Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-08
DURRANT IS DEAD.
execution Of the Famous San Fran
cisco Murderer.
SAS HOPEFUL TO THE LAST.
Believed That Something or Some One
Would Intervene 10 Save Him.
PARTICULARLY COOL AND NERvy.
speech on the ScanoId In which
lie ASseVcrntcs His Innocence and
Expresses Forgiveness Of All Who.
10 says. Have Harmed Him.

SAN QUENTIN, CAL, January L
Wien William Henry Theodore Durrant
o..a on thc gallows this morning for the
MURDER Of Blanche Lamont ne gave such
en- exhibition OF coolness and nerve as has
seldom been seen under similar circmn-
Stances Hopeful almost to the very last
minnie that something or some one would
intervene TO save him, he walked to the
.Goid and made a speech protesting
DIS innocence as calmly and with as dis
trc, cnuuciation as If he had been ID
f- ing am assemblage Of friends upon
some ordinary topic Of the day. His face
vas pale. his eyes were red, but his voice
vrs firm. ard he stood as sohdly as a
rock while he proclaimed his innocence
srs rrofcsscd forgiveness Of those who.
ha said. had bounded him to death
There was not a hitch to mar the plans
o. Warden Hale in carrying out the SEN
tercc OF the law. The neck was
broken by a fan Of five feet, and fifteen
MINUTES later the murderer's body was
,.- down and placed in a CONN.
In spite Of the exciting events Of last
n.-ht when Durrant was beseged by
newspaper reporters and talked TO his
parents until 1880 z. NJ. he rested easily
during the night, and shortly after 6
o'clock awoke and bade his guards good
uornlng Warden Hale had provided
fsw suit of dark material. and .h5se
clothes Durrant quickly donned. He 10
t.ed the absence Of collar and necktie.
however, and knowing full we'll the
son OF their omission, ne asked for
iasm explaining that "a turn-down col
lr would not interfere with the moose.
Then be sat down TO an excellent break
FAST. and ate heartily. During the early
morning hours Durrant did not have
mrch TO say beyond expressing a desire
iat mo- newspaper-men should be allow
,i t0 see him. This request was compiled
WITH
PROFESSION OF RELIGION.
Consistent TO the last Durrant died
protesting religion. But he died, accept
ire at the last moment the comforts of
- Catholic Church instead Of those Of
thr Baptist faith. In which he was reared.
Rev. llr RAIDER. a Protestant minister
ial arranged to ascend the scaffold with
h.m. but the minister would not say that
d. th0ught Durrant innocent. and he
condemned man declined 10 accept his
services unless he should profess belief
in his innocence.
Then it was that the once ardent Bap-
tlSt turned t0 the Catholic Church for
consolation. and called upon Father
Lacan. priest who had frequently
visited him iu prison. 10 attend him.
Father Lagan responded promptly. and
performed The last solemn rites Of the
Catholic Church. Durrant remained in
close consultation with the priest. and
seemed % Doe deeply interested in the i'm
pf. -sive ceremonies.
As the hour o. the execution approach
ei fhe prisoner became somewhat rest
less. Ills father and mother were ad-
mlttei 90 bid him a last farewell. The
elder Durrant grasped his son by the
hand. ana the young man then turned TO
comfort his mother. who cried hvsterl-
ully Durrant embraced her tenderly,
and saying THE hour has come for Us
t1 part" put her gently away. The
u.ef-stricken mother was led 10 pri-
yafa room. where she remained until
after the execution. The father, how
ever. went 10 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 Washington
90 take some action. Finally, when word
was flashed across the Continent that
the Supreme Court had declined to in
ierfere, the warden ordered the execution
OF The sentence 10 be carried out.
THE EXECUTION.
At lO.34 o'clock. Durrant accompanied
b. Father Lagan, appeared at the door
Of the execution room. He was followed
ly bis father. a friend. Warden Hale,
and the guards. The father and friend
walked around the gallows TO the front,
while Durrant and his keepers climbed
o. the gallOws platform. Instantly on
alrigine al the gallows his legs and arms
were pIniOned. and the rope was placed
about his neck. The hangman was about
o. adjust the black cap. when Durrant
announced his desire 10 speak Permis-
SION was given. and the doomed murderer |
spoke as follows.
'I desire 10 say that although / am an |
Innocent man, innocent of every crime that |
has been charged against me, / bear no /
against those who have per- /
S clted me- not even the police OF san |
Francisco. who bounded me TO the grave. /
u any man thinks / am going TO spring |
3 selsatiOn-I am not. except ii Is SEN
sauon that / am an innocent man,
brought 10 the grave by my prosecutors.
lll / forgive them all. They Will get |
their justice from the great God who is
master OF the universe, and l also expect
% get justice-that Is, the justice of an
Innocent man.
Whether or not the perpetrators Of the
crime with which / am charged are dis
covered. 30 will make no difference 10 me
noW. but ! say this day Will pc a shame
10 ihe great State Of California. l for
sife everybody who has prosecuted me.
an innocent man. whose hands have not
been stained with blood. and / go 10 meet
ly Cod with forgiveness for all men,"
Iae words were delivered slowly and
inctly and without emphasis. Dur
FAINT finished quietly. and had scarcely
sai when the black cap was placed
DYER ls face. AT the same instant Hang
man Lunt raised his hand the trap
s sprung. and with a rattle, Durrants
',ay shot through the opening. In eleven
minutes and twenty-eight seconds ali
lsna of life had vanished, and the most
loiei criminal Of the nineteenth century
was officially dead
BODY MAY BE CREMATED.
The body was allowed 10 hang for fifteen
minutes. when II was cut down and
paced in a black coffin pi Jvoed by an
.it.itaker from San Francisco. Ii is not
.. known what disposition Of the body
|" 700 De- made. as Durrant's parents nave
y so Tar unable 10 secure accommoda-
,'h. in any OF the local cemeteries for
Ae body VI their son. II Is possible that
' VIII De cremated
Dufrant. ST.. went Immediately TO his