The San Francisco call. [volume], September 21, 1895, Page 5, Image 5

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

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ADOLPH OPPENHEIMER IDENTIFIES DURRANT
The Pawnbroker Also
Identifies Blanche I
Lamont's Ring.
WAS OFFERED FOX SALE.
Janitor Sademan Says the Gas-
Burners Were In Good
Condition.
THE VESTIBULE CHANDELIER.
Ther« Was No Surprise Jn the Brief
Redirect Examination of
Organist King.
THE CURRANT TRIAL EH A MINUTE—
OPPENHEIMER'S TESTIMONY.
Pawnbroker Oppenheimer was the chief wit
ness in the trial or Durrani for the murder of
Blanche Lament yesterday. He retold hiß evi
dence given at the preliminary examination
concerning the visit of Durrant to his shop on
Dupont street. Durrant brought a ring to him
and offered it for sa'.e. says Oppenheimer. This
was some time between the Gth and 10th of
April.
Mr. Oppenheimer identified the ring and
also the overcoat and hat worn by Durrant at
that lime. The ring is one of those worn by
Blanche Lament— the one sent to Mrs. Noble
through the mails. The very searching cross
examination did not materially weaken this
testimony.
When court opened in the morning Organist
King took the stand. His cross-examination
was quickly concluded, and then, to the sur
prise of all, Mr. Barnes dismissed him with but
a question of two of minor importance.
Frank Sademan, janitor of Emmanuel
Church, then told about the condition of the
church ana the gas-burners. The latter were
in good shape, he said.
When court adjourned In the afternoon it
was until Monday morning.
Note to the Reader.— lf you wish only to
know what was actually accomplished in the
Durrant case yesterday the foregoing summary
will give you that information. If, however,
it is your desire" to learn the particulars of this
Interesting trial you will find subjoined a
clear, succinct, Impartial account of all im
portant matters. Under no ciicumstances will
the offensive details be admitted. They are
not essential to an intelligent understanding
of the progress of the case, and will be accorded
no place in these columns.
ELEVENTH DAY OF TRIAL.
The Time Was Mainly Devoted to
Filling In the Details of the
People's Case.
The eleventh day of the trial of Theo
dore Durrant for the murder of Blanche
Lamont was not at all exciting, but the
crowd was none the less for that and some
of it pressed hard the sacred precincts of
Judge Murphy behind the rail. Durrant
was in court, just the same, and the crowd
came to see him. In the crowd was Pastor
Gibson's private secretary, young Mr.
Lynch. General Barnes was there in the
morning, and not a few other luminaries of
the bar dropped in and out during the day
— as they usually do.
The most interesting testimony of the
day was that given by Mr. Oppenheimer,
who came on in the afternoon.
The morning session was void of sensa
tion save, perhaps, the mild one caused by
the marked absence of the sensation that
every one expected — the sharp cross-exam
ination of Organist King by District At
torney Barnes.
■\Vh«n, after a few questions, Mr. Dick
inson turned the comely young man back
to Mr. Barnes for redirect examination
everybody primed himself for the de
velopment of something startling. Prob
ably there would be something said about
& clot of blood in the churcn; assuredly
the witness would at least be sharply and
closely questioned by the counsel for
whose side he had been subpenaed.
But none of these things happened. Only
the unexpected occurred, which was, how
ever, quite regular for this famous trial.
"After giving Durrant the bromo seltzer
and going into the classroom to rest, where
did you sit?" asked the District Attorney.
"On the platform."
•'Might it not have been then that he
lay down?"
"Yes, -sir."
"That is all."
And these last three words of Mr. Barnes
made the greatest sensation of the morn
ing session. Even the entrance of the
Mayor's secretary, followed closely by a
tall stout well-knit figure, with cleanly
Ehaven face, caused less of a furore in the
over-crowded courtroom than did the sud
den termination of Mr. King as a witness.
And this is probably due to the fact that
only one or two persons in the room knew
that the clean-shaven man was Congress
man Bryan of Nebraska, the famous silver
orator. Mr. Roberts brought him up to
the bench and introduced him to Judge
Murphy, who left his high seat and came
down and shook hands and exchanged
nothings with the Congressman.
Meanwhile the cross-examination of the
janitor of Emmanuel Church, Frank Sade
man, was going on under the guidance of
Attorney Dickinson.
Mr. Sademan had been called to the
stand to tell about the gas-burners and the
condition of the church generally. His
evidence was material, though he knew
nothing about the events of April 3.
