Kansas City journal., 1898-01-08
THE DURRANT MURDERS.
Convicted Only of killing Blanche
LamOnt-FfGht to Escape
the GNlIOwS.

William Henry Theodore Durrant. who
was hanged at the state prison at San
Quentin to-day. gave his life in exchange
for the lives of two young women. who
We're members of the church to which he
belonged. While Durrant was convicted of
but one murder under the law. he was held
responsible by public opinion for the mu--
der of both Blanche Lamont and Minnie
Williams. and it is felt that his death eX-
plates one crime as much as the other.
Durants crimes We're peculiar in their
atrocity, from any point of view. He was
reared in Christian home. and until the
time of his arrest was regarded as Il model
yorng man of industrious habits. who was
trying 20 work his way through medical
| college. The only characteristic that seemed
marked in his nature was his pety. He
had been a prominent member of the
Emanuel Baptist church for several years
| and Sfor a year previous TO his arrest had
] been assistant superintendent of the Sun
day school. In this capacity he made the
| Minnie Williams. both of whom We're des
! tined to he murdered by him i'll the church
where they worshiped together.
+ Blanche Lamont disappeared on April ;.
! lS9J, and was never seen alive afterward.
She left the home of her aunt. Mrs. g. G.
| ten days no trace of her could he found.
Many members of Emanuel church assist,
ed in the search for the missing girl. and
amcng others was Theodore Durrant. who
| had often acted as Miss Lamont $ escort.
Minnie williams BODY Found.
He seemed greatly distressed on account
| of Miss Lannon'S disappearance, and at
! length expressed the belief that she had
io!ned the ranks of fallen women. This
| theory seemed plausible to the police. and
"A search WAS made among the places
where il WAS believed the missing girl might
be found. Durrant assisted in the inquiry
which came to nHught. Ten days has,
rassed since Miss Lamont disappeared. and
her friends had almost given up nope of
ever knowing her fate. when a discovery
was made which led TO the hndlnS OF Miss
The ladies of Emanuel church We're en-
10 the celebration of the Easter Sunday
services. when the mangled body OF Minnie
Williams was found. aimvst naked. in the
library A number of ugly knife wounds
and some rags that had been forced down
! the Young woman's throat told of the un-
. equal struggle she had made to protect her
: Miss Williams body was discovered in
| the afternoon. and late the same n!Sht the
first clue to the murderer was Obtained.
, From some of the young woman TRENDS
il was; learned that she had been seen the
evening before with Durrant and although
there was nothing else TO show that he had
, decided to arrest him. Durrant's home was
l visited late at night, hut he was not there.
His parents said that he had left at mid,
E night with the signal corps of the National
= Guard. TO which he belonged. to make some
heliographing experiments on Mount dab
/ 10. The next train carried two detectives
t toward the mountain. and after completing
, tfcir tourney by stage. Durrant was found
, late in the afternoon and arrested. But
:, the news that he was charged with tht
murder Of Minnie MIN M Mi!ams WI ncsrs waS T0e r
I was flashed on the rays of the sun by the
= ttllographers in this city who We're taking
part in the experiments OF .hs slsIai Ia be pr
t rested before the officers arrived.