Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-01-11
i'm mentioning especially the press Of

him. mentioning especially the press OF
81 am innocent" The words were de-
livered slowly and distinctly and with
out emphasis. The eager crowd of
spectators grouped closer to the wooden
framework that they might not lose q
word OF whit was being said. Not q
sound could be heard except the even
tones Of the man about to die.
The Drop Falls.
Durrant finished quietly and had
scarcely ceased when the black cap was
placed over his face. AT the same In
slant Hangman Lunt raised his hand,
the trap was sprung and with rattle
Durrant's body swung through the
opening. There was sound as OF q
stout rope drawn taut and broken
necked criminal swaSed to and fro for
moment, when the body became mo-
tionless. The crowd surged forward,
but the warden's voice was heard to ex-
claim: "Stand back" The doctors,
however, We're permitted to go forward,
where they felt the pulse and finally de-
cided that Durrant was dead.
Father Witnesses the Hanging,
The father of Durrant gazed steadily
at the proceedings until the body shot
through the trap, then his head fell
forward upon the shoulder of young
smythe, Deuprey's clerk, and he buried
his face and the expression of his grief
from the sight of men.
In Just II minutes and 20 seconds all
signs of life had vanished and the most
noted criminal OF the nineteenth cen,
fury was officially dead. The body was
allowed to hang for IS minutes, when
it vas cut down and placed in black
coffin provided by an undertaken from
San francisco. 1t is not yet known
what disposition of the body will be
made, as Durrant's parents have been
so far unable to secure accommodations
in any of the local cemeteries for the
body of their son. 1t is very probable
that the body will be cremated. AS soon
as the drop fell the spectators hurried
out of the room and nobody remained
except physicians and newspaper men
Durrant, ST., went Immediately to his
wife, who was waiting in one Of the
guardrooms, and together they accom-
panied the body of their son to San
Francisco.
| Praise His Nerve.
The prison officials were all enthusi
astic in their praise Of Durrapt's nerve
1t had been feared by them that in splits
of his apparent bravado, that the CON
demned man would break down at the
last moment and make scene. At one
time, several days ago, Durrant gave
evidence of collapse, but he managel
to pull his nerves together once more
and proudly declined all offers OF slim
ulants to enable him to make bold
showing on the scaffold. The crimina
was apparently proud OF his race ant
avowed that he would "die like Dur
rant"
Durrant's most urgent request O.
Warden Hale was that no autopsy b.
held on his body. The prisoners med
ical training seemed to have imbuei
him with horror of the surgical treat
ment Of corpses and he vowed that NJ
knife should ever touch his flesh. HI
also requested that the rope with which
he was hanged be burned. His wishe.
in both these respects were observed
by the warden.
1t was a sad day, not only for Dur
rant, but for eight other murderers VIII,
are confined In San Quentin and who's
fate depended on the success made b,
the efforts Of Durrants attorney In hi
behalf. They were all prepared to fol
low the same tactics for delay, but nov
that the courts have shown that It
possible to hang a murderer in Call
fornia, they have given up hope.