The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1898-01-13
HANGING OF DURRANH.
Remarkable Exhibition Of Nerveby
the California Murderer.
DIED PROTESTING HIS 1HsooIHoE

DIED PROTESTING HIS INNOCENCE
In o Speech From the soafrold He
ForGave Those Who ''Hounded Him
to the Grave''-Condemned Mans
Father witnessed the Execution.
San Quentin. Cal, Jan. S.-When Will
lam Henry Theodore Durrant died on
the gallows yesterday for the murder
Of Blanche Lamont he gave an exhi-
bition Of GOODNESS and nerve such as has
seldom been seen under similar circum-
stances. Hopeful almost to the very
last minute that something would in
tervene to save him, he walked to the
scaffold and made a speech protesting
his innocence as calmly and with as
distinct enunciation as II he had been
addressing an assemblage of friends
upon some ordinary topic. His face
was pale, his eyes were red, but his
voice was firm, and he stood as solid
ly as q rock while he proclaimed his
innocence and professed forgiveness to
those who, ne said. had bounded him
to death.
to mar the plans Of Warden Hale in
carrying out the sentence. The moose
was adjusted. the trap sprung, the
stout rope held and Durrant's dead
body dangled at the end. The neck
was broken by the fall Of four feet,
and five minutes later the murderer's
body was cut down and placed in the
coffin.
Consistent to the last, Durrant died
processing religion. But he died ac-
cepting at the last moment the COM
forts Of the Catholic church, instead of
those Of the Baptist faith, in which he
was reared. Rev. Mr.. RAIDER, q Protest
ant minister, had arranged to ascend
the scafrold with Durrant. but the min
lister would not say that he thought
Durrant innocent. and the condemned
man declined his services unless he
professed belief In his innocence. Then
1t was that the once ardent Baptist
turned to the Catholic church for con-
ISOLATION, and called upon Father La
gan. priest who had frequently WIS.,
tied him In prison. to attend him.
Father Lagan responded and perform
ed the last solemn rites OF the church.
Durrant remained In close consulta-
tion with the priest. and seemed to be
deeply interested In the impressive GER
emonies.
As the hour of the execution ap-
preached the prisoner became some.
what restless His father and mother
n oArnittn1 IN htA lv1
well. The elder Durrant grasped hi.
son by the hand, and the young mar
then turned to comfort his mother, who
cried hysterically. Durrant embraced
her tenderly. and saying. "The hour
has come for US to part" put her gently
away. The grief stricken mother wa,
led to private room. where she re.
mained until after the execution. The
father. however, went to the execution
room and. supported by two friends
saw his son meet death.
At 1884 o'clock Durrant, accompanied
by Father Lagan, appeared at the dool
OF the execution room. He was fol.
lowed by his father friend, warder
Hale and the guards. The father ant
his friend walked around the gallow.
to the front. while Durrant and hi.
keepers climbed to the gallows plat
form. Instantly on arriving at the
gallows Durrant's legs and arms wer,
pinioned and the rope was placed
about his neck. The hangman wa.
about to adjust the black cap wher
Durrant announced his desire to speak
Permission was given, and the doomed
murderer spoke as follows:
Il desire to say that, although l an
an innocent man. innocent of ever,
crime that has been charged agains
me. l bear no animosity towards thos,
that have prosecuted me. not even tn,
press Of San Francisco, which houndeC
me to the grave. II any man think.
am going to spring sensation
am not. except 1t is a sensation that
am an innocent man. brought to tn,
grave by my prosecutors. But l for.
give them ALL They will get their jus
tice from the great God, who Is mas
ter of US all, and there i also expec
to get tustice-that is, the justice of al
innocent man. Whether or not the per
petrators Of the crime of which, an
charged are discovered, 1t will max,
no difference to me now, but / say thi:
day will be shame to the great stat,
Of California. forgive everybody VIII,
has prosecuted me, an innocent man
whose hands have never been stained
with blood, and go to meet nv Goo
with forgiveness for all men,"
Durrant had scarcely ceased speakins
when the black cap was placed over hi.
face. At the same instant Hangmar
| Lunt raised his hand. the trap wa.
sprung. and with a rattle Durrant'.
body shot through the opening.
In just II minutes and 2S seconds al
signs of life had vanished. The body
was allowed to hang for is minutes
when 1t was cut down and placed in 9
black coffin. Then. accompanied by the
parents, 1t was taken to San Francisco