The herald., 1897-03-04
DURRANT'S DOOM IS SEALED
By the Decision of the Supreme
Court
THE MANS HIDEOUS CRIME
Will at Length Be Expiated on the
GalI0ws
HE MANS HIDEOUS CRIME
Verdict Approved and the Case Seat Back
to the Superior Court to Pix the
Date OF Execution
Associated Press Special Wire
IND ArGTCGn NTo,-aI, o

Associated Press Special Wire
SAN FRANCISCO, March 3.-The su-
preme court this afternoon affirmed the
decision of the lower court in the case
of Theodore Durrant, found guilty of
the murder of lanche Lamont in I'm
manuel church almost two years ago.
He appealed from the verdict of guilty
alleging errors in the rulings of the
trial Judge and filing voluminous bill
of exceptions. The trial judge, however,
was confirmed in all his disputed rulings
land the verdict approved by the supreme
court. The case will now be sent back
to the superior court, which will fix the
date for Durrant's execution.
Friday afternoon April II, 1895. the
body of Minnie Williams, young girl,
was found in closet in the pastors
study of the Emmanuel Baptist church.
The girl had been outraged and MUIR
dered, the arteries in the wrist being
cut. Two days later, just before church
services began. the body of Miss Blanche
Lamont who had been missing for sew
eral days, was found in the belfry of the
church. She had been strangled to death.
Theodore Durrant. young medical stu
.Qtlts WIN was Vi
uel church Sunday school, had been on
very friendly terms with the murdered
girls, and was suspected of the crime.
He was arrested while on a trip to Mount
Diablo with the signal corps, and al
though he had been warned by hello
graph message by his comrades of the
signal service corps from Telegraph hill.
he betrayed no concern, and calmly
awaited the arrival OF the officers. In
his overcoat, which had been left at
home, was found Minnie Williams
purse. A pawnbroker identified Dur
rant as a man who had tried to sell him
a diamond ring which had belonged to
Blanche Lamont. 1t was proved that
Durrant accompanied Miss Lamont to
and from school on the day she disap-
peared, and that he met Minnie Williams
at the ferry the evening on which she
was murdered. That evening Durrant
arrived late at meeting of the Chris
tian Endeavor society. He was flushed
ard disheveled He asked permission to
brush his hair and wash his hands be-
fore he entered the meeting. The dis
covery of the murders caused tremen-
dous excitement and after long and
sensational trial Durrant was convicted
of the murder of Blanche Lamont. He
was sentenced to be hanged a year ago
last February, but has been granted
several stays of execution pending the
HtdIlfh VI Ills dDDtdl lbI IL new tIl3l ny
the supreme court. All this time he has
been confined in the county Jail where
he has maintained his usual stolid COM
posure, devoting his time to study and
religious reading.
When Durrant was informed by the
head jailer of the supreme courts de-
cision he burst into tears and said this
was very cruel world. He said that
some day the truth would prevail and he
would be vindicated. He seemed to take
SOM comfort from the report that Chief
Justice Beatty would in a few days file
a dissenting opinion. Durrant has ever
since his arrest manifested the most
supreme confidence In his ultimate ac-
quittal. and when he was convicted in
the superior court declared that the su-
preme court would grant him a new
trial.
The attorneys for Durrant intend to
employ every legal means to estop the
execution of the sentence of death. Eu-
gene Deuprey, one of his attorneys, so
asserts.
II am adamant in my belief that this
young man is innocent" said Mr.. Deu-
prey. land that his death by hanging
would be murder. l shall therefore fight
for him to the last resource"
Mr. Deuprey explained briefly his pur-
pose. Il have read the opinion of Justice
Henshaw," he said, though with some
made on behalf of the defendant are
treated with reconsideration. Points of
faw are dismissed briefly or not men,
toned at all. The evidence as 'summar-
ized,' to use the language of Justice Hen
shaw. omits matters that we regard as
of Importance. But meager attention
is given to our contention of the effect
on the jury of public clamor and arti-
cles in the newspapers. Within twenty
days. the time allowed by law, we shall
present our petition for q rehearing,
setting these matters that seem to be
overlooked, or at least not considered.
We cannot, with propriety, comment
upon the short time given ythe court
to the consideration of the case, although
1t seems remarkable that record of such
length could receive attention in the
time given it, when other cases Of i'm
portance have been under consideration
by the court. If the petition for a re-
hearing is denied we shall apply to the
federal courts on a constitutional ques-
ton, the apportionment of jurors to
counties, II necessary, taking the case
through the district court and the cir
Quit court to the supreme court Of the
United States.