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2 RICHESON GOES BRAVELY TO CHAIR FOR SLAYING PRETTY CHOIR GIRL' ‘I AmW tiling to Live or Die--' Last Words to Minister as Current Is Turned On THE TWO GIRLS WHO FIGURED PREDOMINANTLY IN THE RICHESON TRAGEDY OF LOVE, POISON AND DEATH, AND SCENES CONNECTED WITH THE STRANGE CASE j The Linnell cottage at Hyannis and below the church. where Ri-heson first met and admired V'ss Linnell. sc 1— I, 11.1 . i—— A . z -■ e /\ ts ’ ■ |r Bfljk*’ W W 1 iilwiil liiijjL. 2 1 - ' A-‘ JUf . ■ w'Wsl Mother of the Slain Girl, For giving. Says That Pastor Was Not Sane. Continued From Page One. die like a man.'.' R»x Mr Johnson said. Richeson riled like a man He dis played the same courage and fortitude in the death chambm- that has marked his conduct throughout his Imprison ment." M«dfra! Examiner George B. MagTath made this statement: “1 have seen the majority of the executions, and as I recall them. Rich eson is the only man who Spoke while strapped in the chair. His replies to the questions put to him by Dr. .John son were the most extended Statements ever attempted by a condemned man in this prison. Tucker, before the death shock, handed a paper upon which there was writing to one of the guards. Casslll knelt beside the chair and prayed. The others all had to be assisted into the chair and’were dumb after they were seated in it. William A Morse, chief counsel for Richeson and a witness, said “Mr. Richeson left hie cell and walked to the chair unassisted He- displayed superb courage; hq mat-,hte. fate like a man. He made ny closing state ment." . Singing in Cell a? Summons Came Richeson left his ■ • m at 12 08 o'clock When the witnesses headed by Mai den Bridges, filed into the .short corri dor separating the death cell, the voices - of Richeson. Chaplain Stebbins and the ; Rex Ml .Johnson could be heard sing ing hymns. Richeson singing in a clear voice with much feeling The last lines sung by the three in the death cell were: "For I know wh.it'er befall me Jesus doeth all things well." There were ten witnesses tn the i part', including Rm l ather Murphy, j the chaplain of the prison Attorney William A Morse sail. "For two hours I had a closed con- I versation with Richeson and we talked I very confidentially over all matters. He i expressed to me all that he wanted ; done. 1 shall carry out bis wi-'nes. He | was ready to go, brave and reconciled. He asked me to go with him to the: death chamber and 1 did. Felt He Had Paid His Debt. He wanted to sax to the xxor’d that he had paid his debt, and felt that he xvas going home to God. for a larger: service of life: that he had failed here | and that he had suffered enough to I know that he would be forgiven, and he ■ was glad to go. and thus be given an I opportunity for larger service in an- I othdr w orld. " Richeson. Just befoi, leaving his cell, shook hands w ith Attorney Morse, then i with Chaplain Stebbins and then with I Dr. Johnson. His face was lighted up! with a bright smile He stood straight - as an arrow. His eyes looked straight) ahead, unflinchingly Turning to Deputy Warden Allen, ! Richeson then said, with the smile still j illuminating his fa-* "No* I am ready. " Riche.-on then started walking to- ' xvard the death < natnhri Ahead of him 1 walked Chaplain Stebbins reading se lections from the Scriptures Richeson was still erect when he' pissed over the threshold and entered the death -hamber H- still bioke-i . ahead with imflini hing g.i«■ There we. no sign of trembling 11- walked: firmly His free XX M w ithout v trace of a smile bir shone with apparent I feeling of peace Only One Shock Necessary to Kill On!' one she •!• wm n'-'e«sarx ’ - kill ! Richeson Nineteen hundred volts eight amperes, was administer J f<o- one I minute and eight seconds Three doc tors examined Riches >n and ilwvireil him legally dead at 12:17 o'clock. Wesley Bryant, a <'ha; lestown uti- ’ dertaker. removed the body from H e death house at 1 : 4.7 s. m. The remains , were piaeeu in a wicker coffin. -.< ied through an alleyway and out of t e-ir gaie on the Rutherford avenue -ixl-. Four policemen stood guard ■<’ the gat”. It x>as driven in a covered wag-m ■,j the North Grove .