Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-21
ONE PHASE OF CRIME
DIR. MACDONALD DELIVERS LEG
TURE ON sADIsTIc MURDER.

Before a session Of the members
of the Medico-Legal Society held at the
Waldorf-Astoria in New York city last
evening Dr. Arthur Macdonald Of this city
read a paper entitled "A Sadistic Murder.
and during the course Of the reading of the
paper he spoke at some length upon the
case of Theodore Durant, the young medi-
cal student Of San Francisco who was con-
victed and executed in that city several
years ago for the murder of two girls. The
bodies were found later in the church of
which he was the superintendent of the
Sunday school.
The previous good reputation of Durant
threw doubt in the minds Of some as to
his guilt, DR.. Macdonald stated. and after
he had been executed many referred 10 the
case as a judicial murder. The OBJECT OF
his paper, Dr. Macdonald explained, was
to show that the murders had the same
melting cause as had number CT famous
cases, such as the ones which 1t was alleged
were committed by Jack the Ripper In
London several years ago. The wounds
upon all of the victims. according to the
speaker, were the same, and he declared at
length that all brutal murderers uncon-
sciously inflict similar wounds.
"All such crimes" said DR.. Macdonald,
"are called sadistic, which means that they
are caused by passions of the lowest and
most degraded nature The speaker further
noted that Jack the Slasher, who some
years ago caused much fear among the.
women Of Washington, and more recently
Jack the Vitrol Thrower," are also sadis-
tic cases. having exactly the same cause
and manifested in less violent forms.
Require Study.
"The apparent mystery surrounding these
crimes" said DIR. Macdonald, land the
notoriety given them make q study Of them
important. For as soon as their real nature
is understood morbid curiosity and interest
in them will rapidly diminish
In citing the case of Durrant. DR.. Mac
Donald said: HE was the assistant super
intendent of the Sunday school and also Its
librarian. During his early life there were
no apparent indications Of unusual passions
or desires, and his associates of both sexes
testify to his modesty and polfteness. His
comrades believed thoroughly in his inno-
cence and contributed the retaining fee to
pay his first counsel. He was at all times
the prime mover for all that was good in
the church He was in his third year at the
medical school, and his professors were of
the opinion that he was young man OF
much ability. He did his oissecting work
well, but according to their statements there
were no indications that he dwelt morbidly
on such work as rumors have suggested.
The speaker then told of the trial and how
when sentenced to death Durrant never
| nlnCne0. he continued anu spoke at leuSlH
upon the nature of the prisoners mother,
who was most remarkable woman. with
out evidence of an emotional nature; with
nerves of steel, and who laughed and
chatted with visitors before the execution
of her son, and afterward sat down to a
hearty meal within few feet Of the funeral
bier"
Crimes Described.
The speaker then told of the two murders,
which plainly showed that the two young
women had been choked to death, and said:
There is but one motive that will explain,
and that is the abnormal passion that takes
pleasure in choking one without necessarily
causing death, or the choking may be con-
tinued until death ensues; and the cutting
and mutilation of the body of the victim
before and after death. Choking and wound
ing Of the body before and after death are
perhaps the most frequent Of the many
methods of satisfying the extreme stages of
sadistic pa ssion,'' DR.. Macdonald stated. He
added that it was more than possible that
Durrant's sadstic passion gained complete
control over him after slumbering during
his younger years, and absorbed his mind
so that he was oblivious to almost every
thing else
At the conclusion of the paper DR.. Mac
Donald cited several brutal murder cases as
examples Of the several phases of sadistic
murder.