The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-01-08
SCENE AT THE oAlLOwS.
He Forgives His Enemies with No Trace
of Concealed Resentment.

AT 1925 the gates Of the prison had
closed on the last man who would wit
ness the hanging. The crowd had gath.
cred in the cold. bare room adjoining
the place of execution, but not until
nearly 10:30 sharp did the iron doors
that separate the scaffold from the
larger apartment swing TO admit visit
ors. The ceremony was very simple
The audience had no sooner entered the
room than silence fell upon the gather
ing. The door of the condemned cell
clanked and in "A fraction Of a minute
thereafter Warden Hale entered fol-
lowed by Father Lagan and the prison
er led between two guards. The priest
stepped aside and Durrant in voice
emotionless and apparently unaffected,
made a short speech. There was no
scene at the gsllows. Mrs. Durrant did
not witness the execution. She re-
manned in a room in the lower part of
the prison and showed unmistakable
signs of grief tempered with dogged
desire to create the impression that she
was too proud to weep
Theodore Durrant ascended the scaf-
fold calmly. following Father Lagan.
who administered to his spiritual wants,
he having been baptized into the Cath
olic faith earlier in the day. He made
a brief speech in quiet tones, asserting
his innocence and forgiving those who
had prosecuted him. mentioning espe-
cially the press of San Francisco. His
last words were, Il am innocent" His
death appeared To be painless. After
the drop Durrant did not struggle. In
10 minutes he was cut down. His neck
was broken by the fall.
Durrant died protesting to the last his
innocence of the murder of Blanche
Lamont and Minnie williams He
maintained to the very end the same
marvellous coolness and nerve which
characterized him throughout his long
imprisonment and many trials and
demonstrated he was indeed tho Grim
inal of the century. His farewell words
were spoken In n voice subdued. yet
clear, which by it's calmness and free
dom from passion or emotion, caused
many heads to turn away and many
eyes to fill with tears. He forgave hig
enemies with no trace OF concealed re-
sentiment, and proclaimed his innocence
with the calmness of one asserting an
indubitable truth. He was the least
affected of any Of the many people who
witnessed the death scene and even
after the fatal drop he quivered not nor
gave other evidence of having suffered
pain.
At last Durrant stood upon the gal
lows. He gave no sign of Weakening
His slight figure was as erect as though
it had been his marriage morning. The
broad leathern strap that bound his
arms to his side allowed his wrists
some play and his fingers rested lightly
on the strap. Five minutes later when
his body was swinging like pendulum
beneath the trap. the fingers now all
blue and chilled looking rested where
he had placed them as he left his cell
Instantly upon arriving at 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 unusual privilege the
condemned was permitted to wear a
low collar open in front and a white
satin tie. His face was pale. but IL was
not the ashy paleness of terror. 1t was
the face of man knowing he has a
momentons thing to do. resolved to do
it like a man.