-’ree* morgue • • -w,. autopsy preceding delivery to F.W-- LmvA---' / -(ii-. ■ *5 ■s - ™h:-z- Jr t ' 9// Vs R1 "B " ill / -- - » M■' *w Georgian Reporter I Describes Execution - •_ ‘ * • « • • By J. GOOLTZ Georgian Reoresentative. Who Wit nessed Execution of'Richeson. BOSTON. MASS. May 21. Clarence V. T Richeson entered the death cham ber at 12: OS o’clock this morning, while the echoes of a psalm. In the singing of which he had Joined, were dying. He was supported on either side by i the Rev. Dr. Herbert S Johnson and I Rev. Herbert W Stebbins He walked i slowly, with eyes downcast. The thirteen fatal steps to th° ehair took’ i up but as’ntanv seeVinds Rut to the legal witnesses who were summoned by law It seemed as many hours. - lie was placed in the chair that had bee# horoughit tested before his ar rival. While two guards pinioned his arms and hotly securely, another guard 'raised the trouser leg of the left side and fastened the electrode tn his left leg between the ankle and the knee A fourth guard fitted the mesh cap containing an electrode to Richesons head. When this was placed to the satisfac tion of the guard, it rubber band about four inches in width, which covered the I eyes and chin, leaving the nose and mouth exposed, was fastened about his face. Word Die" signal ; For Fatal Current. Waden Bridges was watching in i tently for the opportune momen* When ; Richeson had responded to a passage I from th- Bible read by Dr. Johnson, his spiritual adviser, and had just ut tered the word "die," Warden Bridges raised the black cane that he carried in his right hand, ind tne elctrician. sc ; creted behind a screen with ever fas tened upon the warden's hands threw a switch With the word die upon his lips, -Richeson paid the penalty with his i life. V- the shock of electricity struck • Richeson his left hand, with index fin ger extended, turned slowly and point bed to the heavens Within one minute I and 41 seconds of the time that Riche >-.u entered the death 'hamber he ; w -- dee el Hurriedly the three attending physi ■an- hogan th- r examinations "ici- - ( w>th his otethosi -'pe listened for a I heartbeat Again and again they ap i plied the instruments to Richeson e ! bared chest They spent several min- • utrs at their task Then they’ gathered in a corner of the death chamber, ami. : aftei a momentary consultation, pro- • iioum ed him officially dead. Bicheson Sang as Death Hour Neared. Rir lesun Gif singing again GH? morning, as h* did \<st?rday morning ilt wa c .?’ hi- - nx n puggest ion that h*- five von th* you ’n this h ’ ’ir RGh.r-s- r?? r r to a s ?EfE ATLANTA GEOL .iA'- V''n'TTESDAT. VAT 21.. 1912. Avis Linnell. lii< Hyannis "irl of nineteen. mli > took poison Richeson zav-c i- wiiiiout question. Richeson hanged in etrig.v in Hyannis. The arrow points to a sign which reads: HI ILT\ : READ LI KE XVII . 'This vors>‘ read . ' ll were bettor for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck and he oast into the sea than that ho should offend one of these l.ittle ones.” SCRI PTURE SELECTIONS RICH ESON CHOSE EOR THE HOUR OF DEATH I Richeson chose lor the hour ot his death excerpts from chapter fourteenth of ■ the-gospel rd St. John, and these, at his request, wore read u> his by Chaplain S.tobbius as the straps of the eleolrie ehair wore being applied to the condemned man. Some oflhese 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 lhe world seeth me no more: bue 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. I , er than that in which the question had been put "Yes; ('brim gives nie strength I need." Now the '.I; was being f.; •n >:, 1 to his head; the . ■a-n-ede hi aireadr been applied to th" leg. Rit hesvn ap- i pea red to par no, attention to the ac tions of rhe guards He etw none, he heard only the S»'tint lire s Dr. Johnson continued and asked; "Do you here repent of your sin"" "I do." came the answer loud ■ d clear Do y if forgt • » ■ ' err b-’dv "I do," Now the guards were fastening the rubber bands across tlm face of tile rider. On each side of the cell dopr w ere w aiting the mlnOtera who wef, with him to the end. Dr Johnson held opmi ~ Hib'e at,.. ’ place that marked the Pliolite sages in the Scripture.