The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1898-01-14
DURRANT Is DEAD.
The Long Fight for Life Proves To
Have Been in Vain.
Died Protesting His Innocence and Ace
oePted the illustrations 81 the
athoiic Church Although
Reared "a Baptist.

Niihhih ilcHTy ncOuOf iJurraut died
on the gallows yesterday morning for
the murder OF Blanche Lamont he gave
such an exhibition of GOODNESS aud
nerve as has seldom been seen under
similar circumstances. Hopeful almost
To the very last minute hat something
or some one would intervene to save
him, he walked to the scaifold and
made lis little speech
Protesting Ills Innocence
as calmly and with as distinct enun-
citation as II he had been addressing an
assemblage Of friends upon some ordi-
nary topic of the day. Ills face was
pale, his eyes were red, but his voice
was firm and he stood as solid as a
rock while no proclaimed his limo
enc and professed forgiveness, to
those who, lie said. had bounded him
To death.
There was not a 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
D%urrant's body Dsngled at the End.
The neck was broken by the fall Of
over five feet. and 10 minutes later the
murderer's body was cut down ana
placed III the coffin.
Warden Hale had provided "A neat
suit Of dark material IN honor of the
OCCASION, and these clothes Durrant
quickly donned. lie noticed the ab-
seDce of collar and necktie, however.
and knowing full well the reason for
their omission, he asked for them ex-
planning that Il turn-iown collar
would not interfere with the moose.
Then he sat down to IA most excellent
breakfast and ate heartily.
Consistent To the last Durrant died
protesting religion. But he died, ac-
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, a 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 ia prison, to attend him.
Father Lagan responded promptly and
performed the last solemn rites of the
church.
Durrant remained in close consulta-
ton with the priest and seemed to lie
deeply interested in the impressive
ceremony.
AS the hour of the execution APP
preached the prisoner became some
what restless. His father and mother
we're 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 em-
braced her tenderly. AID saying: The
hour has come for us to part" put her
gently away.
The Crief-stricken Mother
was led to u 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, butallowed all possible
time for the supreme court at Wash
ington to take sonSe 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.
III hangman was about to adjust the
moose when Durrant announced his de-
sire to speak. Permission was given
and
The Doomed Murderer spoke AS Follows;
l desire TO say that although | am an inno-
cent man. innocent Of every crime charged
against me, ! bear no luminosity toward those
that have prosecuted me, not even the press of
san Francisco. which bounded me TO the grave.
III any man thinks ] am going TO spring "A sensa-
lion - am not. except IL H. a sensation that |
im 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 | also
expect to get justice that is the justice OF an
innocent man. Whether or not the perpetra-
tors OF the crime OF which | am charged are
discovered. it will make no difference 10 me
now. but ! say this day Will be a shame TO the
great state Of California. l forgive everybody
who has prosecuted me. an innocent man,
whose hands have never been stained with
blood. and | 20 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
. rattle. Durrant's body shot through
the opening. There was a sound as Of
a stout rope drawn taut and a broken
necked man swayed TO and fro for a
moment when the body became mo-
tionless. The crowd surged forward,
but the wardcn's voice vas 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 2s seconds all
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 M undertaken
from San Francisco. 1t is not known
yet what disposition of the body will
be made bv Durrant's parents.