The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-01-08
The HANGING
OF DURRANI'
Remarkable Exhibition Of Nerve by the
California Murderer.
DIED PROTESTING HIS INNOCENCE
In a Speech From the scafold He "Forgave
Those who Hounded Him to the
Grave"-The Condemned Mans
Father Witnessed the
Execution.

san Quentin, Cal, Jan. S.--When Will
lam Henry theodore Durrant died on
the gallows yesterday for the murder
of Blanche Lamont he gave an eNhi-
bitiOn of GOODNESS and nerve such as has
seldom been seen under similar circum-
stances. Hopeful almost to the very
last minute that something would in
tervene to save him, he walked to the
scaffold and made a speech protesting
his innocence as calmly and with as
distinct enunciatiOn as If he had been
addressing an assemblage Of friends
upon some ordinary topic. His face
was pale, his eyes were red, but his
voice was firm, and he stood as solid
ly as a rock while he proclaimed his
innocence and professed forgiveness to
those who, he said, had bounded him
to death
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. Mr.. RAIDER, a Protest
ant minister, had arranged to ascend
the scaffold with Durrant, but the min
lister would not say that he thought
Durrant innocent, and the condemned
/
professed belief in his innocence. Then
it was that the once ardent Baptist
turned to the Catholic church for con-
ISOLATION, and called upon Father La
gan, a priest who had frequently Wis
tied him in prison, to attend him.
Father Lagan responded and perform
ed the last solemn rites of the church.
Durrant remained in close consulta-
tion with the priest, and seemed to be
deeply interested in the impressive GER
emonies.
At 1924 o'clock Durrant, accompanied
by Father Lagan, appeared at the door
of the execution room. He was fol-
lowed by his father a friend, Warden
Hale and the guards. The father and
his friend walked around the gallows
| to the front, while DuTraut and his
/ keepers climbed to the gallOws plat
! form. Instantly on arriving at the
gallows Durrants legs and arms were
pinioned and the rope was placed
about his neck. The hangman was
about to adjust the black cap when
| Durrant announced his desire to speak.
| Permission was given, and the doomed
| murderer spoke as follows:
Il desire to say that, although l am
/ an innocent man. innocent of every
crime that has been charged against
me, bear no animosity towards those
that have prosecuted me, not even tn,
| press of San Francisco, which hOuudeC
me to the grave. If any man thinks
| am going to spring a sensation.
am not except it is a sensation that
am an innocent man, brought to the
grave by my prosecutors. But 1 for
| give them all. They win get their jus
tice from the great God, who is mas
ter of us ALL and there l also eXpec
to get justice-that is, the justice of al
innocent man. Whether or not the per
petrators of the crime Of which, an
charged are discovered, ii will maxi
no difference TO me now but l say thi
day will be a shame to the great stat
of California. ! forgive everybody VIII
has prosecuted me, an innocent man
whose hands have never been staine
with blood, and l go to meet my Co
with forgiveness for all men"
The words We're delivered slowly an
distinctly and without emphasis. TIL
eager crowd of spectators grOupe,
closer to the wooden framework, tina
they might not lose a word Of wha
was being said. Not a sound could b
heard except the even tones of the ma
I
ceased speaking when the black ca
was placed over his face. At the sam
instant Hangman Lunt raised h
hand, the trap was sprung, and with
rattle Durrants body shot through ii
opening.
In just II minutes and 2S seconds a
! signs of life had vanished. The bod
( was allowed to hang for Is minute
b when it was cut down and placed in
e black coffin. Then, accompanied by Il
j parents, it was taken to San Francisc
i 1t is not yet known what dispositiC
n of the body win be made, as Durrant
t parents have been so far unable
+ secure permission to inter the body
e any of the local cemeteries. 1t is veI
probable that the body will be CT,
mated.
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