The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-10-21
MINISTER FACES
DEATH TRIAL ON
DAY SET TO WE'D
Former Virginian Accused of
Giving Poison to Tilted
Choir Singer
ARRESTED IN HOME
OF WEALTHY FlANCEE
Chemist Says He Gave Dead
ly Drug to Pastor Who
Stated He Wished
to Kill Dog

~ Mil Ivy
BOSTON. Oct 20.--Arrested at the
fashionable Brookline home of his
wealthy fiancee. Miss Violet Edmands
by squad or officers who had KEEP,
all night vigil In a Gordon around
the residence. compelled to take q
piteous leave Of his sweetheart with
his hands in manacles, brought be-
fore magistrate To answer to q
charge OF poisoning a pretty younS
choir singer. Miss Avis Linnell. whom
| he had Tilted to wed a richer girl
the Rev. Clarence Virgil Thompson
| Richeson. handsome young Virginian
ard pastor of the Cambridge I'm
manuel Baptist church, tonight oc-
cupies q cell in the Jail here. as cool
amt utgnttfed as though he were ex-
pounding the gospel to his cultured
flock instead of facing a battle for
his life In one of the most amazing
death mysteries in the history of the
Commonwealth.
He will be rearraigned on october
81, the date set for his wedding.
| The Rev. Mr.. Richeson, according
to the evidence upon which he Is held,
purchased from William HMM. a
friend and parishoner. druggist,
enough cynanide OF potassium to Kill
ten persons. for the purpose. he de-
ciared. OF killing a dog.
/ You have an invitation to my we'd
ding" the druggist declares Richie
son said to him, as he purchased the
( poison and don't fail to come
want TO see you there. And about
thl purchase-~can l depend upon you
| to keep "a secret Well. you know
II haven't bought this Keep 1t TO
yourself.
Il thought the matter over after
reading Of Avis Linnelfs death ana
decided II was my duty to inform the
police. The man first told WAS State
Representative Ellis Il. Bishop. INV
yer, of Newton, and he called the
| police over the telephone.
Police Accuse Minister.
The police declare that the Rev.
Mr. Richeson gave her the poison
purchased from Mr. Hahn, represent
ing Ii to be medicine,
The store at which the purchase
was made 1t within sight OF his n
ancee's magnificent residence.
Miss Avis Linnell, the Tilted choir
singer, died in terrible agony in her
room at the Boston Y. w. c. A. last
Saturday night. from eynanide or
potassium poisoning.
Miss Violet Edmands, at whose
home the Rev. MIR. Richeson WAS ar
/ rested, Ia In a serious condition from
shock tonight. Her parents. Moses
G. Edmands. a wealthy Brookline real
| estate dealer. and his wife, had sent
on, almost a thousand invitations to
her wedding. which was to have been
one of the seasons social events in
aristocratic Brookline. With her
mother and father. she has stoutly
defended her hance against inuma-
lions that he was implicated in the
death OF Avis Linnell.
Mr.. Richeson retired early last
night after issuing through his tiancee
and father a statement to the effect
that he was confident that the poison
mystery would be satisfactorily solved.
He has been making the Edmand's
residence his home since his engage
ment to Miss Edmands was an
nounced.
Il cannot make a statement now.
but perhaps l will later" he said.
Il am sure all Will come out right
in the end"
About the time the lights were
turned out in the Edmands' mansion
police headquarters began to assume
an unwonted activity. William
Hahn. the druggist. was closeted with
Deputy Superintendent OF Police
Watts and Chief DuEan, OF Boston.
He gave brief outline OF the In
formation he was about to impart,
and before waiting TO Gear more
Superintendent Watts summoned de-
tectives to headquarters and several
automobiles were ordered for a quick
story:
Druggist Tells Of Poison.
Il WAS In my store at Newton
Center on the afternoon OF October
TO- said he, when Mr.. Richeson
dropped in. I was glad to see him,
having become well acquainted with
him while he was a student at the
Newton Theological School, and
greeted him cordially. We had talk
ed OF old times for several minutes
when he changed the subject to COM
plain Of a dog The dog was con-
unually whining and growing.
When he spoke of killing the dog
suggested that he chlorororm It. but
he asserted that this would cause too
much Of a smell. Besides, ne want
ed something that would do the work
quickly.
Then / said. Well. here is some
cyadine of potassium. That viii kill
quickly enough, and the minister
u0HSSos vvSIks 6tVc ME SOfu6 OF lnat,
warned him that 1t was a danger
GUS poison. and told him to be very
careful about using It. l gave him
enough to kill three or four dorr.
When had placed this in the panar
the minister said. Well. you had bet
ter put In some more: SO / added
two or three chunks to what / had
already weighed out. What II rave
MIN was enough to kill at least ten
persons.
1T was after he had received the
cyanide that Mr. Richeson said. You
have received an Invitation to my
wedding and I don't want you to fan
to come to it, Then ne added: This |
may seem very mysterious to you.
Caa you keep q aecrett Well, you |
knowL haven't bought this With that
he went away and / have not seen
him since.Y
It was after midnight whom Hahn
tcontinued on Second PaGs.l