Rock Island Argus., 1898-01-07

tisut sbSoooto DuILbuts WuU WBS
hanged at the state prison at Sa n
Quentin today. gave his life In
exchange for the lives Of two young
women, who we're members OF the
church to which he belonged. His
crimes were peculiar in their At
rocity. be WAS reared In o Chris.
tian home, aud until the time Of his
arrest Was regarded as q model
Young man OF industrious habits,
sho was trying to work his way
through . medical college. The only
characteristic that seemed marked in
his nature WAS his piety. Ho had
been . prominent member Of the
Emanuel Baptist church for several
years. aud for year previous to his
arrest had been assistant superin-
tendent Of the Sunday school. lu
this capacity, be made the acquaint-
snce Il Blanche Lamont and Of Min.
ME Williams.
Blanche Lamont disappeared April
8. 1895. Many memb bers OF Emanu uel
church assisted Ia the search for the
missing girl. and among others,
Theodore Durrant, who hsd often
acted a. her escort He seemed
greatly distressed on account Of Miss
Lsmont's disappearance. Ten days
passei when q discovery was made
which led not only to the finding OF
her body. but Of taa, OF another
young woman, who Was alss missing.
Tue ladies OF Emanuel church
we're engaged in decorating the edi-
Zee preparatory to the celebration Of
the Easter Sunday services, when
the msngled body OF Minnie williams
was found. almost naked, in the
library. A number Of ugly knife
wounds snd some rags that had been
forced down the woman's throat told
OF the struggle she had made. From
some Of the young woman's friends
IL had been learned that she had been
seen the evening before her disap-
pearsnce With Durrant. and the po-
lice decided TO srrest him. The
police associated the fading OF Miss
Williams bodr with the disappear
ance OF Miss Lamont. and . search
was .; cree begun In the charch for
her body. Men worked all night
tearing up floors and breaking
down partitions. A broken door
knob and turned bolt excited the
suspicious Of the searchers. and the
door lesding TO the bel'ry OF the
church wss broken down. At the
third landing. lying in the corner Of
the dsrkened belfry. the naked body
Of the murdered girl was found. No
knife had been used t. commit the
crime. bu, the imprint Of five nDgers
In her throat revealed the manner in
which the young woman had met her
death. The post morteIn exsmins.
tion showed that murder was not the
only Crime that had been committed.
Celeb sssd JrssI.
The trial. which begun July %.
and lasted until Nov. /, vas one OF
the most celebrated in criminal juris.
prudence Nearly 1900 tales smen
were examined before a jury was Sc
cured. ard six weeks passed before
the taking Of testimony Was begun.
The evidence throughout Was circum.
risutial, bat when taken together
formed 9 chain so strong as to admi,
OF no reasonable doubt in the u.inds
OF the jury who, after 20 minu
deliberason. found Durrant guilty.
lie was first sentenced to be hang,
Feb. 81. 1896. His attorneys made
. strong fight for his life, but the
state supr,.me court affirmed the yer
dict. and he Was sentenced to bt
hanged June IL, 1897. The case
Was then taken 20 the supreme
court OF the United States, which
settled Durrant's fat, b. sustain
ins the decision OF the United State.
Circuit court Of California. denying Q
writ OF habess corpus. Aiiorr ey
General Fitzgerald immediately tele.
grsPhed from Washington TO hav,
Durrsnt executed at once wi,hou,
waiting Tor the mandate Of the court
tie wU brought before Judge Bahrs
ei the superior court wcdIesda,
mornisg and resenteuced TO b,
hanged Nov. u. but 0 respite wa,
permitted oy the state supreme cou b,
on . writ Of probable cause. psndlns
the arrival Of the Ueited Sta c!
courts decree.
Dufrant Was never tried for th,
murder Of Miss Williams, but tn,
evidence Of his guilt Vas as conclu
sive % in the Lamont case. wher
arrested her parse Vas found In BIZ
overcoat pocket. The In, osy OF tn,
prosecution VAS that Durrant mur
dered Miss williams 10 conceal th,
murder Of Miss Lamont. The to,
women were scquaintanees. and Dur
isnt suspected that Miss William
believed she krew something abou'
the dissppears-ce OF Miss Lamont.
The prisoner Was brought beior,
Judge Bahrs. OF the superior court
Nov. 10 snd resentenced to be hsnce,
Nov. is. but the state supreme cour
stayed the execution and modifie,
Judge Bahrs' order. and Dec. 4
Judge bshrs resentenced Durrant &
- ks~,aA s1S.. S:.-~ a. A.