Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1898-01-13
DURRANT Is DEAD.
The Long Fight for Life Proves to
Have Been in Vain.
Died Protesting His Innocence and 40
cepted the Ministrations of the
Catholic Church Although
Reared Baptist

Died Protesting His Innocence and 40
cepted the illustrations of the
Catholic Church Although
Reared Baptist.
SAN QUENTIN, Cal. Jan. S.-When
William HeRry Theodore Durrant died
on the gallows yesterday morning for
the murder of Blanche Lamont he gave
such an exhibition of GOODNESS and
nerve as has seldom been seen under
similar circumstances. Hopeful almost
to the very last minute that something
or some one would intervene to save
him, he walked to the scaffold and
made his little speech
Protesting His Innocence
as calmly and with as distinct enun-
citation as if he had been addressing an
assemblage of friends upon some ordi-
nary topic of the day. his face was
pale, his eyes were red. but his voice
was firm and he stood as solid as
rock while he proclaimed his inno-
cence 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
Durrant's Body DangIed 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.
Warden Hale had provided a neat
suit of dark material IN honor of the
occasion, and these clothes Durrant
quickly donned. He noticed the ab-
sence of collar and neclxtie, however,
and knowing full well the reason for
their omission, he asked for them ex-
planning that a rundown collar
would not interfere with the moose.
Then he sat down to a most excellent
breakfast and ate heartily.
Consistent to the last Durrant died
protesting religion. But he died, &C.
cepting at the last moment, the com.
forts of the Catholic church instead OF
those of the Baptist faith in which he
was reared. Rev. RAIDER, Protestant
The Once Ardent Baptist Turned to the
Catholic Church
for consolation and called upon Fa Their
Lagan, a priest who had frequently
visited him in prison, to attend him.
Father Lagan responded promptly and
performed the last solemn rites of the
church.
Durraut remained in close consulta-
ton with the priest and seemed to be
deeply interested in the impressive
ceremony.
AS the hour of the execution APP
preached the prisoner became some
what restless. His father and mother
were admitted to bid him a last fare.
well. The elder Durrant grasped his
son by the hand, and the young man
then turned to comfort his mother,
who cried Historically. Durrant EN-.
braced her tenderly, aud saying: THE
hour has come for US to part" put her
gently away.
The Grief-Stricken Mother
was led to a private room, where she
remained until after the execution
the father, however, went to the exc
cution 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 Wash
ington to take some action.
Finally when word was
Flashed Across the Continent
that the supreme court had declined to
interfere, the warden ordered the pro-
gramme of the day to be carried out.
Instantly on arriving at the gallows
his legs and arms were pinioned and
the rope was placed upon his neck.
The hangman was about to adjust the
moose when Durrant announced his de-
sire to speak. Permission was given
and
The Doomed Murderer Spoke as FolIows:
desire to say that although 1 am an inno-
cent man, innocent Of every crime charged
against me, bear animosity toward those
that have prosecuted me, not even the press OF
San Francisco, which bounded me to the grave
If any man thinks going to spring Sensa-
tion-I am not, except it is sensation that l
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 I also
expect to get justice that is the justice of an
innocent man Whether or not the perpetra-
tors of the crime of which 1 am charged are
discovered, it will make no difference to me
now, but say this day will be a shame to the
great state of California forgive everybody
who has prosecuted me, an innocent man,
whose hands have never been stained with
blood, and go to meet my God with forgivness
for all men.
Durrant finished quietly and had
scarcely ceased when the black cap
was placed over his face. At the same
instant Hangman Lunt raised his
hand, the trap was sprung and, with
a rattle, Durrant's body shot through
the opening. There was a sound as of
a stout rope drawn taut and broken
necked man swayed to and fro for a
moment when the body became mo
tionless. The crowd surged forward,
but the warden's voice was heard to
exclaim: STAND back" The doctors,
however, were permitted to go forward
where they felt the pulse and finally
decided that Durrant was dead.
In just IL minutes and % seconds ali
signs of life had vanished. The body
was allowed to hang for Is minutes
when it was cut down and placed in a
black coffin provided by an undertaken
from San Francisco. It is not known
yet what disposition of the body will
be made by Durrant's parents.