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Show Ridiesons Haggard Look a Few Days Before Death RICHESON DIES QUIETLY AFTER ' A STOpr DAY Sings Hymns, Sobs Hysterically, Hys-terically, Talks With j His Spiritual Advisers, j Expresses Repentance j and Declares That He Is ' Prepared to Meet His ; Maker; Current Turned jj; , on at 12:02 A.M. j POISON IS SENT H TO HIM IN NOTE I FROM NEW YORK :! Refuses to See His Broth" er. "I Could Stand It, , ; but He Might Break . ' Down," Says Con- , demned Man; Leaves i; Cell Smiling on March i to Death Chamber, By International News Service. jj, BOSTON, May 21.-1:30 a. m. ,M Clarence V. T. Richeson W has paid the penalty for tho , !' murder of Avis Linnell. The for- mor clorg-man was electrocuted ' at 12:17 this morning in the j' Charlestown state prison. V-1 The condemned man walked to ;J the electric chair with more firm- )'' I ncss and courage than had been !,'.; expected by those who had ob- served him for the last few ' weeks. He had spent his last j ; hours in seeking spiritual eonsol- ?!'' ation in the Bible and in conver- V satiou with his spiritual advisers, who were in almost constant at- . y p. tendance up to the last moment. jfj-j The current was turned on at 12:02. ! rJ Jiichesou was pronounced dead at 12:17. Appetite Good to Last. jj The man who cave the poison to poor ' ' ' Avis Linnell in order that ho might be j ?" freo to wed .Miss Vjolot Edmands, an r heiress, boro himself calmly under tho (, ( intluenco of religious guidance during the last hours oC his death watch. Be- '. fore, however, he had wept and prayed j , that Governor Foss would relent and i '. ' pleaded that hi ought to bo permitted . to spend his life in prison, rather thnn die in the chair. 1 Richeson ato heartily yesterday and j' i today. In tho evening ho sang hymns. ( 1 one of them l)eing "Some Time We'll .' . Understand." ',t'. Sings and Sobs by Turns. ;;-( Once he stopped singing to ask his " ' spiritual adviser to see that a "will" made by him was carried out. In this will he left nil his personal belongings lo Miss Edmands. who is now a settle- ' 1 mcnt workor In New Twit After UnUh- ; Ing a song, Richeson would bury his ' faco In his hands and sob like a baby. I "It can't It ought not to be." he ox- '' claimed. ' -. Karly this evening Chaplain Stcbblns, i I after leaving the condemned man, said: - , Richeson Is wholly resigned lo his fate. ..' "' He lias mado what peace ho can with hll . 1 Maker during his last hours and deep down In my heart I feel that ho will i.':.'.v face that dual court truly ponltent and ' with mil realization of his terrible ' clme. , Back in the Fold. . ;") "Ho Is back in the fold and with no , malice or criticism In hl3 heart, for any- '' one. Richeson will go to tht chair ns a man who knows and Is glad in spite of jrf :' ' the dreadfulnes of It, of tho opportunity (t.t ; : to face his Maker." j Tho chaplain did not toll, however, of ; tho nerve-racking experience he and Dr. fti j Johnson had with the condemned man before they succeeded in having him ro- .?, Hlgn himself to his fate. ' jj? Only when they had romlnded him that j' ho was onco a minister and ought to show sti ,. ; a sublime fnlth in the herenfter did tho ihL ; man annonnoe that he was ready to faco .(JkA the ordeal of legal death without flinch- ;ht? ing. Bofovo this ho had exclaimed: 'J'! "It is terrlblo! I cannot stand It- They '''JJ: will have to earn nso." Afterward, howovcr, he aootned.to take RIGHES0N DIES CALMLY AFTER HYSTERICAL DAY (Continued from Pago One.) tho.attltudo that Jt was his duty. .to. tho church, to ho brave. Under the influence of that, attitude ho boro ud remarkably well, although there were periods when outbursts occurred. During tho day Rlchoson either prayed, sang hymns or recited psalms. In the evening ho swallowed Bomo broth. At 10 o'clock the prison barber camo'ln to shavo him. Guards held.. Rlchcson whilo this was boing done." "Warden' usked tho condemned man while the barber was at work, "what clothing will I pass away In? T understand under-stand It hS3 boon arranged that a special sut Is to be placed on me." "It In the prison custom to do that," said tho warden. VI would appreciate It very much." pleaded Rlchcson, "if you would lot mo walk thorc in my regular clothing." "I will consider your request," replied tho warden. .Rlchcson then 'asked about tho hour set for his execution. "When will It be. warden?" was his anxious query. "It depends entirely on yourself," ho was ' told. Bursts Into Tears. At thoso words tcare streamed down Richeson's checks, and In a quivering tone ho said; "Don't be afraid of me. Thcro will be no scene. My ministers have taught me how to stand It. 1 am ready to go to' tho chair. Ton need not bo afraid that anything will happen. The sooner I die the better for myself and all concerned." Turning to the Rev. Dr. Johnson, tho prisoner