The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1898-01-20
THE LAST CHAPTER.
Theodore Durrant Executed In San
Quentin Prison.

San Quentin, Cal, Jan. 8.-When
William Henry Theodore Durrant died
on the gallows Friday morning for the
murder of Blanche Lamont, he gave an
exhibition of GOODNESS and nerve as has
seldom been seen under similar clrcum-
stances. Hopeful almost to the last
that something or some one would IN
tervene to save him, he walked to the
scaffold this morning and made his lit
tie speech protesting his innocence as
| calmly and with as distinct enuncia-
ton as if he had been addressing an as
semblage of friends upon some ordinary
topic of the day. His face was pale,
and 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 car
rying out the sentence of the law. The
moose was adjusted, the trap was
sprung, the stout rope held and Dur
rants dead body dangled 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 despite of the exciting event OF
last night, when Durrant was beseiged
by newspaper reporters and talked to
his parents till 11:30 P. M, he rested
easily during the night and shortly
after O'Clock he awoke and babe his
guards good morning. Warden Hale
had provided a neat suit of dark ma
terial for the occasion and those clothes
Durrant quickly donned. He noticed
the absence Of collar and necktie. how.
ever. and knowing full we'll the reason
for this omission, he asked for them,
explaining that rundown collar would
not interfere with the moose. Then he
sat down to an excellent breakfast and
ate heartily. During the early morn
ing hours, Durrant did not have much
to say beyond expressing desire that
no newspaper men should be allowed
to see him. This request was COM
piled with.
Consistent to the last, Durrant died
protesting religion. But he died. ac-
cepting at the last moment the com
forts of the Catholic church, instead of
the Baptist church, in which he was
reared. Rev. Mr.. RAIDER, Protestant
minister, had arranged to ascend the
scaffold with Durrant, but the minister
would not say that he thought Durrant
innocent, and the condemned man de-
clined his services until RAIDER professed
belief in his innocence. Then it was
that the once ardent Baptist turned to
the Catholic church for consolation, and
called upon Father Lagan. the priest
who had frequently visited him in
prison. to attend him. Father Lagan
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
interested in the impressive ceremony.
As the hour of the execution ap-
preached the prisoner became somewhat
restless. His father and mother were
admitted to bid him a last farewell.
The elder Durrant clasped his son by
the hand and the young man turned to
comfort his mother, who cried hyster-
| ically. Durrant said: ''The hour has
come for us to part" and 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 Washing
ton to take some action. Finally,
when word was flashed across the CONT
nent that the supreme court had de-
the programme of the day carried out.
At 1924 o'clock, Durrant, accom-
panied 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
gallows, his legs and arms were PIN
toned 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:
81 desire to say that although. am
an innocent man, innocent of every
crime that has been charged against
me, / bear no animosity toward those
who have prosecuted me, not even the
press of San Francisco, which bounded
me to the grave. If any man thinks
ann going to spring sensation. Lam
not, except it is the sensation that
am an innocent man brought to the
grave by my prosecutors, but / forgive
them all. They will get their justice
from the great God who is master Of us
all, and there also expect to get the
justice that is the justice Of an inno-
cent man. Whether or net the perpe-
traitors of the crime of which I am
charged are discovered, it will make no
l difference to me now, but | say this
day will be a shame to the great state
of California. l forgive everybody
who has prosecuted me, an innocent
man whose hands have never been
stained with blood, and l go to meet
my God with forgiveness for all men. !"
The words were delivered slowly and
distinctly and without emphasis. The
eager crowd of spectators grouped
closer to the wooden framework that