The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-11-01
JURY IND|CTS REV.
R|CHESON ON
5 COUNTS
Accused Pale and Haggard at
Hearing
TRIAL DATE NOT FIXED
indictment Indicates That Police
Have Chain of Evidence Not
Quite Complete
TRIAL DATE NOT FIXED

Boston, Nov. Rev Clarence ".
T. Richeson, pastor of Emmanuel
Baptist church of Cambridge, was in
dicted on five counts charging muir
der in the first degree by the Suf-
folk county grand jury late yesterday
afternoon for the poisoning on Octo-
Der IA of his former sweetheart, Miss
Avis W. Linnell of Hyannis. The
grand jury reported their finding to
Judge George A. Sanderson in the
superior criminal court after hearing
more than 80 witnesses during four
days consideration of the govern
ments case. 1t is understood that
the jurors were unanimous in order
ing the indictment
BY the returning of this true bill,
the necessity Of holding a hearing in
the municipal court is obviated. In
connection with this latter proceed.
ing, Rev. Mr.. Richeson appeared in
the lower court yesterday, yesterday
having been the date set following
his arrest a week ago Friday, but
the case was continued formally with
out action and the clergyman taken
back to jail Immediately. BY a CO.
incidence yesterday had been fixed
several months ago for the marriage
of Mr. Richeson and Miss Violet Ed.
mands OF Brookline. 1t was to have
been a Halloween wedding.
Somewhat haggard and pale after
IL days of Incarceration in the
Charles street Jail, the minister
stood in the dock with a score of
other prisoners yesterday morning
and heard his case continued to the
7th. Despite the fact that he wore
the same ministerial garb in which
he appeared before in court, he was
scarcely recognized by those In the
court room. His clothes hung loose
ly about him, as If he had lost
weight. But his raven black hair
was combed in the same neat way
which assisted in giving Mr.. Richie.
son the distinguished air everywhere
remarked prior to his arrest The
entire court proceedings lasted less
than two minutes and In less than a
half hour the prisoner was back in
his cell at the Charles street Jail. 1t
is understood that the indictment
warrant will be served upon him at
the jail today. His plea to the
charge will not be made before TO.
morrow. probably.
The indictment, which is said to
be almost unique in the annals OF
Massachusetts homicides in which
poisoning has figured, Is of the so
called blanket" type, the FIVE counts
being so worded as to permit the in.
PRODUCTION OF evidence by the gov.
eminent as to any of several meth.
DDS by which the poison may have
been conveyed TO the dead girl AS
worded, the indictment indicates that
the government as yet is without
knowledge OF what means were EN-
ployed to hand the poison to Miss
Linnell and is uncertain also as to
the exact form in which the poison
was taken. Medical Examiner Tim.
othy Leary who conducted the autop-
sy on the body. traced the effect of
poison down the throat to the stom.
ach, but the form in which II was
taken has not been revealed. This
may have been in crude crystals, in
soluble capsule form or in a mixture
of crystals or powder and water.
Shortly after the grand jury had
made It's report District Attorney
Pelletler who has directed the pres
entation OF the evidence said that he /
believed the grand jury was fully
warranted in finding an indictment
"Of course 1t was necessary only &c
show probable guilt, but we called
many witnesses whose testimony
was OF nature TO give the grand
Jurors an opportunity to weigh points
for and against the defense. The in
vestgation was as thorough as pos
sible,' the district attorney said.
Attorney Philip n. Dunbar, coun.
sci for Richeson, declined to com.
ment on the grand iury's action.