The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-03-15
She Will Be Tried in July on a
Charge of Murder in the
First Degree.
WILL BE ARRAIGNED TO-DAY.
Prominent Savannah Young Man
Whose Name Has Been Con-
nccted With the Murder
May Also BE Indicted.
REPUBLIC SPECIAL.

| REPUBI.IC special"
ST. Joseph Mo. March 1.-THE special
Grand Jury at Savannah to-day returned
an Indictment against Mrs. Addie l.. Rich
arison for murder in the first degree. char
ging her with killing her husband. Frank
w Richardson on the night of December
"a. The Indictment If Mrs. Richardson is
only another step in the effort to force her
TO tell who killed her husband. Mrs. Rich
arGson viii be arrested tomorrow morning
and her attorneys viii try to secure her
release on bail. She will be tried in July.
The Grand Jury is still in session and
may return indictments against one or two
prominent citizens of Savannah. Mrs. Rich
ardson is expected to break down and turn
States evidence. but those who know the
woman say she will not make known the
name of her husbands slayer. Mrs. Rich
ardson was in Savannah when the indict-
,nent was returned. bat said nothing when
told that she was charged with the murder.
She breads the Jail worse than death. she
has said. and her incarceration may result
in Il confession.
The Coroners jury charged Mrs. Rich
ardson with being an accessory. believing
that she would confess. The Grand Jury
went a step farther in the hope that a
confession may be got from her. 1t IS not
believed that the woman actually fired the
sho;.
Another Indictment Expected To-day.
1t has leaked out of the Grand Jury room
that the circumstant!a evidence against a
young man in Savannah whose name has
been connected with the murder mystery,
Is very strong, and an Indictment IS eX-
pected tomorrow.
There is n loud protest in Savannah to-
night against Mrs Richardson being ad-
mitted to bail The people there want her
sent 10 jail. in spite of her wealth. belev
ing that she will confess.
Richardson. it is said. was given by the
witness who visited the house the night Of
the murder. They noticed that Mrs. Rich
ardson was nervous and excited until she
was certain that her husband was dead.
when her manner changed. they claim.
While the mystery is no nearer a sou
the Grand Jury will reveal more before its
work is finished Many witnesses whose
evidence may throw light on the murder
have not been examined They have been
present every day since the jury has been
in session. but for some reason have not
been called.
Il is believed that there will be another
indictment returned to-day and that the
arrest following il will clear the mystery
to some extent.
Story of the Murder.
Fife Richardson Mercantile Company of
this city, was shot and killed at his home
about O'Clock Christmas Eve last. A
bullet from 4 32-caliher revolver entered
the right ear and ranged upward and to
the left. through the brain and found lodg-
ment in the vicinity of the left ear. Pow
der marks were found on the right side of
the face. Just in front of the ear His
wife. who was in the room at the time,
says that his death was instantaneous.
In her testimon" before the Coroner's Jury
she stated that she heard her husband come
into the hall. and as he was entering the
bedroom where she was with her hat and
cloak on ready to start for the opera -housa
ha fell
the greater portion of his body lying in the
hallway Thinking that he was intoxicated
and pretending suicide, she took hold of his
clothes near his hips and dragged his body
into the ROOM She lighted the lamp. and
after discovering that he had been killed.
ran to a near neishbor and gave the alarm,
crying for help she went along She
also testified that just after the report of
the pistol she heard a noise in the kitchen
like a door or window slam. but concluded
that her servant had returned and called
to her. but got no answer. When she dis
covered that her husband had been killed,
concluded that it was the assassin making
his escape through the back door. 1t was
shown before the Coroner's jury that Mr..
Richardson and his wife had made ar
rangements TO attend an entertainment at
the opera-house that night. and that she
was to meet him at his place of business
and go from there.
Theory Of the Prosecution.
About S:45 Mr. Richardson left his store
and started towards his home. and about 3.
O'Clock a telephone message was sent to
the store stating that he was shot. When
the news was received it was the general
opinion of those who heard it that 1t was Il
case of suicide. but when the parties
searched the house and heard the statement
of his wife and no pistol could be found,
1t w1s concluded that he was murdered
Tho theory of the prosecution from the
start has been that Mr.. Richardson sus-
rected his wife. went home discovered that
the light was out and that there
man in the room with her and that when
ba hp he hot
fired by one of the parties.
Mrs Richardson claims that she was
alone in the room when her husband ar
rived, and had Just put the light out with
that the fatal shot was fired from the
hallway by some one unknown to her.