The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-01-12
DURRkEr HANGED,
California nurs.Isr eo.. Upon the e.ilav.-

SAN QUENTIN, Cal, January When
William Henry Theodore Durrant died
on the gallows this morning for the rnur-
der Of Blanche Lamont, he gave an ex-
hibition Of coolness aud nerve such as
has seldom been seen under similar cir
cnmstances. Hopeful almost TO the very
last minute that something would inter
yene TO save him, he walked to the seaf-
fold and made speech protesting his in
nocence, as calmly and with as distinct
enunciation ss II ne had been addressing
an assemblage Of friends upon some or
dinary topic. His face was pale, his eyes
were red, but his voice was firm, and he
stood as solidIy as a rock while he pro-
claimed his innocence and professed for
giveness 10 those who, he said, had
bounded him to heath.
There was not a hitch or accident 10
mar the plans of Warden Hale in carry
ing out the sentence. The moose was ad-
justed the trap was sprung. the stout rope
held, and Durraut's dead body dangled
al the end. The neck was broken by the
fall Of four feet, and five minutes later the
murderer's body was ent down and
placed in the coffin.
Consistent 10 the last, Durrant died pro-
tossing religion. But he died accepting
S. the last moment the comforts of the
Catholic church, instead Of those of the
Baptist faith. in which he was reared.
Iiev. RAIDER, Protestant minister. had
arranged TO ascend the scaffold with Dur
rant, but the minister would not say that
he thought Durrant innocent, and the
condemned man declined his services
unless he professed belief in his inno-
cence.
As the hour Of the execution approach
ed the prisoner became somewhat rest
less. His father and mother were ad-
mitted 10 bid him a last farewell. The
older Durrant grasped his son by the
hand and the young man then turned TO
comfort his mother, who cried hysteric-
ally. Durrant embraced her tenderly,
and saying, ''The hour has come for us
20 part" put her gently away. The grief
stricken mother was led to a private
room, where she remained until after the
execution. The father, however, went
10 the execution room, and, supported by
two friends, saw his son meet death.
STORY or THE CRIME.
While Durrant was convicted of but
one murder under the law, be was held
responsible by public opinion for the
murder of both Blanche Lamont and
Minnie Williams, and it is felt that his
death expistes one crime as much as the
other.
Durrant had been a prominent member
of the Emanuel Baptist Church for sew
eral years, and for year previous TO his
arrest has been assistant superintendent
Of the Sunday School. In this capacity
he made the acquaintance of Blanche La
mont and Minnie Williams. Blanche
Lamont disappeared April Sd. 1895. and
was never seen alive afterward- She left
the home Of her aunt, Mrs. c. G. Noble,
on that day to 90 to school.
Many members of Emanuel Church as
sisted in the search for the missing girl,
and among others was Theodore Durrant.
Ten days had passed since Miss Lamont
disappeared and her friends had almost
given up hope Of ever knowing her fate,
when a discovery was made which led to
the finding Of Miss Lamont's body. The
ladies of Emanuel Church were decorat-
ing the edifice preparatory to the eeIebra-
ton of the Easter Sunday services, when
the mangled body of Minnie Williams
was found, almost 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 une-
quail struggle she had made TO protect
her honor.
From some Of the young woman's
friends il was learned that she had been
seen the evening before with Durrant.
Durrant was arrested the following after
noon. From the first the police associa-
ted the finding of Miss Williams body
with the disappearance Of Miss Lamont,
and a search was at once begun in the
church for her body. At 10 o'clock Sun
day morning the body of Miss Lamont
was found. A broken door knob and a
turned bolt excited the suspicious of the
seal anu NA4t Atti AIdAAAi. ~ NnC bCA-
fry Of the church was broken down.
At the third landing, lying in the cor
ner Of the darkened belfry, the naked
body of the murdered girl was found.
The imprint Of five fingers buried in her
throat revealed the manner in which the
young woman met her death. The post
mortem examination showed that muir
der was not the only crime that had been
committed. The evidence against Dur
rant accumulated rapidly, and on April
2Ist an information was filed against him
by District Attorney Barnes, charging
him with the murder of Blanche Lamont.
The trial, which began on July I'D and
lasted until November lst, was one OF the
most celebrated in criminal jurispru-
denee.