He said, however, that the gas-burners
were in good condition all over the church
except in the main vestibule. On the
chandelier there he had noticed a defective
key, which sometimes occasioned a small
leakage of gas, but that was all.
This testimony was directly in the line
of the State's theory. Mr. Barnes will
argue that it was this small leakage in the
vestibule which occasioned the smell of
gas noticed by Organist King when he first
opened the main door of the church and
came in.
In the afternoon came Pawnbroker Op
penheimer, who says that Durrant came
to his store on Dupont street and offered
to sell one of the rings that was afterward
sent through the mail to the aunt of
Blanche Lamont, Mrs. Noble. Mr. Oppen
heimer gave his testimony in quite a posi
tive way. It was between 10 and 11
o'clock in the morning when Durrant
came to his store. He was sitting near the
door reading when the visitor appeared.
Durrant handed him the ring and asked
him what it was worth.
"Nothing to me," said the pawnbroker,
after he had examined it.
Then Durrant urged him to buy it, but
Mr. Oppenheimer had no money to invest
in that class of goods, and the young man
departed without selling the ring.
Mr. Dickinson recognized the force of
this testimony and cross-questioned the
pawnbroker most minutely, but without,
apparently, changing his evidence in any
respect or weakening it.
The witness admitted that such rings
were probably manufactured in quantities,
but he had never seen one like it. It was
a peculiar ring, he said, and he remem
bered it distinctly.
Could he have mistaken the identity of
the man? Witness thought not. He was
face to face with the man and saw him
ver3 r plainly.
The trend of Mr. Dickinson's cross
examination was reached when the attor
ney for the defense handed the pawn
broker two rings, which to the layman
looked exactly alike. One was the ring in
troduced in evidence by the people. The
other was apparently a fac-simile repro
duction of it.
But the quick eyes of the pawnbroker
distinguished a difference at once. The
diamond in one was a cut stove, in the
other a chip diamond.'
Then the adjournment till Monday
morning was declared.
THE MORNING SESSION.
Organist King Permitted to Depart
After Only a Few Perfunctory
Questions.
George R. King, the organist of Em-
HOW THE PRIVILEGED SPECTATORS CROWD JUDOi MURPHY'S SACRED PRECINCTS AT THE
DURRANT TRIAL— JANITOR SADEMAN AND IHE HATCHET OF EMMANUEL CHURCH.
manuel Church, was called for the con
tinuation of his cross-examination in the
morning.
"How lon% were you playing at the piano
that afternoon before Durrant appeared at the
sliding doors?" asked Mr. Dickinson.
"Two or three minutes."
"Was the piano a full-toned instrument?"
"I don't know— l think so."
"Has anybody been to see you since the ad
journment of this court?"
"No, sir."
"We have no further questions."
Mr. Barnes then asked a few questions
in redirect examination.
"If I remember your testimony correctly, Mr.
King," said the District Attorney, "when you
returned with the bromo seltzer you found Mr.
Durrant in the vestibule, and you both went to
the classroom and sat down. Where did you
sit?"
"On the platform."
OPPENHEIMER EXAMINES THE PEOPLE'S AND DEFENDANT'S
RINGS.
"Could it not have been that he lay down?"
•'Yes, sir."
"That is all," said the District Attorney.
The speedy conclusion of the redirect
examination was a surprise to almost
everybody, for it had been looked forward
to with anticipation as a source of some
spicy revelations.
The janitor of the Emmanuel Church
was the next witness. His name was
Frank Sademan, and he told Mr. Peixotto,
who did the questioning for the people,
that he had been janitor of the church for
a long while, but that he no longer was
employed in that capacity.
"Were you the jßnitor during the month of
April last?"
"Yes, sir."
"Are you at present occupied or connected
with the church?"
'•I am a member.
"Do you know Theodore Durrant?"
THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1895.
"Ye", sir; I have known him for two years."
"Where did you meet him ?"
"At the church."
"Do you know what keys he had of the
church?"
"Not to my own knowledge. I heard that—"
General Dickinson— One moment: not what
you heard, but what you know.
Mr. Peixotto— Did you have any charge of the
lighting of the church?
"Yes, sir; I have often repaired the fixtures."
"What was their state of repair on April 3,
1895?"
"They were in perfect state of repair."
"Did Durrant ever call your attention on or
about April S, 1895, to any defect in the gas
fixtures*"
"No, sir."
