Newspaper Page Text
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RICHESON GOES BRAVELY TO CHAIR FOR SLAYING PRETTY CHOIR GIRL
‘I AmWilling to Live or Die—' Last Words to Minister as Current Is TurnedOn
Q THE TWO GIRLS WHO FIGURED PREDOMINANTLY IN THE RICHESON TRAGEDY OF LOVE, POISON AND DEATH, AND SCENES CONNECTED WITH THE STRANGE CASE J
■ • 1.- _ . .1 I
The Linnell cottage at Hyannis, and below the church. wh°re
Richeson first met and admired Miss Linnell.
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Spends Last Day Relorf Exe
cution Reading Bible and
Praying.
Continued From Page One
illuminating hit fare Xow, I am
read’-
Richefon than started walking *O
- ard the death chamber Ahead of him
walked Chaplain Stebbins reading se
lections from the Scriptures.
Richeson was still erect when he
passed over the threshold and entered
the death chamber. He still looked i
ahead with unflinching gaze There
was no sign of trembling. He walked
firmly His face was without a trace
of a smile, but shone with an apparent
feeling of peace
Only One Shock
Necessary to Kill
Only one shock was necessary tn kill
Richeson Nineteen hundred volts,
eight amperes, was administerd for one
minute and eight seconds. Three doc
tors examined Richeson and declared
him legally dead at 12 17 o'clock.
Wesley Bryant, a Charlestown ur>
dertaker, removed the body from th®
death house at 1 45 a. m. The remains
were placed in a w icker coflin, carried
through an alleyway and out of the rear
gate on the Rutherford avenue side.
Four policemen stood guard at the gate.
It was driven in a covered wagon to
the North Grove street morgue for the
autopsy preceding delivery to Riche
son's brother Douglass
Georgian Reporter
Describes Execution
By J. GOOLTZ
Gsoraian Representative. Who Wit
nessed Execution of Richeson.
BORTON. MASS., May 21.- Ciarem e
V. T Richeson ent®red th® death cham
ber at 12.0? o'clock this morning, while
the echoes of a psalm, in the singing
of which he had joined, were dying. 1
He was supported on either side by
the Rev. Dr. Herbert S. Johnson and
Rev. Herbert W Stebbins He walked
slowly, with eyes downcast. The
thirteen fatal steps to the chair took
up but as many seconds But to the
legal witnesses who were summoned
by law it seemed as many hours
He was placed in the chair that had
been thoroughly tested before hie ar
rival While two guards pinioned his
arms and body securely, another guard
raised the trouser leg of the left side
and fastened the electrode to his left
leg between the ankle and the knee.
A fourth guard fitted the mesh cap
i ontaining tn electrode to Richeson *
head
When this was placed to the satisfac
tion of the guard, a rubber band about
four inches in width’, w hich covered the
eye‘ _ and _' hir. leaving the nose and
mouth expos'd, was fastened about his
face.
Word ' Die signal
For Fa,tai Current
Warden Bridges was watching In
tently feu the opportune moment. When
Rieheson had responded to a passage
from th® Bible read by Dr Johnson,
his spiritual adviser and had just ut
tered the word die,'' Warden Bridges
raised the black • an® that lie carried in
his right hand, and the cb ’rlcian. se
creted behind a s. reen with i-yes fas
tened upon th® wardens hands, threw
a switch
With th® word ii-' upim his lips
Richeson paid the penalty with his
?s th® shock of electricity struck
Richeson his left hand, with index fin
ger extended, turned « n vlx and point
ed to th® heavens W ithin on® minute
and 44 seconds of the time that Ry t®.
son entered the death ’amber he
was d®ad
Hurriedly the three attending ph.'s
clans began their ex.a mirtu Tims IJ.- h
with his stethoscope listen, ,! for ;1
heartbeat Again and again tln-x ap
plied the instruments to Rj. y. . s>
bared chest They spent several •nin
utes at their task Then they ga:h<
in a corner of the death chamber, uml.
