The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-08
DURRANT GOES TO HIS DEATH.
FAREWELL SREECH 4 PROTESTA-
TION OF INNOCENCE.

the Execution-His Mother Hyster-
icnI at the Parting Just Before He
begins His March to the GaIlOws.
His Father Accompanies Him to
the Death Chamber and Witnesses
the Execution.
San Quentin, Cal Jan. 7.-When William
Henry Theodore Durrant died on the gal.
lows this morning for the murder of
Blanch Lamont he gave such an exhibi-
tion of GOODNESS and nerve as has seldom
been seen under similar circumstances be-
fore.
Hoping almost to the very last minute
that some one or something would inter-
vene to save him. he walked to the scaffold
this morning and made his little speech
protesting his innocence as calmly and with
as distinct enunciaton as if he had been
addressing an assemblage of friends upon
some ordinary topic of the day. His face
was pale, his eyes were red, but his voice
was firm and he stood as solidly as rock
when he proclaimed his innocence and pro-
fessed forgiveness to those who, he said,
had bounded him to death
There was not a hitch or accident to
mar the plans of Warden Hale In carry
ing out the sentence of the law. The
moose was adjusted the trap was sprung
the stout rope held, and Durrants dead
body dangled at the end. The neck was
broken by the fall of five feet, and seven
teen minutes later the murderer's body
was cut down and placed in the coffin.
ayD;Fa e H., -, l,et
night, when Durrant was besieged by
newspaper reporters and talked to his pa
rents until 80 p. m, he rested easily dur
ing the night and shortly after he woke
he bade his guards goodby.
Warden Hale had provided a new suit
of clothes of good material in honor of the
occasion and this suit of clothes Durrant
hastily donned He noted the absence of
collar and necktie however, and knowing
full well the reason for their omission, he
asked if turn-down collar would inter
fere with the moose. Then he sat down
to a most excellent breakfast and ate
heartily.
II was characteristic of the prisoner,
who has always been scrupulously neat
and dapper in his attire, that he should
object to the white socks provided by the
Jail authorities and demanded black ones,
which were also given him.
During the early morning hours Dur
rant did not have much to say beyond
expressing desire that no newspaper
men should be allowed to see him. This
request was complied with.
Consistent to the last, Durrant died pro-
Tossing religion. He accepted at the last
moment the comforts of the Catholic
church instead of those of the Baptist
faith in which he was reared. Rev. Ra-
der, a Protestant minister had arranged
to ascend the scaffold with Durant. The
minister would not say he thought Dur
rant innocent, and the condemned man de-
clined to accept his services, unless the
reverend gentleman professed a belief in
his innocence. Then it was that the once
ardent Baptist turned to the Catholic
church for consolation and called in Faith
er Lagan, a Catholic priest who had fire.
qaentiy visited him in prison, to attend
him. Father Lagan responded promptly
and performed the last solemn rites of the
church. Durrant seemed In close consul
tation with the priest and seemed to be
deeply interested in the ceremony.
The hour of the execution having arrived
the prisoner became somewhat restless.
His father and mother were admitted to
bid him a last farewell. Theodore Dur
ran bade his on God speed by the hand
and then the young man turned to comfort
his mother, who cried Historically. Dur
rant embraced her tenderly, saying: "The
hour has come for us to part" and put her
gently away. The grief-stricken mother
was led to a private room, where she re-
mained until after the execution. The fa-
ther, however, went to the execution room,
and, supported by two friends, saw his son
meet his death.
Warden Hale did not attempt to hurry
matters, but gave every possible chance to
those who wished to say goodby.
Finally when word flashed across the
continent that the Supreme Court had de-
clined to interfere the warden ordered the
programme of the day TO be carried out
AT 1910 o'clock Durrant, accompanied
by Father Lagan. appeared at the door
of the execution room. He was followed
by his father, a few friends, Warden Hale
and the guards His father and friends
walked around the gallows to the front
while Durrant and his keepers climbed
TO the gallows platform. Instantly on ar
irving at the gallows, his legs and arms
were pinioned and the rope was placed
abaut the neck. The hangman was about
to fix the black cap, when Durrant ex-
pressed a desire to speak. Permission was
given, and the doomed murderer spoke as
follows:
Il desire to say that, although / am
an innocent man. innocent Of every crime
that has been charged against me, I bear
no animosty towards those VINO have per-
secuted me- not even the press of San
Francisco which bounded me to the
grave If any man thinks l am going to
spring a sensation, / am not. except the
sensation that l am an innocent man.
brought to the grave by my prosecutors
But l forgive them all; they will get their
Justice from the great God who is master
of us all, and there / also expect to get
the justice that is the justice of an in
nocent man.
whether or not the perpetrators of the
crime of which | am charged are discov-
cred. 1t will make no difference to me now
but I say this day viii be a shame to the
great state of California. l forgive ev-
erybody who has prosecuted me, an in
nocent man, whose hands have never been
stained with blood. and l go to meet my
God with forgiveness for all men,"
Durrant began to speak at 1874, and
ceased a 10:3S
The words were delivered slowly, dis
tinctly and without emphasis. The eager
crowd Of spectators grouped closer to the
wooden frame work that they might not
lose a word of what was being said. Not a
sound could be heard except the even ten
~. of ba NH oh.