"Did anybody else?"
"No, sir."
"Do you know the state of repair of the
fixture in the vestibule on the lower floor?"
"A Key was loose and occasioned a small leak
of gas."
"What was the condition of it— it is a chan
delier, is it not?"
•'There are four lets in the chandelier, which
is on the lower floor, and one of the keys
being loose sometimes it dropped down, caus
ing a very slight leak."
"Did you ever repair it?"
"By simply pressing down the key it stopped
the leak."
"Was the odor of gas perceptible to any
extent in the church?"
"Sometimes very slightly."
"Not enought to overcome you?"
"Ob, no."
"Were there any repairs made in the fixtures
at that time?"
"No repairs, but changes. They were made
In March. A patent burner, I think, was put
in by some company in order to save gas."
"Do you know the company?"
"No; the office is on Powell street."
'After the work was completed was there
I any smell of gas in the auditorium?"
"No, sir."
"Did anybody ever report any odor of gas
there?"
"No, sir."
"Do you know of anybody who has a key to
your room?"
"I have often locked the door and found it
open on returning."
"Do you know of anybody who had a key?"
"The pastor."
''Do you know if Theodore Durrant had a
key?"
"I don't know."
A hatchet, part of the people's exhibit, was
handed the witness, and he was asked if he
recognized it. He said: "It looks exactly like
the hand-ax I used Xo chop wood with at the
church."
"Where did you last see it?"
"I can't positively say, but the last place I
saw it was in the cellar of the church, on the
block, I think."
"Did you ever see it in any other plate other
than the basement?"
"In the kitchen."
"In any other place?"
"I may have."
"Did you ever use it there?"
"I may have. It wae uaed to chop ice in
making icecream, possibly.'
"Dirt you see Durrant subsequent to April 3,
1895?"
"I saw him on the 10th at church in the
evening."
"Subsequent to that?"
"Friday, April I' 2, 1895."
"Where did you see him?"
"At the terry, loot of Market. He said he
•was waiting to see if a report In regard to
Blanche Lamont, who was thenjmissing, whs
true. He Mtid the report was that she would
be in the City that afternoon, and he wished
to see her, if possible. He was standing near
the entrance to the ticket otiice, east of the
Market-street car turntable."
"What were you doing there?"
"Looking for my boy. He had left the house
without our permission."
"Did you have any further talk with Dur
rant?"
"He said that as the detectives hunting for
her were not very efficient he was taking it up
himself."
"What time was this?"
"About 4 o'clock. I stayed there about ten
minutes."
"When you left was he still there?"
"Yes, sir."
"This was in the afternoon?"
"Yes, sir, it was."
"Whose duty was it to repair the gas fixtures
in the church?"
"It was considered my duty ."
Dickinson— l move to strike out the answer
as not responsive to the question.
Judge Murphy— The motion is denied.
"Exception."
Dickinson— When were you employed as
janitor of the church?
"In the latter part of October, 1894."
"By whom were you employed?"
"Is\- the church trustees."
"But who particularly spoke to you?"
"Mr. Vo<el."
"A son of Dr. Vogel?"
"No, sir, a brother."
"Was it your duty, among others, to ventilate
the church?"
"Yes, sir."
"In ventilating it what did you open?"
"The window in the rear and one in the
auditorium."
"What were the facilities for ventilation
above the auditorium?"
"I sometimes opened the door leading to the
tower."
"Was the air offensive sometimes after the
church had remained closed for a time?"
"No, sir; not to any great extent.
"Well, but the closeness could be noticed?"
"Oh, of course, a little."
"Did you open any of the front windows?"
"They would not open, nor the panels
either."
"State as nearly as you can the last time you
opened or closed the belfry door prior to
April 3?" *
"Perhaps two weeks."
"When, after April 3, was the first time you
opened or closed or saw the belfry door?"
"Sunday morning, April 14."
"I call your attention to this photograph ; say
if you can identify it?"
"That is a photograph of the belfry door as it
appeared that Sunday."
"Here is another photograph?"
"That is of the same door after it had been
forced open."
"How high did you go up the belfry stairs?"
"Just high enough to look over the top floor
and see what was there."
"And you saw a dead body there?"
"Yes, sir."
"Did you examine the floor carefully?"
"No, sir. I came down and locked the
church door, so that outsiders couldn't come
in."
"Are you sure you locked the door?"
