Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1911-10-22
PARSON WAS
A FAST ONE
He is Said to Have Engaged
Himself to Three Girls
at Once While Preaching
in Missouri a Few Years
Ago.

! KANSAS CITY. oct. 21.-Rev. Clar-
ence V. T. Richeson. held in Boston on
charge of having murdered Miss Avis
Linnen, was pastor of Bethany Baptist
church in this city from 1901 to 1904
when he resigned by request follow
ing sensational disclosures of three
young women, each of whom accused
him of being engaged to her. The
scandal arose among the congregation
when the three girls, two of whom
were members of the church, made
their accusations against the pastor az
the close of a Sunday morning sermon
on Temptations of Young Girls in a
City" Each girl asked Richeson if he
intended TO keep the promise to marry
her All the women wept Historically
Richeson, said a member of the church
today. said there must be a mistake.
left the church and went to Liberty
The trustees wrote for his resignation.
BOSTON. oct. 21-To strengthen
the chain of circumstantial evidence
upon which Rev. Clarence V. T Richie
son. arrested yesterday for the alleged
murder of Miss Avis Linnell, the police
today concentrated their efforts upon
ascertaining whether it was Richeson
or another person who dined with the
young music student last Saturday af-
ternoon. a few hours before she took
the fatal cyanide potassium.
The police say they have evidence to
indicate that RichesOn was her COM
panion. They have worked on the
theory that the man with whom Miss
Linnell dined was the person who gave
her the poison powder, which she took
believing it would remedy her physical
condition.
Police attempts to obtain from the
room in Cambridge. occupied by Richie
son. some article which might further
connect him with the charge, were
frustrated unexpectedly today. Inspec
tors who went to the pastors rooms
everything in a state of chaos.
as the result of a general ransackinS
prior to the police visit. Ii is not
known who did this but it is given out
a newspaper reporter impersonated an
officer and gained entrance to the
apartment.
That the police have discovered the
restaurant where Miss Linnell lunched
SATURDAY. and that RichesOn was the
man who accompanied her, was report
ed from headquarters late today. ii
is said a Young woman at the Y. w. {.
A. building furnished this information.
This witness is believed to have been
the last person to talk with Miss Lin
nell before she took the poison. She
said the girl said: Il dined with Mr.
Richeson." The police say they learned
that Richeson was overheard making
a telephone appointment with Miss
Iinnell for lunch Saturday. II is un-
derstood Richeson wrote out in his cell
his resignation as pastor of Emanuel
Baptist church. of Cambridge. Par
ishoners were given to understand last
night that his resignation would bel
tomorrow. The minister
was visited today by Moses Grant Ed |
monds. father of Miss Violet Edmonds.
his fiancee. at whose home in Brook |
line Richeson was arrested. Edmonds,
on leaving the Jail. said the prisoner Is
confident of his acquittal. He looked
forward to the time when his name
might be cleared of the charge which |
stands in the way of his intended mar |
riage. Edmonds said, and added:
"Richeson will have as good a de-
rapca &c ,,,opeH- pon hI1V"