- cb-'see. f>\ Riches >n for the occasion Di Joh,t son trad the passages slowly. Richeson, wit a mind intent upon tin responses he was to make, was led-to the death chai' * D .lohns-ot’ .asked Would jou like to ■ onfrss to ■ h!is’ before ty. «•. on.-- as . .Sa vior"" ... >.-p•• e'-.-d in . ■ firm irj’..- th'? '.'it’d be heard m ■' n partj ..-t | Miss Violet EdmaihL. heiress, to gain whose hand Richeson tleriib'l H» kill his tian'-v. ti e death ,h - nber "I do confess to <'h .st as m\ Savior." \gain Dr Johnson aske. Have you the peace of God >n > our heart at this hour?” Confesses Christ Before Witnesses. Riche; n answered I have the pea-'e of Hod ;>» n> hear’, and f via' so- .To Dr .I on-co ( oramied t m reading tbu- while Ri< heson was being stropped into the chair. The next passage w n Does < heist with the tw >• ministers, sang "Safe in tin Irms of testis " \ number of times he ”ing’ it. while 'he legal witnesses were assembled in the death chamber awaiting his appearance At list the wo d wa» given him by one of the death guards In the gentlest tone, he said; i'o.-i.. .'I . Rm teson. I'm- lino Ims ..r --riv. d Yro you r id\ now'" Rfehe s.m ,tt-swereii I tni read) ." Without assistance, he .-merged from his death cell and stopped in!” th. .-or condemned non. The last question camp nuw . "Ve roti willing to live or to f,..- Jesus'’" Ricfigpon s last reply followed I am willing to lire or d-’-e. be. s-pot-e rhe last vend th« sig’’’; i•< j« gn»n-bj \t ard o n Bridge-. r - re was a Hash of- i light as the switch was thrown into place by the elec trician. A moan ■ ime from between Richeson’s lips, hi” body surged for ward until it arid the taut straps that bound mm t” .the ”halr. The fingers of his left hand pointed aloft. Record for Bravery At Death Chair. I* is said by the officials at the prison who w itnec sod the execution ’ .■’.at R’ h epon showed the greatest heater;. ~r any man who has suffered death Io execution at the state prison. The witnesses we e more ep,., ] v moved than Ri boson. H- did not show it any lime that be was in fear. He did not filte in his march to th- chair. Ho did not stmo -ian of weakness or breakdown as he was seated. H - voice never lowered in the responses ha: b” made to ii a spiritual adw -.-r Afier the execution tile legal wit i iwsscs made their v.at slowly out of the. death chamber and returned to th.- warden’s apartments. They had start ed from there a little more than a qn .r --tc. of an hour before In that short period of time Richeson had died to pa' ihe penalty the law demanded for »h« murder of s . - 1 ■ .m-'l. fine in ’ient in’"ig iws '.lanq that he-bl the w-l’neeses spD'brmnd in the death Th< Edmands home in Brookline, where Richeson dined, knovrinc lie hnd killed Avis Linnell. > — ■ X ****>*< /,'W- ? ffikby ** ' j t j?—l --- SEwr I? ’ bt r ' x * —^-7 — ;ar‘ ’ x tB t *- w i v ■ 1,. / I ’’3^'/ Thoma.-- V. Richeson. devoted Litlmr of the sla; <T. o © • Some of the Victims • : Os Richesoifs Spell J 9 9 e Many young women figured in • • th- .-t range career of Rev. Clar- • • ence Richeson. Among them are: » s » * ■* • • Pats’. Felts, to whom he was • • betrothed n Liberty. Mo., in 1906, * • and who lent him rtoney to com- • • plote hi theological education. • t « » » « , » Vi- Howe; reported engaged to • ® him in Georgetown, Mass., in iw- • ■ ■> tuber, 1907.- • o » . * < ' » Avi. Licnell, who met him in * ' Hyannis. Mass., in rhe summer of • • 19HS, and . .insidered herself hi; * o fiancee until he poisoned her. * s - * « • Eth" t rite tn whom Richeson * • paid o-,U'"h attention in Boston in * • 1941 • « * « * > c Vi--’, ■’ Edmands. the Brookline • • he rose, v horn he had meant to • ■ o w ed. • n » - - « • .Mrs. I - i e E. Brittain, who as- • • ■ ■ nm in Mormon missionary • i » work. * a • « « • i o The y a.mg clergy man also was • o repm-d engaged at one time to • o three vir’ in Kansas ("ity in 1904 • e • . a ui'ig woman in Haver • •» hi Mi - . in 19"9. • « • - limber ,y •< when the mesh headpiece - s i.cTitJ to Rich- sen's head. A’ it I w -t .lightened into place the water ■> >rg<. that forms part rtf the ,-]ectrod--> flowed slowly down over 1 Ri- hoson'- face , For tiuee hours before the final - all I,.'