then said: "Doctor, I am sure S'ou will not forget to send my farewell message to my father In Virginia. Tell him I died deeply deep-ly repentant and with full faith that 1 shall faco my Maker in all penitence." In a hotel near the Charlestown jail was Douglas Rlchcson. a brother of the condemned man, who had come here from Chicago. A lawyer asked him to go and say farewell to his brother. Ho said ho was ready. Tho lawyer sent word to tho condemned man, who cried. "I can't! I can't! Douglas had best not come here. I could stand It, but he might break down." "I am Ready," He Says. Tho solemn hour of midnight found Rlcheson praying, after which he recited the twenty-third Psalm. He appeared to And consolation In this part of the Psalm: "Yea, though I walk through tho valley of the shadow of death. 1 will foar no evil, for Thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." "I am heady now," ho said. .A moment later the warden appeared to escort him to tho death chamber. Rlchoson Rlcho-son did not falter and walked to the chair with firm step and every outward indication of calmness and resignation. Rlchcson died game. Mo. walked into tho death room between the Rev. Mr. Stcbblns, the Jail chaplain, and tho Rev. Dr. Herbert Johnson, his spiritual adviser, leaning slightly on (heir arms. Tic miscalculated mis-calculated the distance to the chair or else was attacked with weakness as be sat down heaylly. As ho sat down ho closed his eyes and did not open jLhcm while tho electrodes were being adjusted. Questioned by Minister. ' Seated In tho chair, ho was asked questions ques-tions by the Kcv. Herbert S. Johnson, his spiritual adviser. During his answera ho said: "God wlH tako care of my soul, and I pray for all. I forgive everybody." The last of the questions was: "Aro you willing to die for Jesus' sake?" Tho roply In an evon, well modulated tono was simply: "I am willing to die." Tho current applied was 1000 volts, olght amperes. Ono application was sufficient. suf-ficient. When tho officials and witnesses of the execution entered the death chamber, after af-ter walking through the prison yard In a pelting rain, they beard tho strains of a song. It was Richcson and bis spiritual spirit-ual advisers, Mr. Johnson and Chaplain Stebblns. Distinctly audible as they closed were the words: "For I know what e'er befall me, Jesus doeth all things well." Rlcheson left his cell smiling. Before starting on tho death march he shook hands with William A, Morse, his counsel, coun-sel, who at the last moment had been admitted as a witness of tho execution, and with tho two chaplains and the Rev. M. J. Murphy, the Catholic priest. Letter Contains Poison. Among many letters addressed to Rlcheson, which were opened by Warden Bridges, was ono which was found to contain cyanide of potassium. Tt was mailed from station N, New York city, on May 19, at 3 p. m. It contained no clue to the sender, tho powder being enclosed In a small sub-cnvolopo sub-cnvolopo marked "headacho powders." Analysis of It showed that It was poison of the same nature which was used In killing Avis TJnnoll. Attorney Morso advised Warden Bridges to make public the receipt of tho powders. Rlchoson was Innocent of any knowledge knowl-edge of the sending, the attorney said. In a statement given out after the execution, exe-cution, the Rev. Herbert Johnson, Rlcho-son's Rlcho-son's spiritual adviser, said, in port: "My opinion has grown constantly that Mr. Rlcheson was not a normal-minded man. For tho past two days I had spent hours In talking wJth him about the minutest details of his crime. I think that no man who could know bis opinion and have heard his statement concerning the crime could escape the deep conviction convic-tion that. If this man was not Insane, ho was on tho border line of insanity." Rlcheson left no public statoment, but bis counsel. William A. Morse, gave out an Interview after tho execution In which ho told of tho last hours spent with the prisoner. "For two hours," said his attorney, "I was in close conversation with Richcson Richc-son tonight, and he talked confidentially over all matters. Ho expressed to me what he wanted dono, and I shall carry out all hla wishes. TTo was ready to go, brave and reconciled. He asknd me to go with him to the death chair, and I did. "He wanted mo to say to tho world Chronology of the Richeson Murder Case j OCT. 14, Avis Linnell found dea4 from cyanide poisoning in bathroom bath-room of Young Womon's Christian Christ-ian association, Boston, OCT. 18. Druggist Halian tolls story of selling Rev. Rlcheson poison. OCT. 20. Home of Richeson's fiancee, Violet .Edmands, Bur-rounded Bur-rounded by police to provont his escape OCT. 21. Rlchoson surrendered and submitted, to arrost. - OCT. 25. Body of Avis Iiinnell exhumed ex-humed for autopsy. NOV. 1. Richoson indicted for murdor in first degree. NOV. 2. Richeson presents