The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-11-11
HIS DAY OF DEATH NEAR
Theodore Durrant Will Pay the
Penalty of His Crimes Friday.
HIS GREAT SELF-C0NTROL
A Murmur of Horror Runs Through the
Court Room as Judge Bahrs Pro-
nounces the Sentence. but
Durrant Flinches Not.

Hdh flsni ls'h. NOV William
Henry Theodore Durrant. the young
medical student condemned Ia death
for the murder ~ Blanche Lamont and
Minnie Williams in this city. was
brought over from san Quentin prison
to-day and upon being taken before
Judge Bahrs, shortly before noon. was
sentenced 90 be hanged on Friday
morning next.
clcanly shaven. with the exception
~ his moustache. which has been al
lowed 10 attain a luxurious growth
during his sojourn in the prison. at
tired in his best suit OF clothes. over
which he wore a faultlessly fitting
overeoat. light In color. Durrant made
conspicuous figure on the train and
on the ferry boat His temperance ia
public was the signal for the gathering
of crowds. the eager press Of the multi
tude to see this arch-murderer. per-
haps To speak to him. and the demon
strations along the line of his route.
showed that the interest Of the people
In his affairs was In no way abated.
Al the city hall there we're other
crowds that impeded the progress ~
the party. They filed the halls. and II
was with difficulty thar they were
beaten back by the officers on duty In
the corridors near the court room
doors. Durrant was taken into the re-
porter's room. adjoining Judge Bahr's
court and remained there until the
hour for hearing the case arrived.
wivch was II o'clock. Meanwhile an
impatient mob thronged the corridors
and hammered rclentlessly at the doors
~ both court room and ante-room. But
sheriff whelan and his men were on
hand. and the rush was successfully
stayed. when no more could gain ad-
mittance In the court room.
Promptly NJ the appointed hour
Judge Bahrs called upon Durrant To
stand at the bar. The defendants at
torneys. however. interposed an objec-
ton Ia the proceedings upon technical
grounds. which were. however. over
ruled.
william Henry Theodore Durrant
stand up." ordered the court.
The young murderer stood up and
then his marvellous self-control assert
ed itself. He looked infinitely cooler.
wonderfully better than he did In the
ante-room. He was deadly pale. hut
calm and self-possessed. He faced the
Judge without ninching. and listened
iniently Ia the judges words.
Judge Bahrs reminded him that on
Dec. q. 1895. the Judgment OF death was
pronounced on him for the murder OF
Blanche Lamont. on April j. 1895: that
| judgment still remained i'm force. An
| appeal to the state supreme court had
been dismissed and n writ of habeas
corpus denied In the United States cir
cult court ana the refusal affirmed by
the supreme court Of the United States,
the highest tribunal of the land. His
honor quoted section 1877 Of the penal
I <.l. fxxr
a Judgment OF death still In force and
effect remains unexecuted. the court
shall. on motion OF the district attor-
ney. appoint "A time for the hearing ~
/ any legal reason existing for the non.
| carrying out of the judgment. and In
| the event of finding that no such rea-
sons exist. shall proceed to appoint a
time and n place for the execution.
THE district attorney has made such
a motion" said the judge. and I have
summoned you here to-day with your
counsel to state any legal reason YOU
may have Ia show cause why this tudg
ment should not be- executed | am
ready To hear from YOU
The Defendants attorneys again en-
tered technical objections 10 the pro-
ceedings. hut Judge Bahrs. after llsten-
| ing patiently To all they had a. say.
| swept their protests aside and pro-
nounced judgment slowly and impress
sively. ordering that the young defend
! ant. standing alone ln the crowded
court room. hr hanged on Friday, Nov
IL. between thu hours ~ sunrise and
noon As the words. Friday. Nov. Il. =
! left The Judges lips. a murmur Of hor-
ror sounded through the room. Two
short days Ia prepare Tor death, after
two years of false hope and encourage
I mont