Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1898-02-18
NERVE NEVER FAILED HIN
THEODORE DURRANT IS HUNG.
Met a Painless Death After Making
an AvOwn1 of InnOcence-His
Father Saw the Trap Give Way
No Hitch or Accident.

When William Henry Theodore Dur
rant died on the gallows at the San Quen-
tin prison, Cal, on the appointed day
last week for the murder of Blanche La
mont he gave such an exhibition of cool
ness and nerve as has seldom been seen
under similar circumstances. Hopeful al
most to the last that something or some
one would intervene to save him, he
walked to the scaffold this morning and
made his little speech protesting his in
nocence as calmly and with as distinct
enunciation as if he had been addressing
an assemblage Of friends upon some or
binary topic of the day. His face was
pale, his eyes were red, but his voice was
firm and he stood as solid as rock
while he proclaimed his innocence and
professed forgiveness to those who, he
said, had bounded him to death.
There was not 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 Durrant's dead
body DANCED at the end. The neck was
broken by the fall of over five feet, and Is
minutes later the murderer's body was
cut down and placed in the coffin.
In spite of the exciting events of last
night, when Durrant was besieged by
newspaper reporters and talked to his
parents till 1870 p. M, he rested easily
during the night, and shortly after 6
o'clock he awoke and babe his guards
good morning. Warden Hale had provid-
ed neat suit of dark material in honor
Of the occasion and those clothes Durrant
quickly donned. He noticed the absence
of collar and necktie, and knowing full
well the reason for their OMISSION he ask
ed for them, explaining that turn-down
collar would not interfere with the moose
Then he sat down to a most excellent
breakfast and ate heartily.
During the early morning hours Dur
rant did not have much to say beyond ex-
pressing desire that no newspaper men
should be allowed to see him. This re-
quest was complied with
Embraces Catholicism.
Consistent to the last, Durrant died pro-
Tossing religion. But he died accepting at
the last moment the comforts of the Cath
Ollie church instead of those of the Bap-
fist faith, in which he was reared. Rev.
Raeder, Protestant minister, had ar
ranged to ascend the scaffold with Dur
rant, but the minister would not say that
he thought Durrant innocent, and the
condemned man declined to accept his
services until Raeder protested belief in
his innocence. Then it was that the once
ardent Baptist turned to the Catholic
church for consolation, and called upon
Father Lagan, priest who had visited
him in prison, to attend him. Father La
gan responded promptly and performed
the last solemn rites of the church. Dur
rant remained in close consultation with
the priest and seemed to be deeply inter
ested in the impressive ceremony.
As the hour of execution approached
the prisoner became somewhat restless
His father and mother were admitted to
bid him a last farewell. The elder Dur
rant grasped his son by the hand and the
young man then turned to comfort his
mother, who cried Historically. Durrant
embraced her tenderly, and saying, "The
hour has come for us to part" put her
gently away. The grief-stricken mother
was led to private room, where she re-
manned until after the execution. The
father, 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 allowed all possible time for
the supreme court at Washington to take
some action. Finally, when word was
flashed across the continent that the SUI
preme court had declined to interfere, the
warden ordered the program of the day
to be carried out.
Procession to the GaIlows.
At 1884 o'clock Durrant, accompanied
by Father Lagan. appeared at the door of
the execution room. He was followed by
his father, friend, Warden Hale and the
guards. The father and his friend walked
around the gallows to the front, while
Durrant and his keepers climbed to the
gallows platform. Instantly on arriving
at the gollows his legs and arms were
pinioned and the rope was placed upon his
neck. The hangman was about to adjust
the black cap when Durrant announced
his desire to speak. Permission was given,
and the doomed murderer spoke as fol-
lows:
Died Processing Innocence.
Il desire to say that, although / am
an innocent man, innocent of every crime
that has been charged against me, l bear
no animosity toward those who have per-
secuted me, not even the press of San
Francisco, which bounded me to the
grave. If any man thinks am going to
spring sensation-I am not, except it is
sensation to say that l am an innocent
man brought to the grave by my persecu-
tors, but forgive them ALL They will
all get their justice from the great God,
who is master of us all, and there also
expect to get justice that is justice to an
innocent man.
whether or not the perpetrators of
the crime of which ann charoad ara ,l;s