The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-01-08
DURRANT's CRIMES
And Evidence Upon Which He Was
Convicted

William Henry Theodore Durrant, who
was hanged at the State Prison at San
Quentin today, gave his life in exchange
for the lives of two young women, who
were members of the church to which
he belonged. While Durrant was con-
victed of but one murder under the law,
he was held responsible by public opinion
for the murder of both Blanche Lamont
and Minnie Williams, and it is felt that
his death expiates one crime as much as
the other.
Durrant's crimes were peculiar in
their atrocity, from any point of view.
He was reared in Christian home, and
until the time of his arrest was regard
ed as a model young man of industrious
habits, who was trying to work his way
through a medical college. The only
characteristic that seemed marked in his
nature was his piety. He had been a
prominent member of the Emanuel
Baptist Church for several years and for
a year previous to his arrest had been
assistant superintendent of the Sunday
school, In this capacity he made the
ACQUAINTANCE of Blanche Lamont and
of Minnie Williams, both of whom were
destined to be murdered by him in the
church where they worshiped together.
Blanche Lamont disappeared on April
3d. 1895, and was never seen alive after
wards. She left the home of her aunt,
Mrs. c. G. Noble, on that day to go to
school, and for ten days no trace of her
could be found. Many members of
Emanuel church assisted in the search
for the missing girl, and among others
was Theodore Durrant, who had often
acted as Miss Lamont's escort.
He seemed greatly distressed on ac-
count of Miss Lamont's disappearance,
and at length expressed the belief that
she had Joined the ranks of fallen wo-
men. The theory seemed plausible to
the police, and a search was made
among the places where it was believed
the missing girl might be found. Dur
rant assisted in the inquiry which came
to naught. Ten days had passed since
Miss Lamont disappeared, and her
friends had almost given up hope of
ever knowing her fate, when discov'
cry was made which led to the finding
of Miss Lamonts body.
The ladies of Emanuel church were
engaged in decorating the edifice prepar-
atory to the celebration of the Easter
Sunday services, when the mangled
body of Minnie Williams was found
almost naked, in the library A num-
Der of ugly knife wounds and some rags
! that had been forced down the young
woman's throat told of the unequal
struggle she had made to protect hel
| honor.
Miss Williams body was discovered il
the afternoon, and late the same night
the first clue to the murderer was OBJ
tanned. From some of the young wo-
mans friends 1t was learned that sh.
had been seen the evening before witt
! Durrant, and although there was moth.
| ing else to show he had any connection
with the crime, the police decided to ar.
rest him. Durrants home was visited
I late at night but he was not there. His
parents said that he had left at mid
night with the signal corps of the Ma
tional Guard, to make some Photograph
ing experiments on Mt. Diablo. The mex
train carried two detectives toward th'
mountain, and, after completing theil
| tourney by stage, Durrant was found
late in the afternoon and arrested. Blu
the news that he was charged with the
murder of Minnie Williams was not frs
impaired to him by the officers. A mes
sage was flashed on the rays of the SUI
by the photographers in this city wht
were taking part in the experiments o
the signal corps, and Durrant knew tina
he was to be arrested before the officer,
arrived.
While these events were taking plac
on Mt. Diablo sixty miles away, dis
covery had been made in this cit.
which filled the streets with men ant
women crying for vengeance. From tn
first the police associated the finding
| of Miss Williams body with the dis
appearance of Miss Lamont, and
search was at once begun in the churcl
for her body. Men worked all nigh
tearing up floors and breaking dow
partitions, and at 10 o'clock Sunda,
morning the body of Miss Lamont wa
found A broken door knob and
turned bolt excited the suspicious O
| the searchers, and the door leading t.