The Ravalli Republican., 1898-01-12
DURRANT is DEAD
Hung Last Friday on Schedule
Time.
The Murderer Of Blanche Lamont
Retains His Nerve and Pro-
tests His Innocence.

died on the galloWs this morning for
the murder Of Blanche Lamont, he
gave such an exhibition Of coUlncss
and nerve rs has seldom been seen
under similar circumstances. Hope
full almost to the last that something
or some one would intervene to save
him, he walked to the scaffold this
morning and made his little speech
protesting his innocence as calmly
and with as distinct enunciation as
if he had been addressing an assem-
blage Of friends upon some ordinary
topic of the day. His face was pale,
his eyes were red, but his voice was
firm and he stood as solid as 4 rock
while he proclaimed his innocence
and professed forgiveness to those
who, he said, had bounded him to
death. There was not Il hitch or
accident to mar the plans Of Warden
Hale in carrying out the sentence Of
the law. The moose was adjusted,
the trap was sprung, the stout rope
held and Durrant's body dangled at
! the end. The neck was broken by
| tic fall of ovcr.fivc feet. anu Is min
utcs later the murdcrcr's body was
cut down and placed in the coffin.
In spitc.of the exciting events Of
last night, when Durrant was be
sicgcd by newspaper reporters and
talked to his parents till 1l:3O p m,
he rested easily during the night and
shortly after o'clock he aWolSc and
badc his guards good morning. War
den Hale had provided a neat suit Of
dark material in honor of the occa-
sion and those clothes Durrant
quickly donncd. lie noticed the
absence Of a collar and nccktie, how
ever, and knowing full we'll the rca-
son for their omission, he asked for
them, explaining that Il turn-doWn
collar would mct interfere with the
moose. Then he sat down to d most
excellent breakfast and ate heartily
During the early morning hours
Durrant did not have much to say
beyond expressing Il desire that no
newspaper men should be allowed to
see him. This request was COM
piled with.
Consistent to the last, Durrant
died plmfessing religion, ,,H1E t he died
accepting at the last moment tho
comforts of the Catholic church in,
stead Of those Of the Baptist faith,
in which he was reared. Rev. Rae.
der, a Protestant minister, had ar.
ranged to ascend the scaffold with
Durrant, but the minister would not
say that he thought Durrant limo
cent and the condemned man dcclin
ed to accept his services until Racdcl
professcd belief in his innocence
Then it was that the once %ardent
| Baptist turned to the Catholic churcl
for consolation and called upor
Father Lagan, Il priest who had Wis
tied him in prison, to attend him
Father Lagan responded prompt,
and performed the last solemn rite
Of the church. Durrant remained
in close consultation with the prizes
and seemed to be deeply interested
in the impressive ceremony.
AS the hour Of the execution ap
preached the prisoner became some
what restless. His father ant
mother were admitted to bid him
} last farewell. The elder Duran
graspcd his son by the hand and th,
young mar then turned to confor
his mother, who cried Historically
Durrant embraced her tcndcrly an(
saying "thc hour has come for us Il
part" put her gently away. Tlt
grief stricken mother was led to
private room where she remained
until after the execution. Th
father, however, went to the cXccll
tion room and, supported by tW'
friends, saw his son meet his death.
Warden Hale did not attempt t,
hurry matters, but allowed all posi-
Bile time for the supreme court Il
I Washington to take some action
Finally when word was flashed acros
the continent that the supreme cour
had declined to interfere, the vardcl
y ordered the program Of the day to b.
, carried out.
At 1874 o'clock Durrant, accom-
, panied by Father Lagan, appeared Il
the door Of the execution room. II
r Mas followed by his father. d friend
f Warden Hale and the guards. TIL
fatherand his friend walked arOllnt
n the gallows to the front, while Dur
q rant and his keepers climbed to TIL
gallows platform.
y Instantly on arriving at the gal
lows his legs and arms were pinionc