The Washington herald., 1911-10-22

bridge newspaper the announcement tha
the Rev. Mr.. Richeson was about to b
married to Miss Edmands. She was saiC
to have read this paper a few minute!
before taking the fatal drug.
But William Mclean, her brother-in
law, a very clever young man, was no
satisfied. He knew that Avis Linnel
was of sturdy mind, and could think ot
| no reason why she should take her Owr
life.
He went to the Young Women's Chris.
tian Association and made a very thor
| Ough examination of conditions there
He found that his sister-in-law had beer
in a joyous mood Saturday evening. He
found that she had gone to the bathroom
to bathe her feet in hot water, and that
| she had brought clean clothing with her
intending to put it On afterward. Nc
Lean argued from this that the girl had
taken the poison, believing 1t to be a
medicine that would benefit her, and
never dreaming that she was placing
| upon her tongue a drug that meant al
most instant death.
Mclean told the medical examiner and
the police what he had learned and what
| he believed. Chief Dugan, of the bureau
| OF criminal investigation, took hold OF
! the mystery in person. The result was
| an lNNeSllBdllOn lHdl tIluSu III 'l'N o''NS
| of Rev Mr.. Rcheson.
Wanted Girls Fortune.
Money appears as a motive. Richeson
had been Il poor man all his life. He
| had worked on the street cars in St
| Louis to help pay his way in college,
and he had been employed in a restau-
rant in Boston for the same purpose.
His salary as pastor of the Baptist
| Church at Hyannis had been only $500
| a year. When he became the pastor Of
the Emmanuel Baptist Church in Cam
| bridge he received s2lOO That, il is al
legged, only whetted his appetite for more.
! for a great fortune, if possible acquired
all a once.
Avis I.innen was without money Violet
Edmands was rich in her own right,
through a large inheritance from her
grandfather. George J. Edmands. who
died in 1906, leaving 100000. With
Wife that would bring to him a large
inheritance. he saw, according to the
police. life of aff1uenCe.
George D. EdmandS was prominent in
the Baptist church, and his will con
tains requests to institutions of that
denomination. One legacy of $500 went
to the Newton Theological Seminary,
where the Young clergyman was edu-
Gated for the ministry. The residue of
the estate is left to Miss Edmands' father
tc be held by him during his life. In
the event of his death the income from
part of the estate is to go TO his widow
1T her death the entire estate is to be
divided between the two daughters, Nio-
let and Rose, her sister.
Eccentric at College.
Mr. Richeson's fcllow-students at the
Newton Theological Seminary remember
him chiefly because Of the ecCentricity
that made him unpopular with many
lie aIternated between degree Of
suavity that repealed his classmates and
a fiery impetuOsity that turned some Of
them enemies. His work as student
is said to have been below the average.
Rev. Nathan +, Wood. now pastor Of
the First Baptist Church. Wellington,
was at the head Of the Newton TheO-
logical Seminary while Richeson vas
there. To-day Mr.. Wood said:
The politeness Of a polished South
el.. and the natural COnCeit Of a hand
some man were the main Characteris-
tics of Rev. Mr.. RicheSOn. aS l remem-
ber him don't recall anything espe-
cally striking about the man. He went
out Of his way to he courteous. and I
often thought that people who did not
know him would likely believe him in
sincere"
chief OF Police Dugan said to-day:
"RichesOn is neither garrulOus nor |
even talkative.
The murder with which he is charged |
is COld-blooded in the extreme. He him !
self is cold-blooded. Just consider what !
he did during the hours OF what must !
have been his greatest mental trial. name |
ly. his arrest and his session in my office |
when he was brought to headquarters.
Retained His COmposure.
During the automobile ride to head !
quarters he did not say a word. and yet .
retained wonderful CompoSurr.
AT headquarters when William Hahn. !
the druggist who says he sold the poison !
to Richcson. was ushered into the offic"
the pastor stood up and. with the calm
dignity Of a minister greeting a parish
oner extended his hand and shook the
hand of the other warmly.
Then again after being booked on the
charge of having murdered his trusting
sweetheart. he calmly asked how long
We were going to postpone the bringing
Df his breakfast to him Think OF it,
You can see just how much "A man Of
MS caliber would have said If We had
questioned him"