.me FT-bison prepared himself for the end. H- dressed himself from brad In foot. The same clothing that i-r wore on the day that he appeared b-sot .lodge Sandefeon for sentence ■ w--e brought t > him'some hours before nv-'maht. It consisted of a black suit, tight. turndown collar, black lie, i.-t". smk. -nd button -hoes of the -arne coior lb sp-nt nearly an hour r. ssing. First Riches m brushed his .tail care fully -mil arranged it to hip own satis ' ~-tion. while a guard held a mirror be s -r- f.o - T - n lie !-• gen to dress. At the- las: m mem it- discovered that bje :,, njers ■r* missing. Qui-klv h despatched a guard for a IpM. f ‘u-pender; He did not reali.:-' it.u i" • e'e closed War- den Bridges did not want to .disap point Richeson. in his last simple de mand, -so he' furnished the condemned man with a pair of his w. hit.. drc’s. suspenders. Th- warden said, when the errand was stated: ' t have worn them once or tw ice’, but I guess that Richeson won't mind. Tak e them to him." and he handed the pair to the guard. Quickly they were taken to Riche 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 call to proceed to the death < hamber. First < ame the newspaper men. Ther ere -pjiekly followed by rhe physi cians and the other legal witnesses. Nearly every moment during the last half hour before mdinight some one aritong the witnesses pulled his watch from his pocket to see how the time 4 w'a's -pa;sing. This did not hasten mat -1 t■_!'•- for them, "but they continued doing it in theii nervous anxiety At last ihe hour --f midnight ■as J heard pealing forth from the bell of a I nearby church. Again the watches were dragged opt and the time compared. It was tnid ■nlght. Maiden Bridges informed the witnesses that he would dispense, witn the formality of reading the death war rant. He -aid: Avoided Gaze of Curious Outsiders. jenllemei., you are summoned here tonight to witnes- the- execution Os Clarence V. T. Richeson. We w ill now make our start. Please follow me "as ctuielly as possible, as we are going down through the inside on this" occa sion." At other executions it has been the custom of the warden to lead the way.' along the narrow stone waik through tli° courtyard, within ight of the hun dreds who always gather about the gates. The warden feared some outburst on the part of the people outside," and eho-.e the other route as a safeguard. In tlm -lark they made their way along, as the venerable warden led the way. They trudged through the ntud and rain, heading for the beacon ‘lights made by th- open door of the execu tion chamber. As they entered the higitly lighted rooms, four guards in uniform were waiting for them. A half dozen seats were arranged in a row for tho e who wished to be seated. One or two of the party start ed to sit down, but quickly arose to their feet again ami awaited the en trance of Ri-heson. The witnesses were shifting theii weight from one foot to the other in their impatie,fleet Warden Bridges gave word to the. guard- io bring Richeson in at flyg- r minutes after midnight. A little more than three* minutes later. Richeson made his appearance. Hi- face was ghastly pale. Evedy-eye 4 in the room was fixed on hiip. His neat appearahce came as a surprise, as every other man who had been exe cuted had been dressed simply in trousers, shirt and slippers, Richeson wao dressed as if he were on his - :i.. to some festivity. As the door opened to admit him. \t illiam A. Morse. R" h •--on lawyer, was seen standing in the corridor ri.tore Richeson"? cell. At Richeson'? request he had re mained with hi.- client until th® deith march began Attorney Morse remained in the • or ridor until Richeson nearly had fin ished making his responses, and. no lorffeel abl» to restrain himself, step ped into the death - hamber. He was not a legal witness, but none of Hie. guards had the heart to ask him to l-ave. With the flash at the signa! from ttie warden's cane. Lawyer Morse burst into tears and threw his arm about Di Johnson. There was hardly a dr’ eye in the room. The warden shook, the deputy bowed his head and only the hi . of the current tha> v< as burnmg up R- heson's lit* could heard. 1