after a momentary consultation. |t.
nounced him officially dead
Richeson led the ringing . gain thi?
morning. h® did >®sterd.ry morning
I* ■* a« a* his ow» o-igg-stinn that h®
wt’h th.® two minlst®rs sang Saf* in
th® Arm.- of Jesus a number of times
he sang i' while the legal witn® ®®s
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were assembled in the death chamber
awaiting his appearance. At last the
word was given him by one of the death
guards. In the gentlest tone, he said
"Come. Mr. Richeson. the time has ar
rived. Are you ready non ?" Riche
son answered. "I am ready."
Without assistance, he emerged from
his death cell and stepped Into the cor
ridor. On each side of the cell door
were waiting the ministers who were
with him to the end.
Dr. Johnson held open a Bible at a
place that marked the favorite pas
sages in the Scriptures chosen by
Rleheson for the occasion Dr John
son read the passages slowly, and
' Richeson, with mind intent upon the
responses he was to make, was led to
the death chair?
Dr. Johnson asked:
"Would you like to confess to Christ
before these witnesses a? your Sa
vior
Richeson answered in a firm voice
that could be heard in every part of
the death chamber: I do confess to
Christ »s my Savior.”
Again Dr Johnson asked Have you
the peace of God In your heart at this
hour?"
Confesses Christ
Before Witnesses.
1 Richeson answered I have the peace
of God in my heart, and I pray for all."
Dr Johnson continued the reading
thus while Richeson was being strapped
| into the chair.
give vou the strength you tfi>ed in this
hour""
Richeson responded, in a voice clear
er than that in which the question had
been put "Yes. Christ gives me
strength I need."
Now the ■ ap was being fastened tn
his head, the electrod' had already
been applied to the leg Richeson ap
, peared to pay no attention to the ac
tions of th- guards He saw- none, he
! heard only the Scriptures.
Dr. Johnson continued and asked
Do you here repent of your sin?"
"I do, came the answer loud and
i clear
Do you forgive everybody ?"
The next passage was "Does t'hriet
‘ "I do."
Now the guards were fastening the
■ rubber bands across the face of the
I condemned nan. The last question
I tame now .
Ve you wil.mg to live nr to die for
■ Jesus?"
Riches>on s last reply followed
"1 am willing to live or d-i-e.”
j As he spoke the last word the signal
was giV’n by Warden Bridges. There
,■ was t flash of clear light as the switch
was thrown into place by the elec
trician. A moan came from between
R '■■on'- lip”, his body surged for-
• • mini it held the taut straps that
n.-'uitd btm to the chair. The Angers
-.t« I. ft hand pointed aloft.
I' - -aid by th-’ ofTh :als a' the pr son
■ ’ ttm . sed the execution that Rich
e. - ’to >r.. t” greatest bravery of
an. man who bar suffered death by
• xeorr t at the state pt is n
\
THE ATT,\YT' GEOEGIAX TUESDAY. >TAY 21, 1912.
Avis Linnell. the Hyannis girl of nineteen, who
took poison Richeson gave her without question.
Richeson hanged in ofiigy in Hyannis. The arrow* points to a sign w*hich reads; GI7ILTY: .
READ LUKE XVII., 2. This verse reads: “It were better for him that a millstone were hanged
about his neck and he oast into the sea than that he should offend one of these little ones.”
SCRIPTURE SELECTIONS RICHESON I
CHOSE FOR THE HOUR OF DEATH
Richeson chose for the hour death excerpts from chapter fourteenth of the gospel of
St .John, and these, at his request, were read to him.by Chaplain Stebbins as the straps of the
electric chair were being applied to the eondemneH man. Some of these excerpts follow:
1. Let not your heart be troubled: Ye believe in God, believe also in me
2. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. Igo
to prepare a place for you.
* * *
4. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
* * *
19. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because 1 live ye shall
live also.
