The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-10-27
L|NNElL CASE IS
IN HANDS OF
GRAND JURY
More Than a Dozen Witnesses
at First Session
GREAT SECRECY MAINTAINED
Fiance Of Suspected Pastor Not Like
iy to Be Called Because of
illness

Boston, Oct. 27-The special SEES
sion OF the Suffolk county grand Jury,
which was convened yesterday to con
slider the evidence accumulated by
the police against Rev. Clarence V.
T. Richeson in connection with the
death by poisoning Of Miss Avis Lin
nell, the Hyannis singer and Sunday.
school teacher, assumed something of
the aspect of trial yesterday, be-
cause some Of the witnesses for the
defense as well as government wit
nesses were called. When the grand
Jurors adjourned at 8 o'clock last eve
ming, after nearly eight hours of de-
liberation, they had heard the testi-
mony of more than a dozen persons.
including three who are directly con-
nected with the case for the defense
These three witnesses were Mr.. and
Mrs. Moses Grant Edmands, father
and mother of Miss Violet Edmands,
the accused clergymans fiance, and
Robert Burns, head of Boston detec-
tive agency, who has directed the in
vestigation in behalf of Mr. Richeson.
In unfolding before the jurors the
chain of evidence which the police
have collected, District Attorney Pei
letter marshaled his witnesses in the
following order, after Medical Evan
liner Leary, who performed the autop-
sy, had spent three-quarters of an
hour explaining his observations;
Mrs. Edgar Linnell of Hyannis,
mother of the dead girl, gowned en-
tirely in black and with heavy veil
which completely hid her features;
Mrs. w. II. Mclean of Brockton, sis
ter of the dead girl who accompani-
ed her mother from their home in Hy-
annis and who. in contrast, wore no
sign of mourning; two young women
believed to be cashier and waitress
in Boston restaurant, where II has
been stated that Mr. Richeson and
Miss Linnell dined few hours be-
fore the young woman's death at the
Young Women's Christian association
lodgings on Warrenton street; DR..
Mary Hobart, who was called in to
attend Miss Linnell before she died.
Other witnesses were: Miss Juliet
c. Patterson. superintendent of the
Young Womens Christian associa.
ton building, who assumed charge of
the situation arising from Miss Lin
nells death Immediately on the dis
covery of the body and until Medical
Examiner Leary arrived; Miss Luz
ellie Zeigler. q friend OF the dead
girl and her fellow-lodger, who is un-
derstood to have had a conversation
with Miss Linnell regarding her din
ner engagement the afternoon OF her
death; Miss Emily Hanscomb. also
an inmate Of the Young Women's
Christian association, who has told
the police that Rev. Mr.. Richeson,
when she informed him of the death
OF Miss Linnell, first appeared unin-
terested and then inquired Did she
say anything before she died?" Mr.
and Mrs. Franklin H. Carter. at
whose residence in Cambridge Mr.
Richeson had his apartments; Mr.
and Mrs. Edmands. at whose home
the defense claims Mr.. Richeson pass
ed most Of the afternoon and evening
OF Saturday, the 14th, when Avis Lin
nell died; Druggist William II. Hahn
OF Newton Center, whose assertion to
the police that Mr. Richeson had
bought OF him enough cyanide OF po-
tassium TO kill 10 men led to the
clergyman's arrest; and Robert
Burns. the private detective, who
searched Richeson's rooms following
his arrest and who has directed the
investigation in behalf OF the defense.
II was understood last night that
several OF these persons have been
summoned to appear again before the
grand jury today. and that number
OF fresh witnesses also will be called,
including some from Hyannls. posi-
bly, Edgar Linnell, father OF the muir
dered girl, and neighbors who have
said they knew that Mr.. Richeson and
Miss Linnell we're engaged at one
time. II is not probable that Miss
Violet Ermands, the minister's fan.
Gee, will be called, as the Edmands
family physician said yesterday that
the young woman was confined TO her
home by illness. She did not accom-.
pary her father and mother to the
courthouse yesterday.
Mrs. Linnell seemed literally bowed |
under the weight OF her sorrow and |
In actual need OF the assistance which |
Captain OF Inspectors Ainslie c. Arm. |
strong rendered her on one side and |
her daughter. Mrs. Mclean, on the ]
other. She came from Hyannis, de |
spite her enfeebled condition, with a
resolution to do her utmost 70 aid In |
tho mystery of her daught-
er's death, but Il is said that she
tainted while ON the way.
Extreme secrecy marked the proce-
dure Of the Grand jury. Most Of the
witnesses were taken into the court
house by side or back entrance ana
were conducted by devious ways e
haflie the crowd gathered about the
district attorneys Office. Even pr
vate stairways reserved for the use
M tha fuaifOaa WQra raa0rfod IN