"Yes, sir; because I remember of some one
ringing trie bell in order to get in."
"How long after you came down out of the
belfry was it before other persons besides the
two officers came into the church?"
"About ten or fifteen minutes."
"After the body had been removed was the
belfry door left open?"
"Yes, sir."
"And the belfry accessible to anybodyT"
"Yes, sir."
"Returning to the time before the body was
removed, dicf you notice whether the mouth of
the corpse was open?"
"No, I don't remember that."
"Did you see marks on the door?"
"Yes, sir; chisel marks."
"Was there a chisel kept in the church?"
"No, sir."
"Did you ever see the Wolf boys, Elmer and
Clarence, in the church making preparations
for entertainments?"
"Yes, sir."
"When was the last entertainment at the
Church prior to April 3?"
"March 29."
"That was on the Friday before Wednesday,
the 3d of April?"
"Yes, sir.''
"Now, any one gaining access to the north or
south side entrances of the church would nave
free access to the entire building to the belfry
door?" ,
•Yea. sir." '
"And by means ot the ladder in the gallery .
could reach the sub-ceiling and thus go to the
tower of tne belfry?"
"Yes, sir."
"Were you there when Theodore Durrant
and George King put the lock on the library
door?"
"I was about the church."
"Did you have any conversation with them
about it?"
"Only that they told me they were doing it
to keep out all those who had no business
there."
"You didn't think that was irregular in any
way?"
"No, sir."
Then the noon recess adjournment oc
curred.
♦
THE AFTERNOON SESSION.
Pawnbroker Oppenheimer Is Quick
to Distinguish the Difference
Between Two Rings.
The cross-examination of Janitor Sade
man was continued in the afternoon.
Attorney Dickinson wanted to know
whether he had ever found any of the
doors of the church open when he came
there — doors that he had left locked.
Witness said he had — a few times, but
never missed anything in particular from
the church. Almost any key would open
almost any of the doors of the church he
said. That was ail.
Then Pawnbroker Adoiph Oppenheimer
of 405 Dupont street was called. He
responded, after a few moments, and was
examined by Mr. Barnes.
"I show you three rings, marked respectively
Xl, N2 and N3," said Mr. Barnes. "Please look
at them and tell me if you have seen any of
them before?"
"Yes; I have seen one of them before."
"Which is it?"
"The one marked people's exhibit No. 1."
"Where and when did you see it 7"
"At niy store between April 4 and 10 this
year. '
"Can you fix the date any closer than that?"
"No, I cannot."
"How came you to see this ring?
"It was brought to my store between 10 and
11 o'clock in the morning by a young man."
"Why did he bring it?' r
'•He offered it for sale."
"Who was the young man?"
"The defendant in this case."
"State the circumstances of the transaction?"
"I was sitting at the front door of my store
reading a book when this young man came in.
He had the ring in his hand. He held it out to
me and asked me what It was worth. I took
it and examined it, and told him it was too
small to be of any value. 'Well,' he said, 'how
much will you give for it?' I told him I did
not want it at all. Then he walked out."
"Do you remember how the young man was
dressed?"
"He wore a dark overcoat with a velvet col
lar and a black, soft hat."
"How long: was he in the store?"
"Between three and five minutes."
"What kind of a door ia there to your store?"
"A single glass dour."
"Is there any particular place in the store
you usually occupy?"
"I am always in front of the store when not
behind the counter."
"From your position can you look out and
see who is passing?"
"Yes, sir/
"Is the door kept open or closed?"
"It is always open in the daytime."
"Does it open inside or outside?"
"Inside."
"I hand you this overcoat; can you identify
it?"
"It looks very similar to the one worn by the
defendant that morning."
"And this hat. I hand you?"
"That is like the hat he wore?"
"What is the width of your door?"
"About two feet."
Mr. Dickinson then began the cross-ex
amination.
"Are there any marks on that ring by which
you can identify It?"
"I know that is the ring because there was
never such a ring in my store before."
Dickinson— l ask that be stricken out as not
responsive to the question.
The court— That may be stricken out. You
must answer the question, Mr. Oppenheimer.
Witness— There is no mark on it, but I re
member it because of Its peculiar make.
"Have you never seen one similar?"
"So, sir."
"Why?"
"There was never one brought to my store
like it."
"Then you have never seen rings only in
your store?"
"Not a ring like that."
"How long have you been in the business?"
"About seven years."