* * *
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto
you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid
The witnesses were more greatly
moved than Richeson He did not show
at any time that he was in fear. He
did not falter in his march to the chair
He did not show a sign of weakness
or breakdown a ho was seated. His
voice never lower'd in the responses
that h» made to his spiritual adviser
For three hours before the final call
came Richeson prepared himself for
the end He dressed himself from
head to foot The same clothing that
he wore on the day that he appeared,
before Judge Sanderson for sentence
was brought to him some hours before
midnight It consisted of a b!a< k suit,
light shirt, turndown collar, black tie,
with socks and button shoes of the
same color. He spent nearly an hour
dressing.
First Richeson brushed bis tair care- ■
fully and arranged it to hie own satis- )
faction, while a guard held a mirror be- I
fore his face. Then he began to dress. |
At the last moment he discovered that ,
his suspenders were missing.
Quickly he despatched a guard for a ,
pair of suspenders He did not r.-aliz
that all the shops were closed. War
den Bridges did not want to disap
point Richeson in his last simple de- I
mand, he furnished the condemned
man with t paw of his own wb.it
dress suspenders. Th- »tr-!»r. e.ttd
when the errand was stated
’1 hare worn them once or twice, but
Miss \ iolet Edmands, heiress, to gain whose I
j hand Richeson decided to kill his fiancee.
I guess that Richeson -won’t mind.
Take them to him," and he handed the
pair tn the guard.
Quickly they were taken to Rii he
son. He thanked the guard and said:
"My. but you are obliging here."
While Richeson was preparing him
self physically and spiritually, the wit
nesses Were slowly gathering in the
warden's apartments. where they
awaited the cal! to proceed to the death
chamber.
First came the newspaper men. They
wer® quickly followed by- the physi
cian.-. and the other legal witnesses.
At last the hour of midnight was
heard pealing forth from the bell of a
nearby church.
Again the watches were dragged out
and the time compared. It was mid
-night. Warden Bridges informed the
I witnesses that lie would dispense with
I the formality of reading the death war-
I - ant. He said:
Avoided Gaze of
Curious Outsiders.
‘■Gentlemen, you are summoned here
tonight to witness the execution of
1 lai-cnee V. T. Richeson. We will now
: make rur start Please follow me as
quietly as possible as we are going
down through the inside on this occa
sion. |
M other executions tt has been the!
eu.-tom of th- warden to lead Hie way I
along the narrow stone walk through
the courtyard, within sight of the hun
dreds who always gather about the
gates.
The w arden feared some outburst on
the part of the people outside, and
chose the other route as a safeguard.
In the dark they made their way along,
as the venerable warden led the way.
They- trudged through the mud and
rain, heading for the beacon lights
made by th- open door of the execu
tion chamber. A- they entered the
highly lighted rooms, four guards in
uniform were w aiting for them.
A half dozen scats were arranged in
a row for those who wished to be
seat-d One or tw oof the party start
ed to sit down, but quickly arose to
their fee: again and awaited the en- I
trance of Richeson. T-he witnesses
were shifting their weight from one
foot to the other in th-i: impatience.
Warden Bridges gave word to th
guards to bring Richeson in at five
minutes after midnight.
A little more than three minutes
later. Richeson made’his appearance
His face ,ia.; ghastly pal-. Every ye
in. the room was fixed on him. His neat
rOR BRAIN FAG
Take Horsford's Acid Phosphate
J Recommended for relief -f tired nerves, i
brain tag and headache f-ii -wing mental I
I strain or overwork
The Edmands home in Brookline, where Richeson dined,
; knowing he had killed Avis Linnell.
I Iw*' f .At / Wtfife? .
