The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-07

On Sunday morning the police continued
their search of Emmanuel Church. They
began carly so that they might not disturb
the services should any be held in the desc
Grated place. They forced open the door;
then they climbed up the narrow stairs. Up
one flight they went. then up another to the
top landing, which was a mere platform
under the belfry, with shattered sides
through which the dim light came. The
place was dusty and apparently little used.
For moment they could not see We'll but
when accustomed to the semi-darkness their
eyes made out something white on the floor.
They rushed forward and discovered the
naked body of young woman. Not bit
Of clothing. not ring or other orna fnent
was upon it, che hands were peacefully
crossed on the breast, and the head and
feet We're placed on small blocks of wood,
Just as medical students arrange cadavers
in the dSsecting room which they wish TO
preserve from decomposition well as hold
in position for dissection.
THE BODY IDENTIFIED.
The searchers at once jumped to the con-
cusion that this must be the body of
Blanche Lamont and they sent in hot haste
for the girls uncle, who promptly identified
the body A grave mistake was made in not
having the police surgeon make his autopsy
in the belfry. The removal of the body to
the morgue, where the air was much warm
er, caused rapid decomposition, making the
surgeons task more difficult. Her neck
showed evidences of finger marks and her
lungs revealed that she had been choked to
death. Careful search of the rafters of the
belfry brought to light the torn clothes of
the dead girl The murderer had stripped
off her underclotnes. tearing them as well
as her stockings to ribbons. These he had
secreted in the rafters, climbing TO the most
inaccessible places. In other out of the way
corners he had secreted her pack of school
books and her hat. All her belongings just
as she left the Normal School. were found
in the belfry, showing that she had gone
straight from the school to the church and
her death. AS there were no marks of a
struggle in the dust of the belfry landing,
the police theory was that the girl was at
tackled downstairs near the pulpit and
cholled to death. Then her body was carried
belfry, where the clothes were slipped off
and the corpse neatly laid out. The police
believe the murderer intended to remove the
body and cremate it in the furnace at the
Cooper Medical College. This crematory Is
used for getting rid of the remnants of bod
les used for dissection. 1t is run by two
Chinese. and it would have cast no suspicion
on Durrant had he turned over parts of the
body to the Chinese for cremation.
As soon as the body had been identified
and the police learned of the suspicious of
Mrs. Noble in regard to Durrant, heliograph
signals We're sent to Mount Diablo to hold
dne me6ica student ana Two Two oG S Uere
rant was first told he was to be arrested
he treated the matter lightly, but before he
reached the city he seemed to realize his po-
sition. At the ferry a great mob had gath
cred San Francisco was wild over the news
of the finding of the bodies, as the news
papers had issued extras during the after
noon. The great crowd made rush for the
prisoner and he was only saved from lynch
ing by taking refuge in the captains cabin
On the San Francisco side platoon of po
lice guarded him till he could be placed in
carriage Then he was taken directly to
police headquarters and closely questioned.
His folks had not taken the precaution 10
summon counsel, so that before he saw
lawyer he made statements which he was
afterward forced to contradict or modify.
Iyn xt-gC CC1 and -nlI hka a
denied he had seen Blanche Lamont on the
fatal April 8, and he as fatty denied that
he had been with Minnie Williams on the
afternoon and evening when she was last
seen. The police gathered mass of evil
dence against Durrant in both cases, and at
his preliminary examination he was held
for the murder of both girls The police
elected to try him the Blanche Lamont
case first as they thought the evidence in
The trial, which began on July % 1895,
lasted until Nov. J. 1t resulted in Durrants
conviction, and he was sentenced to be
hanged on Feb. q, 1896. Then began a stub
born fight for delay, appeals and reappeals
being taken to all the state and federal
courts. Three times was the date OF execu-
ton fixed, and each time set aside. His
last attempts to secure delay were made
yesterday, as related in the dispatches from
San Francisco and Washington.
A PICTURE OF THE MURDERER.
Here is a San Francisco reporters pic
ture of Durrant as he appeared soon after
some facts about the young man and his
family. He is of French Canadian descent.
His father is foreman in shoe factory in
this city The family came here about fif-
teen years ago, and Durrant was educated
in the public schools. The father looks like
a TYPICAL honest workingman. His face
shows no special ability force, but 1t is
a good face. and one which you would IN
stinctively trust. In the courtroom, during
the preliminary examination, the father had
worn a dazed air, though he could not
comprehend the fearful things which were
biou GIT g inst his boy. The mother, whose
features are faithfully reproduced in the
son, wore an entirely different air. She
seemed 10 enjoy the. notoriety Of the case;
and she had a look of bravado. She laughed
and chatted with her son before proceedings
began. and she treated all the legal pro-
cesses as part of q show which had no real
significance. 1t was painful to watch her
leVity and hear her fiippant talk, when on
the other side sat this father, bowed with
shame, and his face heavy with forebodlng.
THE impression that DurrantS face
makes upon a sensitive person is that of
will. He has the high cheek bones of the
Indian. small, furtVe eyes, a snub nose,
square retreating forehead, and thick lips.
Join these to a sallow complexion and
self-satisfied air and you have a peculiar
combination, in which self-conceit, GOODNESS
and animality are the three striking lea
lures. TO one who has lived in the South
and been familiar with mulattoes. Durrants
face often suggests the question whether
he NAV not have a. faint OF negro blood III
his veins His lips are the lips of the Afri-
can and at times his face wears the look
OF the mulatto When he speaks the face
does not light up. He is as Stod as an
Oriental. None OF the surprises which have
been sprung upon him have moved him from
his self-control. Even the exhibition OF the
torn clothes of the dead girl Blanche cid
not make him change color. A marked Pc
culiarity of his conduct has been that he
never appeared to feel any shame over his
position. An innocent man put in his place
could scarcely fail to be overwhelmed at
times by the mass of evidence against him.
But Durrant has never broken down. never
DISPLAYED any strong feeling over his dam
gerous position never bowed under. the
weight of crcumStantial evidence that
would have phased a hardened criminal and
made him see the SHADOW OF the SalloWs
falling at his feet Through all the mental
strain of the first examination and the sub
sequent trial he has slept the deep and quiet
sleep of innocent childhood. Though his
face took on the pallor that comes from
Jail life he seems to thrive, as he has gained
fourteen pounds since his arrest.
He has given the jailers no trouble. Dur
ing the greater part of his time he has spent
hours in study as he told his visitors he
bound not to fall behind his classmates.
The only sign of the criminal which he has
shown is an inordinate desire to read every
thing about him printed in the newspapers.
Half his time he has spent In reading these
articles and in studying his case. He re-
fused absolutely to talk to reporters, and
rule he was tempted to 1t by his anger
against Preacher Gibson, whom he accused
OF unchristion conduct.
-<-e-S
Railway Employees Mangled.
ST. JOSEPH. No. Jan. Ga Kansas
CITY St Joseph & Council Bluffs paSsen-
ger train south bound collided with a Chi
Ill, q. tchf af he