The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-12-20
JABBED HIMSELF
WITH CAN LID
CONTINUED from page IL


Young and old seemed attracted to the
young southerner and it caused no
comment that he was constantly with
Miss Linnell. There never was for
NAL announcement of an engagement,
though every one in the town spoke of
the match"
When Miss Linnell Joined the
church, it was Richeson who baptized
her. In 1910 the girl began wearing
diamond engagement ring. She told
her friends she was to marry Richie
son in October, 1911.
Meantime there came dissension in
Richeson's church. His language
grew more forceful than elegant. In
April, 1910, he resigned and came to
Boston. It was understood he would
marry Miss Linnell in October and take
her with him to the Orient, where he
expected to go as missionary. Be
fore he secured this appointment,
however, he received a call to the
fashionable Immanuel Baptist church
lin Cambridge. Then Avis Linnell
came to Boston and entered the con-
servatory Of music. She told her
friends she wanted to fit herself to
assist her future husband. Then Richie
son met Miss Violet Edmands, herself
reputed to be possessed of fortune
of half million dollars. Dazed by
the wealth, culture and beauty Of the
Boston girl, Richeson forgot Miss
Linnell But he never told the little
Hyannis girl of his love for Miss Ed
mands.
/ Miss Linnell never knew of Richie
sons engagement to Miss Edmands,
though it was publicly announced in
March, 1911.
| Hyannis people, who had heard of
the engagement to Miss Edmands,
were surprised to see Richeson and
Miss Linnell together at the Hyannis
fair in August of this year and were
still more surprised when the pastor
declared his intention of spending his
two months vacation there He was
constantly with Miss Linnell, though
his engagement to Miss Edmands was
public property.
Richeson came back to his pulpit in
September and Miss Lennell to her
studies. On Sunday, October IA. Miss
Linnell told her girl friends at the
conservatory that she was going tc
take dinner" with her 'gentlma.
friend" as she always referred te
Richeson.
No one saw the girl with Richesor
at lunch that day, if indeed, she tool
lunch with him. The last time they
were actually seen together was the
day before when Miss Linnell, seeing
her mother off on a train in the south
station in Boston, turned to NEE
Richescn. with whom evidently sht
had an appointment.
4 On Saturday night, following he
visit to her gentleman friend" Mis-!
Linnell returned to the Y. w. G. A
in high spirits. She said she had beel
given some medicine that would sure
ly cure her of her headaches"
That night other young women fl
the Y. w. c. A. heard groans from
Miss Linnell's bathroom. Breakint
in the door, they found her uncon
scious. She died before physician
arrived. Richeson was notified.
why do you tell me?' he asked
did she say anything before sh'
died?"
/ 1t was thought at first the girl hat
committed suicide after hearing o
Richeson's engagement to Miss Ed
mands. An autopsy, however, reveal
ed the fact that she would soon hav,
become mother.
The police began an Investigation
which centered on Richeson. Druggis
Hahn identified the preacher as tn,
purchaser of cyanide of potassium.
"He told me he wanted to kill |
dog said Hahn, "and I suggested
that he use chloroform. He said hi
did not like the odor, and then sug
gested cynaide, giving him enough t
kill a dog. He wanted more, so
gave him enough to kill ten people. H
cautioned me not to tell any one o
the purchase"
The police found that Richeson ha
gone into seclusion in the home o
Moses Grant Edmands, father OF hi
Z fiancee. They surrounded the &c
n1and's home on the nigh. of Octobe
10, but were denied admission unit
the morning of the goth, when the
entered and found Richeson in bee
placing him under arrest. He denie
, his guilt and showed stolid indiffel
ence.
That Richeson knew he was unde
suspicion, however, was proven b
. the fact that he had retained counse
! two days before he was arrested TIL
attorneys for the preacher had hi
: rooms entered and all possible il
! eliminating evidence removed befor
) the police could make search.
The theory of the police was tina
, Richeson was responsible for Mis-
i Linnell's shame, and that he had prom
3 Used to give her medicine to reliev
/ her. This medicine. the police ave
: consisted of capsule filled with til
Mot on Eu~o,~:.4