The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-10-21
PREACHER IN CUSTODY
FOR GIRLS DEATH SAYS
HE'LL PROVE INNOCENCE
Rev. Clarence Richeson, Ar
raigned on Homicide Charge,
Pleads Not Guilty.
PARISHIONERS DEFEND HIM
Prisoner Was To Have Married
Heiress, But Wedding Invi-
tons Are Recalled.
PARISHIoNERS DEFEND HIM

In the home OF Miss Violet Edmands,
an heiress whom he was TO wed in
less than a fortnight Rev. DR.. Clar-
ence Virgil Thompson Richeson, pas
tor OF the Emmanuel Baptist church OF
Cambridge, was today formally
charged with the murder of Avis Lin
nell. who believed she was TO have
been the minister's bride Miss Lin
: nell was buried today and the wedding
grown, which a score OF hOr friends
had helped her fashion N anticipation
OF her wedding became her funeral
shroud.
Richeson pleaded not guilty when
arraigned In court
God knows | am innocent Every
thing will come out ALI right. The
public will soon be able TO Judge in
my favor. | will face the ordeal as
bravely as / can"
This was all the statement newspa-
permen could get from Richeson as
he sat in a cell in Pemberton-sq. sta
ton.
The warrant for the formal arrest
OF the preacher was issued by Judge
liam Hahan, druggist OF Newton,
Mass, had positively Identified Richie
son as the man 10 whom he sold a
quantity OF cyanide OF potassium last
week.
The police ascribe two possible mo-
tives for the alleged crime, either one
OF which would make the case one al
most unparalleled in American Grim
inal annals. IA
The first is that, fearing Miss Lin
nell might interfere with his approach
ing marriage TO Miss Edmands, Richie
son set about TO kill the girl; the
other Is that he purchased the drug
for Miss Linnell, In order that she
might end her own life when she
learned the man she loved was TO be-
come the husband OF another.
The police claim 10 have a strong
case against the pastor. >He is known
70 have met Miss Linnell in the South
Station In Boston Friday night. TIE
police charge II was there he gave her
the drug telling her IL was harmless
headache potion Saturday night the
girl died. The preacher was notified
over the telephone, for the young wo-
mans companion knew her as Dr.
Richeson's financee.
well, why do you tell me ?" he de-
manded and hung up the telephone
Monday gossip connected Richeson's
name with what was at first believed
TO have been the suicide OF the girl.
He answered nothing. but sought ref
uge in the palatial Brookline home OF
Moses Grant Edmands, whose daugh-
ter, worth quarter OF million and
heiress TO her fathers fortune, was TO
have become Richeson's bride In two
weeks. The wedding was to have
been solemnized on Oct. 81, in the
First Baptist church at Newton Gen.
ter. More than 700 invitations to
friends OF the popular divine and his
rich bride-tovbe had been mailed. They
were recalled today.
II was at the Edmands home that
Richeson was arrested. Detectives
and policemen had stood about the
house all night, demanding admittance
that they might question him. At 1880
he came TO the door and asked what
was wanted.
We want you to answer some cues |
tons regarding the source from which
Avis Linnell secured the poison that
killed her. and which she took for /
medicine" the police told him.
Il will go with you" he said, and |
entered the taxicab. No formal charge |
then was placed against him At |
1928, after Hahan had identified him |
as the purchaser OF the poison, a war !
rant, charging him with murder in
the first degree was issued.
Pretty little Miss Linnell, a student |
NJ the Boston Conservatory Of Music, !
believed she was to marry Dr. Richie
SON.
On the day OF her death she had |
read In the Boston papers the an
nouncement Of Rev. Richeson's en-
gagement to Miss Violet Edmands, |
daughter OF Moses Grant Emands, a |
resident OF fashionable Brookline. a |
Boston suburb. A few hours later |
she was found dead, a victim OF cya- |
hide poisoning. In the bathroom or |
the Y. w. c. A
Frank III. Carter, whD is a member /
OF the Emmanuel Baptist church. Cam. |
bridge, OF which Mr.. Richeson is pas |
tor, Is a strong defender OF him. He
feels that a great wrong has been
done In coupling the name OF the min
fster with the tragedy
The man who was responsible for
the death Of that girl Is walking the
streets, free from the breath of sus.
picion," said Carter. II can prove
that will not divulge his name now.
as II might defeat the ends OF justice.
When have my net perfected, then
shall act, and that man will be brought
TO justice"