"What was your business before you became
a pawnbroker?"
"I kept an employment-bureau on Geary
street."
"Were you ever engaged in the cigar business
as a manufacturer or retailer?"
"No, sir."
"Now, you have seen a great deal of
jewelry?"
"Yes, sir."
"And yet you never saw a ring like this be
fore?"
"No, sir."
"What is that ring worth?"
"Not much."
"Are they not manufactured in quantities?"
"Yes, sir; I suppose so."
"And why do you suppose so?" -
"Because it is not a hand-made ring."
, "They are made by machinery?"
"Yes, sir?"
"And are not rings of that kind turned out
by the dozen and gross?"
"I suppose so."
"And you never saw a ring like It before?"
"No, sir."
"How do you fix the dates between which
this occurrence took place?"
"Well, it was my birthday on the Bth. I re
member it by that."
"The Bth was also my birthday. Was it be
fore the 8th?"
"I rather thiuk so."
"Now, was it on the 7thT'
"I can't remember."
"On the 6th?"
"I can't remember."
"On the sth?"
"I can't remember."
"Well, you say you saw this ring?"
"I saw the ring."
"What is the name of the book you were
reading?"
"It was a novel; I don't remember; I read so
many novels."
The foregoing is a fair sample of Mr.
DicKinson's cross-examination, not only of
this witness, but of most of the others.
This stretches out the proceedings a good
deal and gives employment to the sten
ographers, but it hardly makes interesting
reading, and it rather bores the audience.
But Mr. Dickinson goes on, oblivious to
all. He wanted to know the width of the
store. It is eight or ten feet. He got the
witness to say that the book he was read
ing was probably that of a Russian poet,
whose name he could not translate;
that the witness did not know a
man named Phillips; that he had
not conversed with any one about
his testimony since the preliminary ex
amination; that he had met Detective Sey
mour once or twice; that he had received
a letter promising him $500 if he would be
uncertain about his identification of Dur
rant; that he had visited the City Hall
two or three times; that his neighbor, the
barber, subscribed for The Call, and his
neighbor, the shooting-gallery man, took
the Chronicle, and that he read the Ex
aminer at the grocery-store on the corner.
At this last point Mr. Dickinson offered
in evidence a cony of the Examiner in
which were published the pictures of the
rings of Blanche Lamont. Under direc
tion of the court the picture was cut out
and pasted on a cardboard, and then ad
mitted as evidence.
"Had you seen the defendant's picture in the
paper?" asked Mr. Dickinson, taking a new
tack.
"Yes, sir."
"Did you read that he wore an overcoat and
a soft hat?"
"No, sir; I don't think that I did."
"When you read about the rings what did
you do?"
"I had previously talked to my wife about it."
"Did you read about the Coroner's inquest?"
"I knew it was going on, but did not read
the testimony."
"To whom next did you speak about it?"
"To the officer on the beat. Ido not know
his name."
"Was this after the inquest?"
"Yes, sir; I could not say how long after."
"What did you say to the officer?"
"I told him to tell Detective Gibson to come
and see me, for I thought I had seen the ring
published in the paper before."
"Did Detective Gibson come to see you?"
"No, sir."
There was a lull in the proceedings for a
moment. Then Mr. Dickinson asked the
witness what time it was by his watch.
Witness put his watch rather close to
his face in answering the question.
"Let me see the dial of that watch," said
Dickinson. He looked at it and then said :
"It Is rather a plain dial, isn't it?"
"Yes, sir."
"Do you always have to put your watch to
yonr eyes in that manner?"
"No, sir."
"Why did you do it then?"
"It is merely a bablt."
"Are you not nearsighted?"
"Not very."
"I ask that the dial of that watch be shown
to the jury."
The court— Oh, I think that is unnecessary.
You may test his eyesight in other ways.
But Mr. Dickinson did not care to con
tinue the test. The witness certainly had
not the manner of a near-sightea man.
Perhaps it would not have been judicious
to press the matter any further.
Presently the astute attorney from
Sausahto handed the witness two rings
that to the eyes of a layman were exactly
alike. One of them was people's exhibit
No. I—Blanche1 — Blanche Lamont's ring — and the
other was an imitation of it.
"Which of those two rings were presented to
you by the young man in the pawnshop?"
"This one," said the witness after a brief
examination of the two. He held up Blanche's
ring.
"Is there any difference between them?"
asked Dickinson.
"One is a chip diamond setting; the other is
a cut diamond."
