The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-10-26


Rioheson. who s accused or The MUIR
der OF Avis Linnell, his onc-time III
ancee. Since the young man left his
Virginia home. seven years ago. to en-
ter the Baptist ministry. his father had
not seen him and the meeting was dra-
matte. In the first words OF greeting.
even before he had clasped hands with
his father through the bars Of his cell
door. the clergyman exclaimed: "Fa-
ther, I am innocent"
The veteran Confederate soldier
who has all along expressed belief ga
his sons innocence. was visibly AZ
fected. He grasped the bars for sup
port, while he answered only:
My boy, my boy,'
For more than an hour father and
son coEversed and Colonel Richeson
then left the Jail as he came in
closed carriage. and was driven. Il IS
believed, to the home in BroOklinc
of Moses Grant Edmands father OF
Miss Violet Edmands, to whom the
clergyman was TO be married. 1t was
reported that n family reunion was TO
be held at the Edmands home, at
which would be present also Miss Lille
Y. RichesOn of Saranac Lake. ". Y a
sister. and Douglas Rfcheson OF Chi
cago, brother. All are here to aid
in the clergyman's fight for acquittal
The examination of the body OF Miss
Linnell precipitated the first court
clash between attorneys FOR the prose-
cution and the defense. Il was the
government which scored for Judge
Murry. In municipal court ruled
against the petition of Attorney Philip
R. Dunbar that the defense be present
at a second autopsy.
The body was subjected to an exam
inatlon by Medical Examiner Timothy
Leary early. following which District
Attorney Pelletier Issued "A statement
declaring that no poison receptacle waB
found buried with the body. He also
suggested the possibility that another
poison as well as cyanide OF potassium
may have been used.
Body T. Igcburicd.
At the conclusion of the medical sx-
arniner's INVESTIGATION. the coffin was
forwarded TO Hyannis and reburied.
The Suffolk county grand fury viii
consider the governments evidence &c
a special session. Summonses have been
issued Tor all the mer bcrs Of tho Lin
neil faniily, william A. Hahn. the New
ton druggist who told the police that
Mr.. Richeson had purchased cyanide
of potassium from him, and Frank "a.
Carter. in whose home Mr.. Richcs0n'
apartments were located.
In his talk with this friend Mr. Ricna-
sen is reported as having said.
1T is true that at one time Avis
Linnell and were engaged TO be mar
ried. There was "a time when / bclieV-
ed that no girl in tie world wou'l
compare With her. And / eagerly looked
forward 60 the time ] could make her
my wife. But trouble that I had not
dreamed of arose It was nothing that
/ could have prevented. Avis miud
concerning her ambitions fO~ lie future
underwent "A change. She wanted to hc-
come an opera singer, instead OF pass
ing her time I'm a parsonage as -he
wife of a minister Of small churcn.
And that is ihe cause Of our broken
engagement
Avis had a voice that was naturally
sweet and rich. Friends frequently ad-
mircd il. Many times they urged her
to come to Boston and have her voice
! cultivated ut tine Conservatory of Music.
, At last she acted on their advice. Let
me say that L had absolutely nothing
1 to do with her taking up her residence
/ in Boston. OR engagement was hro-
1 ken some months before when she iu-
formed me that to take up life as the
wife Of a country minister would mean
an end to her prospects as a singer. =
felt that the future had much IN store