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Thomas A' Richeson, devoted
father of the slai er.
appearance cam® as a surprise, as
every other man who had been exe
cuted had been dressed simply in
trousers, shirt .and slipper?. Richeson
was dressed as if he were on his way
to some festivity As the door opened
to admit him. William A. Morse. Rich
c-son's lawyer, was seen standing in the
corridor b® fore Richeson's i ell
At Richesori's request he had re
mained with his client until the death
march began
Attorney Mors® remained in th» cor
ridor until Richeson nearly had fin
ished making his responses, and, no
longer able to restrain himself, step
ped info the death chamber. He was
not a legal witness, but none of the
guards had the heart to ask him to
leave. With the flash at the signa!
from the warden's cane. Lawyer Morse,
burst into tears and threw his arm
about Di. Johnson. There was hardly a
dry eye in the room. The warden
shook, the ®lej?uty bowed his head. and :
only the hisfe of the current that was
burning up Richeson's life could be
heard. "
Mother of Slain
Girl Forgives
HYANNIS, MASS., May 21.—Be
cause of her firm belief that Clarence
Richeson went to.his death not a sane
man. Mrs. Edgar Linnell. mother of the
poisoned Avis Linnell, today declarer!
that there is nothing but forgiveness in
Iter heart for the former minister. She
said:
"Yes. 1 forgive Mr. Richeson for this
dreadful thing It is my firm belief
that he went to the electric chair an
insane man and that he lias been men
tally irresponsible for some time past.
“Up to a short time ago I could not
believe that he was guilty, but 1 am
afraid that fact has been too strongly
established. Hi< lister has been in this
Pous® often and I know her very well;
w ell cnottgh to love her and I feel'sin-,
cerel.v sorry tor her and tlie remainder
of the unfortunate family. More than
tlm n 1 i i n not say
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9 •
• Some of the Victims •
• Os Richeson’s Spell •
e— ' •
® Many young women figured, in •
• the strange career of Rev -Clar- •
• enee Richeson. Among them are: •
•»• » *
• Patsy Felts, to whom he was •
• betrothed in Liberty. Mo.,' in 1905. •
e ancl who lent him money to com- *
e plete his theological education. •
a•• • e
• Alice Howe, reported engaged to ®
9 him in Georgetown. Mas;., in Oe- •
• tober, 1907. •
s•♦ • e
• Avis Linnell, who met him tn •
• Hyannis. Mass. in the summer of. ®
• 19ns. and considered, herself his •
e fiancee until he poisoned her. ®
••• * •
• Ethel Craig, to whom Richeson ®
e paid much attention in Boston in •
• 1911. *
•». ♦ a
• Violet Edmands, the Brookline •
• heiress, whom he had meant to •
® wed. •
• • • • . e
• Mrs. Louie E. Brittain, who as- •
• sisted him in Mormon missionary •
• yy ork. •
• * • . * . •
• The young clergyman also was •
’ reported engaged at one time to ®
• three girls in Kansas City in 1904 »
• and to a young woman in Haver-. ®
• hill. Mass., in 19 n 9. •
• ..... a
••••••••••••••••••«••«'•••
Miss Edmands’Sister
Weds a Minister
OTTAWA. KANS., May 21.
Word has just been received here of
the marriage in Providence. R. 1., On
last Saturday, of Miss Rose Edmands
and George Holt, a Baptist preacher
at Providence. Miss Edmands is a sis
ter of Violet Edmands, fiancee of C. V.
T. Richeson Holt’s father lives here.
Peculiar to Itself
Hood s Sarsaoarilla has no Equal as a
Blood Medicine.
"I thing there is no other blood medi
cine equal to Hood's Sarsaparilla. I
have a family of five little ones, and
have used it every .spring for twelve
y ears. There is something about. Hood’s
Sarsaparilla which other medicines
lack. My husband was bothered w'ith
boil?. He was so bad he could scarcely
get around. He took Hood’s Sarsa
parilla. and it cured him." Mrs. Lillian
Dixson. Pike, Ohio.
Get it today. In usual Liquid form or
■'ho. Mated tablets called Sarsitabs.