resignation resig-nation to liis congregation. NOV. 13. Richoson arraigned, pleads "not guilty." . Trial date set at January 15. NOV. 24, 'Resignation of Richeson as pastor accepted by his former congregation. DEC. 20. Richoson cuts himself with improvised tin knife in cell. DEC. 27. Special venire of 275 called for Richeson trial. .TAN. 6. Confessed his guilt. JAN. D. Sentenced to death in electric chair. that he had paid his debt and folt that he was going homo to God for a. larger sorvloo of life; that ho had failed here, but he had suffered enough to know that ho would bo forgiven; that he was glad to go and to have nn opportunity for a larger service In another world." FIRST RICHESON FIANCEE MADE HER. HOME HERE The crime for which Clarence Virgil Thompson Rlchcson, at the time his arrest ar-rest pastor of tho Tmmanuol church of Cambridge, was sentenced to dlo In the electric chair, was the confessed murder of his former sweetheart, nlnetcen-year-old Avis Llnncll of Hyannis, a pupil In tho Now England Conservatory of Music In Boston. The girl stood In the way of the minister's min-ister's marriage to Miss Violet Edmands, a society glr and heiress of Brookline. both through an engagement which still existed between the two and because of a condition In which Miss L,lnnolI found herself. Tho girl was deceived Into taking tak-ing a poison given her by Itlcheson, which she bolfoved would remedy that condition, and died In her rooms at the Young Woman's Christian association on the evening of October 14, 1911. On that day Invitations had boon issued for the wedding oeromony which was to unite the Rev, Mr. Rlchcson and Miss Edmands. Ed-mands. Engaged to Avis Linnell. As pastor of a small church in the Capo Cod town of Hyannis two years before, be-fore, the handsome and eloquent mlnlstor. then 33 years old. had been attracted to Avis Ijlnnell, who was an exceptionally exception-ally pretty girl of 17 years. She lived with her parents, her father, Edgar Linnell, Lin-nell, being a contractor and builder. It was her ambition to becomo a teacher and she was attending the state normal school at Hyannis. Miss Llnncll joined Richeson's church, was baptized by him and became a member mem-ber of tho church choir. Tn a short time, early in 1009, Miss Llnncll was displaying display-ing a diamond ring and contldcd In her girl friends that she was to bo married to tho minister tho following October. Abandoning her plan of becoming a school teacher, Miss Llnncll began preparations prepa-rations for her wedding. Some of her trousseau was completed and the two paid a visit to the Rov. Edward S. Cotton Cot-ton of Brewster, who was asked to officiate of-ficiate at the ceremony. Friction developed between Rlchcson and his deacons In Juno, 1010, over the young minister's Impetuous manner and .his violent language. There was also a question as to the loss of 5o0 In money which had been left by a parishioner in the pastor's study, The mlnistor declared de-clared he had been robbed of the money. Shortly afterward it was learned he had sent a similar sum by money order from a nearby town to Miss Patsy Felts, who had lent him money for his education, to Salt Lake City, Utah, where she was making her home. His resignation followed and ho accepted a call to the Immanuol Baptist church of Cambridge. When Rlchcson went Ip Cambridge Ml3s Linnell went to the Conservatory of Music in Boston. She whs induced to attend the conservatory by the mlnlstor In tho Idea that by the cultivation of her voice, which had given signs of much promise In the Hyannis church choir, sho would better fit herself to becomo his wife. On tho minister's recommendation the girl took a room at the Young Woman's Wom-an's Christian Association quarters on Warronton street,,, Boston. She proved a diligent student and continued her church work by teaching in the Sunday school of Tremont. temple, the leading Baptist church of the city. There were frequent meetings between MIns Linnell and Rlcheson. Leads Double Life. At this period his double life began. One of the wealthiest mombcrs of Richeson's Riche-son's new congregation was Moses Grant Edmands, whose daughter Violet he had met at college. Tho minister renewed re-newed his acquaintance with the girl, and soon became an ardent suitor for her hand. All this time, however, Rlcheson kept up his secret liaison with Miss Linnell, Lin-nell, with the result that tho girl's unfortunate un-fortunate condition, coining as It did at u. crucial moment in his suit for Miss Edmands' hand, seemed In a fair way to ruin his chunccs. It was then that Richeson gave Miss Llnncll the cyanide of potassium. Sho took It, believing that It was medicine and died within half an hour In the bath room at the Y. W. C. A. building. These discoveries, the statement of the druggist and the growing cloud of suspicion sus-picion that wove Its veil around