The sun., 1898-01-08
DURRANT PAID THE PENALTY
The Supreme Court Refused to
Interfere.
SHOWED WONDERFUL NERVE
"1fI Have to Die" He Said, ~ Will
Die Like u Durrant"..-he Died
q Catholic.

SAN QUENTIN PRIsoN, Cal., Jan. T.
Theodore Durrant, convicted of the mllr
der of Blanche Lamont, was executed
this morning The trap was sprung at
1875.
Dnrrant died brayely. his last words
being II am innocent
With eyes riveted on Washington.
Iigurativcly speaking. the father and
mother Of Theodore Durrant spent the
night in little inn outside the prison
walls while their son made desperate
effort to so calm his nerves that he might
spend in sleep he most Of his remaining
hours. Hoping against hope. demand
ing miracles from the slight difference in
time between Washington and Califor-
MIA, expecting some phenomenal action
on the part OF the ] Justices of the Su-
prcme Court OF the United States when
they should take their seats at noon on
the day set for the execution Of the
criminal of the century," the unhappy
trio spent the night alternately climbing
the height of sanguinc hope, and then
plunged into the deepest abysses Of
despair.
The prisoners every breath was fol-
lowed by six watchful eyes, never for a
moment withdrawn. The vigilance of
the death watch has increased with the
passing Of every day and hour. Always
fearful OF an attempt at suicide in the
case of condemned prisoner, they have
been trbly cautious in their espionage
since Durrant was committed to their
keeping. His training in a medical col
lcge, where his iavorite study was anat-
on'y, has SO qualified him for facility in
sclf-dc-truction that his prison guardians
were apprhcnsive Of his slightest
move.
Durrant's guards had Il precise and alb
>nlute knowledge Of how he might com
NIT suicide. The most innocent looking
pencil was not allowed to get near his
face, lest with his knowledge of anatomy
he might jab it through his eye into his
brain. The guards were ready for
poisoned leaves, for everything, and
when yesterday the number of his
watchers was increased from two to
three Durrant would indeed have had |
difficulty in making the slightest move
which could not be promptly stopped. |
But Drrrant apparently had no thought .
Of suicide. He passed his waking hours |
i'll prayer, and when, last night, the
prison physician remarked rcuasurinyiy .
that he would come to him in the morn .
ing prepared to give him stimuIants, .
his significant smile and easy measured
tone told, if he had not said word,
that he would scorn such support or
When asked il he felt at all unnerved,
Durrtnt held his arm at length and tri-
demonstrated that it had no
t~mor. Then, with an air which was
impressive. even il grandiloquent, he
said "If have to die, will die like a
Durramt-that is all. belong to race
which can meet even death without
"Will Durrant dica Roman Catholc%.
was the latest speculation of the small
army grouped about the prison walls
waiting for the tragic end which they
eagerly expected to witness.
Il am, | may say, a Catholic. think
| shall send fol Father lagan,' remark
ID DurHant unconccrncdIy Y. at is not
hat care for crccds, but for faith-thc
'''''' 'i''' F'i,'tlIt'i III lily Nlll
position "''
Wien il w"~ finally decided that Dur
rant should accept the Catholic faith, his
awnts met Father Lagan in the War
lens office and accompanied him to the
leath chamber,f here the prisoner was
given cXtrcre,nnction and the Catholic
service performed Durrant cvinccd the
most lively interest in the service. He
hen convcrcd with his parents for a
lew min1lt 4. and shortly after 10 o'clock
oade thcm farewell for the last time, ,,
md prepared for his march to the scat
old.
On the arrival of the first train from !,
san Francisco the open space in front of :
he prison gate rapidly filled with peo- !
Die, including many OF those who held
invitations to the execution, as well as
,thcrs attracted by curiosity. Among
he i'rong were many physicians and
cNcr:l officials Of various counties. DR.. +
y. NJ. LawIer, prison surgeon, selected /
he following physicians to assist him at t
he scaffold Dr. John Jones, San Fran \
isco DR.. &. Wickham, San Rafael
)r J. +. Lorsc San Francisco DR.. II. J
:. Williams, San Francisco. t
4hiIh'1iS wiz III iIIlNulS was lttN. WI.
tadcr. lie stated that he would not see c
)urrant if Rev. Edward Davis was to be S
present and he was informed that the !,
Gentleman had decided not to attend. n
soon afterwards Rev. Father Lagan "
lrove up from San Rafael. He was met I
" Warden Hale, and was at once ad-
nitted within the gates. The SUPPOSE S
ion that Durrant was about to change S
lis faith became a certainty. lie pro- D
assed the Catholic religion, and died 5,
within the Church. So many per- t,
ons pressed for admission that the
Warden found it necessary to publicly
nnounce that under no circumstances
'ould any one without proper card be l.,
/,
Well-Known Man Dead. j.
Philip G. Plunkctt, one OF Whining II
ms most wideIy-known citizens, died B
,st night at his home, No. 2O9 Lam II
aster avenue, Of paralysis of the heart. al
he deceased had been sick about three N
,eeks, but his death was entirely unex- al
ected He was engaged in the whole X
Tie and retail liquor business, and had n
big trade. He was twice married The L
neral will take place on Monday B
,Orninp from st. PETERS Pro- Cathpdra1 A.