There were a few similar tests with
other rings, but the result was about the
same. Evidently Mr. Oppenheimer is a
gentleman who understands his business.
Court then adjourned till Monday morn
ing, when Mr." Oppenheimer Mill again
take the stand.
DISTURBED THE DEPUTY.
Adam Brehm Arrested for Raising: a
Row In the Hall During
the Trial.
Adam Brehm, the janitor at Turn Verein
Hall on Turk street, created a disturbance
in the City Hall yesterday afternoon that
resulted in his being arrested. He had a
card of admission to the courtroom in
which the Durrant trial was in progress,
but the Deputy Sheriff refused to let him
in, as the courtroom was filled.
Brehm saw some one who is connected
with the trial enter the room, and he made
a vigorous demand to be admitted. He
was denied the privilege, and this aroused
his ire to such an extent that the Sheriff
ordered him away from the place. The
man still persisted in annoying the deputy
until Officer Jennings arrested Brehm and
charged him with obstructing the passage
of a public hallway.
A Petty Thief Caught.
Charles Howard, alias Charles Healin, was
arrested on California street yesterday after
noon and booked on a charge of petty larceny.
He went in J. J. Evans' stationery store and
asked to see an account book or ledger. One
was shown to him, and he then asked to see
something better. While the clerk was get
ting it Howard made a rush for the door with
a book under his arm and ran up California
street. Officers Long and Silver heard the hue
and cry and caught the thief as he was turn
ing into Montgomery street.
THEODORE DURRANT CASE
Published Statements Con
cerning His Defense Were
Merely Guesses.
HE HAD A BANK ACCOUNT.
Some of the Points the Prisoner's
Attorneys Will Try to Make
In His Behalf.
There is much speculation being in
dulged in. now that the case of the people
in the Durrant trial is nearing its close,
relative to the manner of defense that will
be made by the prisoner's attorneys.
Numerous guesses at the probable line
that will be followed have been published,
some of which will doubtless prove to
have been shrewd ones when the defend
ant's case is presented, but as yet they are
guesses in every instance, with -but few ex
ceptions, the attorneys for the defense
having been exceedingly cautious about
talking of their case.
No effort is made, however, to disguise
the fact that an alibi will constitute the
main feature of the defendant's case, and a
few points that will be made can be stated
with reasonable certainty of their ac
curacy.
It has been decla red that at least two
witnesses will be brought forward to swear
that they saw Blanche Lamont alive after
the hour in which she is supposed to have
been murdered. This is one of the guesses
and may have some foundation, as Attor
ney Deuprey when seen yesterday concern
ing it declined to either confirm or deny
the report.
Another point which it has been stated
the defense would endeavor to establish is
the statement that George Maline walked
across the City the afternoon of April 3,
with Durrant, from Cooper College to the
Mission. This, it has been learned, will
form no part of the case, and although it
is believed the defense will try to show
that Durrant did walk across the City, it is
known Maline will not testify to having
accompanied him.
Another feature of the case to be pre
sented by Mr. Deuprey and his confrere
will be^an argument that Durrant could
with little reason have been the person
who offered to sell the chip-diamond ring
to Pawnbroker Oppenheimer, since Durrant
had an account at two different banks,
and, therefore, had no need of the paltry
sum the sale of the ring would have
brought. This argument will be offered in
view of what is considered an accepted
theory that the necessity of money was
the motive prompting the attempted sale.
Durrant i 3 in possession of bankbooks
showing that he had accounts at the
Hibernia Savings and Loan Society and
the San Francisco Savings Union.
Still another matter that will receive
urgent attention at the hands of the de
fense and from which Durrant's attorneys
expect their case to profit largely will be
an effort to impeach the testimony of the
witnesses Quinlan and Clark. Detective
Harry Morse has devoted himself assidu
ously to probing the records of the two
men, and claims to have gathered evi
dences in each case of a career calculated
to reflect most seriously upon their ver
acity. If this evidence is admitted the de
fense expects to easily impeach the two
witnesses. It is also stated that much the
same tactics will be adopted with reference
to the testimony of Adolph Oppenheimer.
The information that these details will
form part of the case for the defense may
be considered as undoubtedly authentic,
but further than this there are no reliable
indications as to what steps Durrant's
legal talent will take.
