Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-10-21
PASTOR HELD
after f|ANCEE
D|ES|0F ! J POISON.

cry OF CarrOlltOn, Mo-, is
Arrested in Boston After
Police Guard Home.
Boston. Mass, Oct.20 REV. Clarence
+. v. Rcheson, pastor OF y paptisr
Church In Cambridge, was arrested
early today - Z result Of police In
vestigation Of tho death By poison Of
Miss Avis Linnell. : student ct the
New England Conservatory Of Music.
Tho arrest was made 1t the home OF
Moses Edmands. father or Richeson's
Aancee, In Brookline..
Police Judge Murray later issued
warrant charging Richeson with nrst
degree murder.
For nearly seven hours eight police
ohicers had been waiting outside OF
the Edmands home In Brookline for an
opportunity to make the arrest.
No attention was paid during the
night to the police attempts to gain ad-
mission to the house. The officers had
no warrant for the pastors arrest. and
1or time the occupants OF the house
paid no attention to the repeated rings
on the door bell, but finally some one
disconnected the wires. Later the
telephone also was disconnected.
Policemen were placed so as to cut
on every avenue Of escape and short
ly before 8 o'clock succeeded in arrest.
ing Richeson. s7
A day or two before Miss Linnelps
death, cards were issued for the wed
ding Of Mr.. Richeson and Miss Violet
Edmands. which was set for Tuesday.
October 81.
RIchsson Came From Missouri.
The minister is q native OF Rose
Hill, Va, and has lived in Liberty,
Mo-, Carrollton, Mo-, st. Louis ana
Louisville. He is thirty.five years old. q
Mr.. Richeson went to tho Edmands
home last Sunday night. almost irn-s
mediately altar he had beer, informed
OF the sudden death OF Avis LindAlI.
whom. It IL said, had been for some
time his fancee.
From Sunday night until Yesterday
afternoon the minister denied himself
to all callers and to every plea for
statement as to his relations with Miss
Linnell. n Is. !, ,' - a $3.50 -
SO 1nsistent were the calls that yes-
terday Mr.. Richeson left the Edmands
nome and eluding purSuers, came to
Boston and sought counsel, calling up
on James r. Dunbar. Mr.. Rfcheson
was accompanied by Mrs. Edmands.
After the call on the attorney. both re-
turned to Brookline
4gsks aau ossAA. n~...lA = K 3}9
The police OF Boston last night dis
covered clues which they had long
sought and which led them to take
summary action. They claimed they
had learned who purchased the cyanide
OF potassium and when and where 1t
was purchased. Police Chief Dugan
said ne Intended to call on Richeson
and ask him II he purchased the drug
at the place IN question and II he de-
ned proposed to arrest him. The
ponce ana newspaper men went to the
Edmands home and surrounded the
place. The occupants refused to onan
the door and after an all night vigil
Chief Dugan, early In the morninr
saw maid in the kitchen. He asked
her to notify Mr.. Edmands that ofYicers
were there and wanted to SNEAK tn
him. Almost Immediately the maid
motioned to the officers to 20 TO the
front door. Here they were admitted.
and fifteen minutes later Chief Dugan
and Deputy Watts came out with
Rtcheson walking between them.
Deputy Watts stated Richeson was
arrested on information substantiated
Dy the police that he bought quantity
ol cyanlqe OF potassium at the drug
store IN Newton Centre, on Oct. 10.
Druggist Tolls Of Sale Of Drug.
After arriving at headquarters.
Deputy Superintendent Watts said he
received word last evening from New
ton that William Hahn, druggist OF
Newton Center, had sold cyanide Of
potassium to Richeson, on the night az
October 10. Mr.. Watts himself inter
viewed the druggist, who, according to
the police officials, told the following
story Of the alleged sale:
Z Rev. Richeson. who knew well.
came to my store on the night OF Octo-
Der 10, and told me he had thouble-
some dog which he desired to get rid
OF In the easiest way possible. sug-
gested that he chlOr0form the dog.
but Mr.Rtcheson said he didn't like the
smell Of the drug. then suggested
cyanide OF potassium and put enough
In an open vial to kill three d0s.
Il warned the minister to be care
full how he handled the potassium and
to destroy the vial after he had killed
the dog.
Mr.. Richeson had sent me an invi-
tation to- hts wedding with Miss Ed
mands and before he left the store he
told me not to fOrEet to come. The
also requested me to keep the
sale Of the cyanide secret. told no I,
one until the Linnell case developed"
A warrant charging Richeson with
first degree murder was Issued by
Municipal Court Judge Murray during
the forenoon. 1t was arranged to bring
the minister into court without delay
and continued his case until Octo-
bss N