Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-11-12
DURRANTSTILLLIVES
HE SECURES ANOTHER REPRIEvE
AT THE ELEVENTH <HOUR.
1 WRIT OF PROBABLE CAUSE.
state Supreme Court Grants This,
ON the Ground That No Official In
formation of Federal Supreme
Court Action Has Been Received.

SAN FRANCISCO, CAL, November
l1.-William Henry Theodore Durrant will
not be hanged at San Quentin tomorrow.
after all, the Supreme Court of this
State having granted him another re-
spite, at the eleventh hour.
Up to o'clock this afternoon. when
the news was flashed over the wires from
Sacramento that the Court there had
granted a writ of probable cause, and
instructed Warden Hale not to carry
out the execution of Durrant until
further orders, there was apparently no
further hope for the condemned murderer
of Blanche Lamont and Minnie Williams,
as his attorneys-Messrs. Dickinson and
Boardman-had made a futile effort to
secure another writ of habeas corpus In
the United States Court. and had not
even been granted permission to appeal
from that decision to the Supreme Court
of the United States.
Meanwhile, however. Attorney Duprey
hastened to Sacramento and applied TO
probable cause, for the purpose of stay
ing the proceedings against his client,
on the ground that no official knowledge
of the action of the Supreme Court of the
United States in the matter of Durrants $
appeal from the jurisdiction of the fede-
raj Court has been received, that the
Superior Court had acted too hastily In
sentencing Durrant to be hanged to-
morrow, the law requiring that he be
given at least sixty days grace, ana
thirdly, that the pendency OF an appeal
In the Supreme Court, affecting the con-
demned man. was of itself suflcient
cause for stay of execution.
The matter was partly argued In cham
bers, and later argued before the
full court and taken under Amusement.
Shortly afterward the court announced
it's decision, granting the writ applied
for, in which all justices concurred.
PREPARATIONS ALL MADE.
SAN QUENTIN PRISON, CAL. No
vember 1l-This has been day of sup
pressed excitement in and about the peni-
tentiary. The preparations for the exc
cution of Durrant had all been completed,
and the prison officials were in readiness
to carry out the death sentence, from
which there seemed no further appeal
The man alone was hopeful that he might
vet obtain a longer lease of life. He
spent the greater part of the day In read
ing, and had little to say to any one.
At $50 the news that the Supreme Court
had granted a reprieve was received at
the prison in a message to Warden Hale
from Chief-Justice Beattie. Captain Ed
gar, who opened the dispatch In the abb
sence of the warden, Immediately wrote
a note conveying the information to the
condemned man. The message was sent
to the death-cell by guard. Durrant
quickly read 1t, and. without any great
display Of emotion, fell on his knees, and
prayed silently for several minutes.
Mrs. Durrant, the mother of the prison.
er. was a passenger on the 5:30 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
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.
MOTHER AND SON TOGETHER.
Then she went to a hotel for rest and
refreshment. At 7 p. NJ. she returned TO
the prison, and was admitted to Captain
Edgar's office, where her boy was waiting
to meet her. The death-watch was re-
moved before Durrant was brought down
to the office. and ii 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 representative was
subsequently admitted TO the prison Of
flee, where Durrant and ms molhef
were seated on a sofa, in each other
arms. Durrant had expressed desire
to make statement to the Associated
Press, and said Naturally l was
greatly elated at the news OF the re-
prieve, although my first information,
based on telegram, was not positive.
Soon afterward the news was confirmed.
All | could do was TO thank God"
was the reprieve a surpriseg was
asked.
Not exactly. All along / have had
perfect faith in my God. This after
noon | was visited by two Sisters OF
Charity, and l believe that their
prayers, and the prayers Of all those
who have interceded for me have been
instrumental in bringing about this re-
suit"
81 AM INNOCENT" SAYS DURRANr.
Then Durrant remarked that he could
not understand why Christian people
should urge him In letters 10 confess.
II am innocent" he said, "and would
never confess to such vile crime.
Sooner or later the truth viii be
known. l have faith that the real per-
petrator will yet be discovered and pun
ished. All OF these little stays bring US
nearer It, | know that the Lord VIII
sooner or later set all things right. L
shall never give up the fight because
the Lord is with me-" he added, en-
bracing and kissing his mother.
on Mrs. Durrant's face was a smile
OF contentment. but the son looked sad.
His eyes were dull. He earnestly re-
peated many times that faith In God
would save him in the future. as In the
past
You may say / am innocent" said
Durrant in conclusion. II Will never
yield. and God is with me-"
After an hours private talk with her
son Mrs. Durrant returned to her ho-
tel and Durrant was taken back to
Cell q, in murderers' row, which he
had occupied before the death-watch
\