Adolph Oppenheimer will resume his seat
on the witness-stand at Monday's session
of the trial. He will be followed by the
gasntters who repaired the fixtures at
Emmanuel Church just previous to the
murder, whose evidence will be introduced
to discountenance the likelihood that Dur
rant had any need of visiting the church
loft for the purpose he has stated.
Unless something intervenes in the
meantime to change his plans, District
Attorney Barnes will then rest the case
for the people, reserving his remaining
witnesses for rebuttal.
Durrant has consented to the publication
of the letter he received Thursday from
Aurora, 111. It follows verbatim :
September the 15, 1895.
Friend Mr. Durrant: I thought that I would
write a few lines this morning and let you
know that I feel bad for your dear mother
and her family and for you, and if you
are not guilty of the crimes I *pray to
Christ that you may get out of your
trouble, and I hope that you pray to
God to have mercy on your soul, for he knows
all about us. I have seen you on the street
and I hardly believe that a young man like
you would do any thing like that. Frankly
trust in Christ. 1 pray that Jefry would get
out of his trouble if he was innocent, and I
pray day and night for you for your dear
mother's sake that you may get out of your
trouble. God bless you and keep you. Answer.
Mrs. L. Pangborn.
Just who the "Jefry" referred to is is
uncertain, but it is quite evident the author
was overcome with a desire to communi
cate with the noted prisoner a»d doubtless
feigned the illiterate style lest her identity
should be discovered.
FEAR A LOSS OF POWER
That Is Why the Mandarins of
China Caused the Late
Outrages.
Bishop Graves of Shanghai Tells of
the Massacres and Suggests
a Remedy.
Bishop P. R. Graves of the Protestant
Episcopal Church at Shanghai was one of
yesterday's arrivals here on the Gaelic.
He was asked at the Occidental about the
late outrages against missionaries in China
and said :
When I left the commissioner was examin
ing into the outrage at Knchang, where eleven
people were massacred. This was perpetrated
by a set of men who called themselves "Vege
tarians"—which they were not in reality. The
real vegetarians do not take human life. These
men were trying to start a rebellion. The only
apparent reason for their attack on the mis
sionaries was the fact that they believed that
the missionaries had been thecause of bring
ing in troops to quell other disturbances in the
past.
The most extensive outrages, although not so
many people were killed, were in Schuen, the
most westerly province in China. These were
caused by the mandarins, who wish to get rid
of all foreigners in the province. This feeling
on the part of the mandarins was the cause of
all the outrages since 1891. If the foreign
powers had acted promptly in regard to any of
the previous outrages these would not have
occurred. It has got to be rather a cheap,
thing to kill foreigners in China. These cas-es
have in the past all been settled with a money
Indemnity, and tae people who really did the
killing were not punished.
The feeling ajrainst foreigners is growing. It
has been started and fostered by the literati
and Mandarins, who are constantly publish
ing anti-foreign literature. They make all
sorts of accusations against them, such as
mutilation of the dead and kidnaping and
abusing children. This literature has been al
lowed to circulate freely, until the loafers and
rowdy class believe anything against the for
eigners.
If England and the United States act vigor
ROYAL
Absofiuteflj»r Pius*«a
ously and promptly now there will be no more
riots".
It is a mistake to suppose that this feeling
of the natives is against missionaries alone.
It Is the same against all foreigners, without
discrimination.
It appears bo simply because there are more
missionaries there and they go further into the
country than others. There is no question of
religion about it.
One great trouble is that the mandarin class
fear that they will lose power through the edu
cation of the lower classes. This is the princi
pal reason for their enmity toward the mis
sionaries.
Two Fine Concerts.
An interesting "Beethoven" night was given
yesterday evening at the Y. M. C. A. under the
auspices of the Hawthorne Society. T. H.
Rosewald sketched the life of the great com
poser biographically. Excerpts were given
from Beethoven's works by T. H. Rosewald on
the violin. Hugo Mansfeld't also gave a recital
of pianoforte works by the Bonn master.
An excellent concert was given yesterday
evening at the Second Unitarian Church.corner
of Carp and Twentieth 1 streets, for the benefit of
the church. The entertainment was under the
direction of Mrs. Mark Mann Brown. It is in
tended to make this the first of a series of con
certs, at which first-class local soloists will ap
pear.
• — ♦ ■»
Sowing Wild Oats.
C. H. Yatman, the noted New York evangel
ist, en route to Australia on his trip around
the world, will address young men only at the
Christian Association auditorium, Mason and
Ellis streets, to-morrow afternoon at 3 o'clock.
