The San Francisco call., 1897-03-05
Has Hopes the End Is
Still in the Distant
Future.
His Attorneys Are Busy Plan.
ming New Tactics for
His Defense.
The Police Refuse to Allow the
Destruction cf the Emmanuel
Church Ba1fry.

Durrant still has hope and his attorneys
profess a kindred emotion. There were
councils of war between the prisoner and
some of his legal representatives vester-
day, but nothing definite was accom-
plished.
According to law his attorneys have
thirty days in which to file petition for
a rehearing of the case. Deuprey has al
ready intimated that this plan will be
resorted TO, but lawyers in general say
that in view of the fact that an over
whelming majority Of the Supreme Court
Justices signed the decision handed down
Tuesday afternoon the probabilities of
rehearing being granted are rather re-
mote.
All of the attorneys interested in the
defense have become suddenly reticent as
to their future tactics in behalf of the
prisoner. Deuprey himself talks in gilt-
tering generalities. and beyond making
general declaration that bis clients
chances are not by any means exhausted
refuses to discuss details.
Granting that a rehearing is refused the
law provides that the date of the execu-
ton must be set within ninety days at
According TO this programme the pris-
oner has yet 120 days TO live at the
longest, should his attorneys fail to dis
cover some new means to drag him out of
the meshes that are closing about him.
Eugene N. Deuprey of counsel for Dur
rant called Yesterday afternoon at the
Jail to discuss the latest phase of the case
with his condemned client. Durrant left
his cell and, escorted by one Of the jailers
walked to the office 10 meet the attorney.
Although apparently undisturbed at the
crushing blow received at the hands of the
supreme tribunal of the State, an express
sion of uneasiness crept over the young
prisoners face when he approached the
man of law.
Mr.. Deuprey shook his client warmly by
the hand and they were soon discussing
the situation. The meeting was not q
lengthy one, but at the end Durrant
smiled as though he could see something
favora BILE to himself
Wednesday Durrant stolidly refused to
be seen by representatives of the press ana
his cell mate, man named Sierp, cour-
teous and affable in manner, informed
callers that his companion wished to see
no one.
Yesterday, however, Durrant received
many callers but would discuss his case
with no one. AZ still have hope. There
is yet time for a stubborn legal battle for
my rights" is ali he would say in connec.
tion with him self; but on other topics of
interest he was willing to converse.
Mr. and Mrs. Durrant, the convicted
murderer's parents, visited their son yes
terday afternoon. The meeting was an
affectionate one, but was Inaccompanied
by unusual incident.
Mrs. Durrant cbeered her son, and ex-
pressed the hope that some event would
yet show the world that her boy was in
nocent.
The case against Durrant for the mur-
der of Minnie Williams, although never
tried, is still pending, and according to
District Attorney Barnes will not be dis
missed as long as the prisoner remains
unpunished for the murder of Blanche
Lamont
The trustees of the Emmanuel Baptist
Church are anxious to de emolish the belfry
in that structure on account OF the asso-
Citations connected with it.
They declared their in tention of tearing
it down at the time of Durrant's convic-
tion, but were warned by the District At
torney and Captain Lees that they would
be restrained by law if they attem pied
this work. The project was renewed again
yesterday, when the news that the SUI
preme Court had sustained Judge Murphy
became known, only TO be again admon-
ished by the District Attorney to refrain
from carrying out their wishes until the
case was finally disposed of.
THAT belfry is my corpus delicti," said
Barnes yesterday, land I don't intend to
lose it until Durrant is disposed OF. It's
TOO valuable piece of evidence to lose at
this stage of the proceedings"