The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-10-24
MORE EVIDENCE
 AGAINST PASTOR Another Sentence of Con- versation With Druggist DEFENSE IS SILENT
Richeson Protests Innocence to Two Members of His Congregation. Sister Visits Prisoner--Grand
 Jury to Act Thursday

Boston, Mass, October 2S.-A startling bit of evidence which leaked out tonight promises to cast additional interest In the case of Clarence V. T. Richeson, the Baptist minister, charged with the mur- der of Miss Avis Linnell.
 When the police gave out the state ment of William II. Hahn, the Newton druggist, where the Cambridge pastor is alleged to have bought cyanide of potassium, the drug that caused the death of the Llnnell girl they said. the
 pastor had asked Hahn for poison
 which would kill a dog at his home
 which was about to give birth to pup pies.'
 Tonight, 1t is stated on authority, that Druggist Hahn added another sentence
 to the conversation he claims to have
 had with Richeson that the minister also
 said
 q want poison which will kill the
 puppies without killing the dog.'
 Druggist Hahn declared, it is claimed,
 that he stated that he knew of no medi-
 cine or drugs which would do this.
 The police attach considerable sgnli-
 canoe to this version of the conversa- ton.
 With the state collecting it's evidence Idcheson late today faced two leading members of his church and declared;
 T am innocent and will prove it when the time comes'
 The Rev George Holt, the Rhode Isl- and clergyman who is to marry the younger sister of Violet Edmands, also visited the accused.
 Another visitor was his sister, Miss l.. Y. Richeson, of Saranacu Lake, N. Y, who spent nearly an hour at the door of cell 47, where the pastor is confined in what is known as ''murderers row
 All that money and the legal profess sion can provide to aid Richeson appar- ently will be forthcoming. | In addition to the statement of Moses Grant EdmanGs, father of Richeson' S fsance that the minister would have the best counsel money could secure, fur ther assistance has been promised from his own family.
 Assurances of support came today from pr. William A Rcheson of Amherst, Va, a wealthy uncle, who declared his for tune was at the command of the defense. One perplexing problem confronting the prosecution is the apparently long time the cyanide of potassium acted before it caused Miss Linnelrs death. The medical examiner, pr. Timothy E. Leary, in his report declared that death
 ensued 25 minutes after the taking of the poison.
 To the police this seems strange. as cyanide is supposed to cause instantan- | c.us death
 various explanations are advanced for this seeming inconsistency. One is that | an over dose of the poison acted as it's own emetic. Another is that the poison
 nas deteriorated through the chemical l action This matter will be ascertalned | by an analysis of the cyanide of po- tassium in the Hahn drug store to see II that purchased by the minister mad lost it's strength. All this is now in the
 hands of the district attorney and will
 be presented to the grand jury Thurs day. The police declare no more facts would be given to the press. The defense still maintains silence. Lynchburg, Na., October 23-T. V. Rich
 eson, father of Rev. Clarence Richeson.
 the central figure of the Boston murder
 mystery, left his home in Amherst eounfv today Tor Boston for the announced u,1r- pose Of seeing and consulting with his son. Before leaving Amherst MT. RIcbe- son expressed confidence in the inteprit,. or ms son and asserted strong belief in his innocence. " The elder Richeson asserted that Ina
 stlH believes in his sons innocence. He ana his Family stoutly deny that the min lster was ever engaged to the dead rirl
 but add his interest in her ended in an admiration for her voice.