Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1911-10-24
II ASrOR ACCUS-
Ed OF MURDER
Time Of Hearing SCI On Date An
nounoed for the
Wedding.
REV. RlcHEsoH IS N PRISON.
Police Claim That Re Is Responsible
For Death Of Avn Iinnell,
the Music Academy
Student.
REV. RlCHEsoN Is m PRISON.

Il Z i
Student.
Boston, Mass, Oct. 21.-A mar
row cell In Charles street jail today
holds the Rev. Clarence Virgil
Thompson Richeson, the young pas
tor Of the Emmanuel Baptist
church, Cambridge, who was arrest
ed yesterday for the alleged murder
Of pretty Avis Linnell Of Hyannis.
Mass, to whom he had been engag-
ed His commitment to Jail without
bail on charge Of first degree MUIR
der, marked temporary end to a.
chain. Of circumstances which police
detectives have followed assiduous-
" since the death Of Miss Linne;l
last Saturday by cyanide Of potas-
SUM poisoning.
Miss Linnell, who was 10 years
old and q student at the Conserva-
tory Of Music, was found dead in
the bathroom of the Young Wom-
ems Christian association home
here. At first the police believed
she had committed suicide. but lat
er developments indicated that she
had unknowingly taken cyanide Of
potassium sent her by some other
person, in the belief that It would
remedy her embarrassing physical
condition.
For several days the police in
quiry made little progress. but in
formation received early yesterday
that Mr.. Richeson had purchased
cyanide Of potassium at drug store
in Newton led the onicials to decide
upon his arrest. A dozen ofncers,
headed by Deputy superintendent
Watts, were forced to maintain an
eight-hour vigil outside the fashion
able home in Brookline OF Moses
Grant Edmands, where the clergy
man had been staying during the
past week before Richeson was tax !.
en- In custody. Repeated pulls ct
the doorbeils. rappings and shouts
failed to bring any response from
those within the house through the
night. and the police who were with
cut warrant, were unwilling to|
make q forcible entrance.
The deputy superintendent and
his assistants with crowd Of news
paper men remained on guard until
about I a. M, when they were ad--
mitted.
Mr.. Edmands is the father of
Miss Violet Edmands. for whose
marriage to Mr.. Richeson on Oct. 81
cards had been issued. These invl-
tations were recalled today. The
Icdmands family, however, main
tains faith in Mr.. Richeson, and the
only announcement IN connection
with the withdrawal Of the cards
was that the marriage had been
postponed. Richeson's hearing has
been set for this date.
Even when faced by William
Hahn. the Newton druggist who de-
clared that Richeson had purchased
cyanide OF potassium from him a
week ago Tuesday, the minister was
apparently unperturbed. AZ Hahne
was shown into the room 1t police
headquarters. Richeson stepped for
ward and shook his hand, 1t was
noticeable that the druggist was
more moved than the accused man.
Facing the clergyman. Hahn, who
has known Mr.. Richeson for several
years, told how Richeson walked in-
to his store Tuesday evening, Oct.
IL, and said: I've got . dog at
b. me that II creating disturbance.
She will be . nuisance unless can
kill her soon."
Mr.. Hahn said that he responded
to Richeson: II never knew you
had dog and that Richeson re-
nliAd that he kent II In his room,