The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-01-08

| during the seventh 80 TO ou anu IN tue tcN''
second 30. The body with the cap wa:
placed in n black pine box. Later tht
cap was removed and the ,orpse enclosed
In a casket provided bv the temily.
Mrs. Durrant did not witness the ex-
ccution. She remained with Theodore Unit
1915, fifteon minutes before the ead' Sht
| watched Father Lican baptize her son II
| the Catholic church and was then led weep-
ing out of the prison by Two guards She
remained in the grounds until all was over
md then departed.
The coffin with the contents was taken
Immediately to San Fran cisco Nv an an
d2rtakcr.
STORY OF THE CRIME.
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 convicted OF
1 but one murder under the law hi WAS ned
! responsible BY public opinion icr Inc MUIR
der of both Blanche Lamont and Minnie
| Williams. and it is felt that his death
expiates one crime as much as the other
purrant's crimes were peculiar in their
| atrocity, from any point OF view. he
was reared in a Christian home, and untii
| the time of his arrest was REGARDED as II
| model Young man of industrious hablts,
/ who was trying to work his WAY throueh
| n medical college. The only taaratterisue
| that seemed marked in his nature was ms
| piety He had been n prominent meinber
/ OF the Emanuel Baptist church for several
| years and for wear previous 10 LIS ar
| rest had been assistant superintendent OF
| the sunday school In his canaeity ne
| made the acquaintance of Blanche Lamont
tt,tafn ms nf
were destined To be murdered Nv him IN
| the church where they worsh!pptd TO-
gether.
blanche Lamont disappeared on April
8, 1885, and was never seen alive AFTER
wards She left the home OF her aunt.
school. and for ten days no trace Of her
could be found. Aany members OF Emnn-
uel church assisted in the search for the
missing girl and among others was Tbeo-
dore Durrant. who mad often acted MS NJ IS
Iamonts escort.
He seemed greatly distressed on account
Of Miss Lamont's disappearance, and at
length EXPRESSED the belief Tat sac had
jaincd the ranks OF fallen women. This
theory seemed plausible 20 The nnlee. and
a search was made among the nlaces where
it was believed the missiag g.fl uieht
be found Durrant assisted IN The INQUIRY,
which came to naught Zen davs had
passed since Miss Lamont cisaprcared,
and her friends had almost goven NJ hone
of ever knowing her fate when discovery
was made which led 10 the i.ndIng of Miss
Lamonts body.
The ladies of Emanuel church were en-
gagged In decorating the cdiice ", cDaraiory
to the celebration OF the Easter Sunday
services, when the mangled BODY Of Min
ME Williams was found Almost naked in
the library. A number of ugly knife
wounds and some rags That had been
forced down the Young womins throat
told Of the unequal struggle she Lad made |
to protect her honor.
Miss Williams body was discovered IN |
the afternoon. and late The sane night
the first clue to the murd sfar was Oh
tanned From some o. the young wopSp's |
friends II was learned That sha had been |
seen the evening before with DurraD'. and |
although there was .liOthing elra 10 snow
that he had any connection VIII. the eiihe, |
the police decided to arrest him. Durrants |
home was visited late ~ NIGHT. hut be was |
not there, HIS parents SAID ha, re had
left at midnight with the signal CORPS of |
the National Guard, to whca he belonged. |
to make some heliog, aDhinf experiments |
on Mount Dlablo. n'he mex: train tai
ried TWO detectives toward tho mountain. |
and after completing their journey ~
stage. Durrant was found ate in the after |
noon and arrested. But me news that ho |
WAS charged with the rnurder az Minnie
Williams was not first impaired TO b.n |
by the odfceTH. A messsae %aiI flashed on
the rays OF the sun h ire lialiogra Dhers
in this city who were taxing part in the
ex experiments Of the signal CORDS. ard Dur
rant knew that he was 10 BE- drrcsted be-
fore the officers arrived.
While these events were taking place OH
Mount DIabo sixty miles away. a Gi.coy-
cry had been made in this city which flied
the streets with men end women tiyipg
Tor vengeance From the irst The police
associated the finding Of Mics Wl;liams'
body with the disappearance NJ li.ss La
mont. and search Was at once begun IL
the church for her body. Men worked
all night tearing no hoors and breaking
down partitions. and al 10 o'clock Sun
day morning the body OF Miss Lamont was
found. broken door knob and q turned
bolt excited the suspicious Of the seafchcis
and the door leading [, the belfry OF the
church was broken down Up tbs Winning
stairs the policemen eroDed their way. and
al the third landing lying in the corner
OF the darkened belfry. the naked BODY Of
the murdered girl was found. No knife
had been used 10 commit the crime. as
was the case ia the murder Of Miss Will
Jams. but the imprint OF FIVE fingers buried
in her throat revealed the manner In which
the young woman met her death.
The post norton examination showed
that murder was not the only crime that
had been committed. /,
The news of the discovery OF the second
body In the church had spread with In
credible velocity aud az 6 o'cloek. when
Durrant IN custody Of the officers. aIiEhted
rom ferry boat at the .out OF Market
street. In this city. ne was met by q dense
crowd that was ominnus because Of is
silence. The malice were prepared Tor An