The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1898-01-14
EXECUTED ON TIME.
YOUNG DURRANT FINALLY ON
THE CALLOWS.
The Supreme Court and the Governor
Refused to Interfcre-The Condeme ed
Man Retains His Nerve and Dies Pro-
testing His Innoconce-Father Witness
es the Execution.
The Penalty Paid at Last.

| SAN QUENTIN PRISON, Jan. s.
| Theodore Durrant was executed al
1927 yesterday morning in the State
penitentiary At 1924 o'clock the
frail door that guards the threshold
of the gallows room swung open and
the little party conducting Theodore
Durrant to the gallows entered. Faith
er Lagan led, draped in cassock and
| surplice,an chanting the prayers for
the dying. Durrant, his father, q
friend, Warden Hale and the guards
| followed. The father and his friend
| left the party and walked around the
| gallows to the front, while the con-
demned man and his escort climbed
| the thirteen steps that led to the plat
form and the waiting trap.
At last Theodore Durrant stood up
on the gallows. He gave no signs of
weakening. His slight figure was as
| erect as though it had been his mar
| riage morning. The broad leathern
strap that bound his arms to his sides
allowed his wrists some play and his
fingers rested lightly i'll the strap.
Five minutes later when his body was
swinging like q pendulum beneath the
trap, the fingers, all blue and chilled
loh1hS,, lCotCu hC iclO plCSCu
them when he had left the cell.
Instantly upon arriving upon the
gallows the rope was knotted about
his neck. The murderer held his chin
high in the air to MAKE room for the
stiff new line knotted in the peculiar
fashion Of the hangman. By IN TN
usual privilege, the condemned man
was permitted to wear a low collar,
opening in front, and a white satin
tie. His face was pale, but it was not
the ashy palenass of terror. 1t was
the face of man, VINO, knowing that
he has a momentous thing to do, is
resolved to do it like a man. The
rope about his neck, the hangmar
turned to get the blackcap, when the
erect head turned and Durrant whis-
pered request to be allowed to
speak. 1t was granted. Then with
his feet Oh the trap, the corr. about his
throat, tied fast to the crossbeam on
the gallcws, the holy water of his bap-
tism in the Catholic church on his
head, he said these final words:
Il am an innocent man, innocent of
every crime that has been charged
against me. l bear no animcsity
toward those that have prosecuted me,
not even the press of San Francisco,
which bounded me to the grave. II
any man thinks | am going to spring
a sensation-I am not, except it is q
sensation that | am an innocent man
brought to the grave by my persacu-
tors. But l forgive them all. They
will get their justice from the great
God who is master of us all and there
L also expect to get ujstice-that is
the justice of an innocent man.
Whether or not the perpetrators OF
the cr.me of which l am charged are
discovered, it will make no differ
ence to me now, but l say this day
will be a shame to the great State of
California. l forgive everybody who
has persecuteu ME, an innocent man,
whose hands have never been stained
with blood, and l so to meet ny God
with forgiveness for all men,
Durrant began to speak at 1924 and
ceased at 1923. He delivered his few
sentences, at times poorly constructed,
full of repititions and protestations CT
his innocence, in a low sing-song,
growing slightly vehement as hc de-
clared that he was not guilty Of the
crime for which he had been sent to
the gallows.
The guards, impatient for their
task, for the suspense was harder On
them than on the condemned, drew
the sable cap over his head AS the
descending cap coverd his face there
was no change in the expression Of
the man, who almost in the same in
slant was dead. Hardly was the cap
adjusted when the trap was sprung.
The body dropped, there was the
sound Of the tugging Of the rope as it
drew taut under the weight of the
body, and that was all. A vibration
or two and the body hung at the end
CT the hemp quite motic"iess.
The elder Durrant gazed steadily at |
the proceedings until that moment, |
then his head fell forward upon the |
shoulders of young Smythe, Duprey's |
clerk, and he buried his face and the |
expression of grief from the sight of |
men. The doctors gathered about the |
body, listened for the res
piration and watched the pulse In
just eleven minutes and twenty-eight |
seconds all action had ceased and the !
Durrant case was ended. The ply |
sicians detected no respiration after |
the drop. During the first second af-
terward the pulse registered sixty
seven to sixty, during the seventh sec
ond thirty-siX to sixty and in the |
tenth second thirty. The body, with /
the cap on, was placed in a palcls pine |!
box. Later the cap was removed and |!
the corpse was enclosed in casket
provided by the family.
Mrs. Durrant did not witness the
execution.
The prison officials were all enthu-
siastic in their praise OF Durrant's
nerve. 1t had been feared by them
hat In spite Of his apparant bravado
he condemned man would break down
1t the last moment and make a scene
At one time, several days ago, Dur
ant gave evidence of a collapse, but
le managed to pull his nerve together
1nce more and proudly declined all
pliers of stfmulants to enable him to
make Il bold showing on the scat
old. The criminal was apparently
proud Of his race, and avow4G that lie
would die like Durrant"
Congressman Grosvenor Returns.
COLUMBUS, O., Jan S.-Con-
rENF