The record-union., 1898-01-08

an innocent man. whether or not the
perpetrators of the crime Of which /
am charged are discovered, it will make
no difference to me now, but I say
this DAY will be a shame to the great
State of California / forgive every
body who has prosecuted me, an inno-
cent man, whose hands have never
been stained with blood, and I go to
meet my God with forgiveness for all
men"
The words were delivered slowly and
distinctly, and without emphasis. The
eager crowd of spectators grouped
closer to the wooden framework, that
they might not lose a word of what
was being said. Not a sound could be
heard except the even tones Of the
man about to die.
Durrant finished quietly, and had
scarcely ceased when the black cap
was placed over his face At the same
instant Hangman Lunt raised his hand,
the trap was sprung, and with a rattle
Durrants body shot through the open
ing. There was a sound as of a stout
rope being drawn taut, and a broken
necked criminal swayed to and fro for
moment, when the body became mo-
tionless. The crowd surged forward,
but the WardenS voice was heard to
exclaim, Stand back" The doctors.
however, We're permitted to go forward,
where they felt the pulse and finally
decided that Durrant was dead
In Just eleven minutes and twenty
eight seconds all signs of life had van
ished, and the most noted criminal of
the nineteenth century was officially
dead. The body was allowed to hang
for fifteen minutes, when it was cut
down and placed in a black coffin pro-
vided 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 Sc
cure accommodations in any of the To-
cal 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
were hurried out of the room. and
and newspaper men.
Durrant retired 20 his wife. who was
waiting in one of the guard rooms. and
together they accompanied the body of
their son to San Francisco
The prison officials were all enthusias
tic III their praise of Durrant's nerve.
1t had been feared by them that in
spite Of his apparent bravado the con-
demned man would break down at the
last moment, and make a scene At
one time, several days ago, Durrant
gave evidence of a collapse, but he
managed to pull his nerves together
once more, and proudly declined all Of
fers OF stimulants to enable him to
make a bold showing on the scaffold.
The criminal was apparently proud of
MS race, and vowed that he would die
like Durrant''
Durrants most urgent request of
warden Hale was that no autopsy be
held on his body. The prisoners med
lcai training seemed to have imbued
him With horror of the surgical treat
ment of corpses, and he vowed that
no Knife should ever touch his flesh.
lie also requested that the rope with
which he was hanged be burned. His
wishes were observed by the Warden.
1t was a sad day, not only for Dur
rant but for eight other murderers who
are confined in San Quentin and whose
rate depended upon the success of the
night made by Durrant's ATTORNEYS
Ihey were all prepared to follow the
same tactics for delay, but now that
the courts have shown that if is nos
siole 10 hang murderer in California.
thev nave given up hope.