great display
of emotion, fell on his knees and prayed
silently for several minutes.
Mrs. Durrant, the mother of the
prisoner. was passenger on the $50
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 Cod and felt chat he would not de-
sert her. on her arrival at the prison,
she was informed that her sons life
had been spared, and that she might
see him later.
DEATH VEIL REMOVED.
THANK God" she said Then she
went TO a hotel for rest and refresh
ment At p. ~. she returned to the
prison and was admitted to Captain
Edgar's office, where her boy was
waiting to meet her. The death veil
was removed when Durrant was
brought down to the office, and it Will
not again be placed over the prisoner
unless required by future developments
in the case. Mrs. Durrant remained
with her son il close conversation for
some time.
IN Associated Press reporter was
subsequently admitted to the prison
office where Hurrant and his mother
We're seated on a sofa in each others
arms Durrant had expressed a desire
10 make a statement to the Associated
Press. and in The course Of an inter-
view said:
ELATED OVER NEWS.
Naturally 1 was greatly elated at
the news of the reprieve, although my
first intimation. based on a telephone
message. was not positive. Soon after
wards the news was confirmed. All l
could do was to thank Cod
Was the reprieve surprise?" Dur
rant was asked.
mot exactly. All along I have had
perfect faith in my God. This after
noon l was visited by two Sisters of
Charity. and / believe that their pray
ers 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.
DECLARES HIS INNOCENCE.
7 am innocent" he said, and would
never confess to such vile crimes.
Soor er or later the truth viii be known.
I have faith that the real perpetrator
viii yet be discovered and punished.
All of these little stays bring us nearer
it, l know that the Lord will sooner
or later set all things right. / shall
never give UP the fight, because the