By special request he will speak on "Sowin*
Wild Oats." All gentlemen between 16 ana
45 years of age invited.
Stabbed a Stableman.
A warrant was 6i«orn out yesterday for the
arrest of John Mulcahy for an assault to com
mit murder. Maurice Kirby, who works In &
stable at 734 Tehama street, is the complain
ant. He says that several ciays ago during a
row in the stable Mulcahy stabbed him three
times. The wounds were not severe.
WILL SEPARATE NO MORE
William Laidlaw and Miss
Jessie Reid Were Married
Thursday.
Happy Termination of Fourteen
Years of Separation — Their
Future Plans.
Wedding bells have rung for William
Laidlaw, the Scotch engineer of Burmah,
and Miss Jessie Reid of this City, the
romantic story of whose early courtship in
Scotland, separation for fourteen years
and final reunion in San Francisco was
told a few days ago.
On Thursday evening, at the residence of
the bride's brother, J. C. Reid, 2204 Devisa
dero street, they were made man and wife,
and a genuine Scotch wedding jollification
was participated in by the assembled
guests.
Rev. J. Cumming Smith of Trinity Pres
byterian Church officiated at the cere
mony, and as the solemn words that
bound the young couple to henceforth go
hand in hand through life were finished,
the friends and relatives who thronged the
cozy parlors of the residence pressed for
ward to congratulate them on the happy
consummation of fourteen long years of
faithful waiting for the turn in the tide of
fortune.
The bride, blushing and happy, was at
tired in a dainty confection of India silk,
while her younger sister May, who acted
as bridesmaid, looked radiant in a dainty
costume of white silk. William Reid, a
brother of the bride, acted as best man to
the handsome stalwart groom, and J. C.
Reid gave the bride away.
To-day Mr. and Mrs. Laidlaw leave for
the home of their early youth in Ayrshire,
Scotland, where they will no doubt be
tendered a hearty reception by tne friends
of their childhood, who know the story of
their lives and the long separation that
was brought to a close by the marriage.
Several months will be spent in Scot
land, and then the couple will continue
their journey to Raugoon, Burmah, which
will be their residence for several years to
come, in case the climate of the country,
usually severe on all but the most robust
Europeans, is congenial to the bride.
After the ceremony of Thursday evening
a sumptuous wedding dinner was partaken
of at the house, and then a genuine Scotch
wedding social was begun and carried into
the small hours of the morning.
A Good Idea.
X ' - .■'.■-....
"Always Give the Other
Fellow a Good Bargain"
And have the knack of d«ing the
right thing at the right time in
the right way. We are giving the
good bargains all right and doing
the right thing at the right time by
getting our Fall Goods in early.
We are doing it in the right way
by putting them on exhibition
• now and , marking everything in
plain figures.
DON'T BUY
Pictures, Frames, Easels, Piano
and Banquet Lamps, Writing Tab-
lets, Papeteries, Visiting Cards,
Playing Cards, Silver Desk Orna-
ments or
LEATHER GOODS
. Until you have seen our new dis-
play of new things. Ladies' Purses
in- giraffe, seal, grained calf, etc.,
in all the fashionable colors, either
plain or silver mounted. Cardcases,
• Billbooks, Visiting Lists, Picture
Frames, Lap Tablets and Traveling
Sets. Whole showcases full of
quadruple plated and sterling sil-
ver novelties for desk and table
ornaments. All welcome. None.
. urged to buy.
SANBORN,
VAIL & CO.
741, 743, 745 Market St.
MILLINERY.
.-■■■|Bl- The Largest and
r3>?M|y^£3t dBSI uBl6Ct6u
J&iSilf Stock of
M||pf FINE MILLINERY
■ %*W%&9'& AT THE
iymr Jf '•< Most Reasonable
3sk *^fvw Prices Is to 1)6
RIITIFR'9
■' ■*mm&^^&j&e&l? * ' '■ "U I Lulu,
Vf^y S^Bsi#~«^ §v 808 Market Street,
•y^S^gfg^y^ Phelan Building.
NEW WESTERN HOTEL.
KEARNY AND WASHINGTON BTS— RE-
modeled and renovated. KING, WARD & CO.
1 European plan. - Rooms 50c to 91 50 per day, 9*J
to $ 8 per week, $8 to $30 per month; free bath*;
hot and cold water every' room; tire grates in every
room; elevator runs all night.
5