him, finally fi-nally culminating in the acceptance or his resignation by the mombenv of his pastorate, drove Rlcheson to desperation. lost his air of sang frold, became thin and haggard and on December "0 evidenced evi-denced his despondency by an attempt upon his life In the Charles street jail. This falling, the knowlcago of hla guilt drove him to confession, and on January fith ho astonished tho world by admitting his guilt and praying for a speedy trial. Lie wa3 arraigned on January 9 and sentenced sen-tenced to death In the electric chair during tho week of May 19, With the open admission of his guilt and the proclamation of his contrition, public sentiment underwent a partial reversion re-version and a spirited attempt wa-s made by his friends to secure commutation of the death sentence. Thousands of names wore secured to petitions asking for clemency clem-ency and a quiet but powerful campaign was started for the Imposition of a life sentence Instead of dcatn m the electric cbnlr, The plcao of his relatives and friends, however, proved futile. Governor Foss r"-riislng r"-riislng to sanction his escape from tho daaVn penalty In the faro of such atrocity Rlchcson, on April 20, sent a petition for commutalion of sontenco to Governor Fobs. Upon receiving Richeson's petition, Governor Vans immcdlatnly called upon Dr. L. Vernon Brings, as an Insanity ox-pert, ox-pert, to examine the prisoner. Later Dr. Edward B. Lane and Dr. Isldor H. Corl-at, Corl-at, acting for the defense, tiled roports llndlns that Rlchcson was Insane. The governor on May .11 formally appointed as an Insanity commission for the commonwealth com-monwealth Dr. Henry It. Stcdman, Dr. Gnorgo T. Tuttlc and Dr. Henry P. Frost. Tho commission's report, In effect, declared de-clared Rlchoson sane, although suffering at times from emotional disturbances, Foss Refuses Clemency, Governor Fobs accordingly IsBiied a statement saying lie would not recommend recom-mend clemency. Tho condemned man was removed from the Charles street Jail to the death chamber In the Charlcslown slate prison on May 14. On last Friday night, after ho had bcon Informed of the governor's decision, Rlcheson collapsed. The prison physician physi-cian administered sodatlvos and the prisoner pris-oner foil Into a sleep for fourteen hours. From that timo until his execution Rlcheson Rlche-son appeared resigned to his fate. At the timo of Richeson's arrost the polico began an investigation Into his life- Every Important act of hla llfo from tho date of his birth at Roso Hill, Va., thlrty-flvo years ago, until his advent In Cambridge wns gone into. Jt wns found that he went to school early :i.t Amherst Courthouse, Va,, high school, then went to Carrollton, Mo., to work for a brother and attend a local lo-cal academy. Three years later he went to Liberty. Mo., and entered William Jewell college to study for the ministry. Willi o a student ho supplied pulpltB In Kansas City, Mo.; Stowartsvllle, Miss.; ESI Paso, Tex.; Loulsvlllo, Ky., and other places. Engaged to Miss Felts. Richeson's life had not been an undisturbed undis-turbed one. It wns learned, and many tales were rolaled of his entanglements with young women. At Liberty Mo., while in William Jewell college, he had been engaged to the daughter of Professor Pro-fessor Felts The young woman lent Rlchoson money to pursue his studies and up to the time of his going to Hyannis believed sho was to be his wife. In tho meantime sho developed tuberculosis tubercu-losis and came to Salt Lake City for relief. re-lief. Rlchcson was expelled from William Jewell college for cheating in examinations examina-tions shortly after he had been ordained at tho First Baptist church In St. Louis. For a timo ho worked as a conductor on the street cars of the latter city and was prominent in a strike of street car men, his fiery cloquenco making him a natural leader. Involved With Widow. Whilo at Budd Park Baptist church In Kansas City, Rlchcson becamo Involved with a widow. One Sunday sho appeared ap-peared unexpectedly during the church service. Rlcheson. upon seeing her, fell In a faint. A brother of the woman called at Richeson's rooms and the young minister left town suddenly. A note to tho deacons explained that he had been driven away by jealous women. At another church three young women Interrupted the service one Sunday. Simultaneously rising, each Inquired of the minister if he intended to carry out his promise to marry her. The sensation sensa-tion led the deacons of the church to write for the pastor's resignation. Rlcheson entered Newton Theological seminary In the fall of 190G and graduated grad-uated in 1909. During his course he earned money by working in restaurants and shoe stores. Ho was called to the Hyannis church In 1909 and remained there until June 1910, when he resigned to accept the pastorate of the Immanuel Baptist church In Cambridge. |