Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-12-21

room in the Young Women's Chris
tan Association building on Warren
ton street. where she lodged At first
il was believed that the young woman
had taken poison with suicidal intent,
bu a day or two later 1t became gen
erally known that she had taken cy-
anide of potassium in the belief that
it would remedy condition that was
later to be cause of great embar-
rassment to another as we'll as to her
self
en- the day following Miss Linnelis
death Richeson preached his last ser
mon in the Cambridge church, and
the same evening he went TO the home
of Moses Grant Edmands, in the
Chestnut Hill section OF Brookline. Mr..
Edmands is a prominent Baptist lay
man. trustee of the Newton Theo-
logical institution, where Richeson
studied for the ministry and is the
father of Miss Violet Edmands to
whom Richeson was to be married.
on Oct. 81. last.
In their investigation into the death
of the Linnell girl the police found
evidence, they claimed, which tended
to implicate Rieheson. 1t was report
ed to the police that the pastor
had been engaged to Miss Linnell and
that the girl believed that she was to
marry him and did not know of the
engagement to Miss Edmands. 1t was
also a police theory that the minister
was the person to whom Miss Lin
nell's physical condition would cause
the greatest worriment. on the night
of Thursday, Oct. 19, William Hahn,
a druggist at Newton Center, reported
to the police that few days before
the death of Miss Linnell, Richeson
had purchased cyanide of potassium
from him. The minister, according to
Hahn, said that he desired to kill
dog, but cautioned the druggist not
to mention the fact that he had sold
poison to him.
Early on the morning of Friday, Oct
&c. Richeson was arrested at the Ed
mands home in Brookline. He was
given a brief hearing in the Boston
municipal court and his case was con-
tinued until Oct. 81. the day set for
his marriage to Miss Edmands. In the
meantime the wedding invitations
We're recalled.
hearing arrived, a special session of
the grand jury was called and on Oct.
81. an indictment containing five
counts of murder in the first degree
was returned.
Before the report of the grand jury
was made, Rieheson wrote a letter to
his congregation resigning his pastor
ate, but the church refused to accept
it. Later a second resignation was
submitted which was accepted. A few
days after the indictment was return
ed. Richeson was arraigned in the SUI
perior criminal court. where he plead
ed not guilty and his trial was fixed
for Jan. Is next.
Richeson, who is about So years old.
was horn at Rose Hill. Va. and was
educated at the Amherst Courthouse
High school, Virginia, and at William
jewell College, Liberty, Mo. After
stadying for three years at the New
ton Theological Institution he was
graduated in June 1909, taking post
graduate course the following year.
He was ordained TO the ministry in
the Third church. st. Louis. Mo. and
had preached at various places in the
South and North, his Hyannis pastor
ate of Emmanuel church, Cambridge,
had made o favorable impression
among the majority of his parishion-
ers.
|. Richeson is tall and good looking,
with wavy black hair. He is describ,
q9Sby some of his fellow students as
fnpulsive gallant and fiery. Wis
friends declare that they know posi-
lively THAI he severed his relations
with Miss Linnell before becoming
TO Miss Edmands, and that
afte4s engagementiIo the Brookline
girl III was merely bfriendNf sfiss