Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-05-21

own right, as well as entitled to share |
in the estate of some $SS0,000 left by .
her grandfather. Entrance to the ex-
elusive home of the Edmands had /
been easy to the minister as the pas
tor of the church the family attended, /,
and in a short time he was accepted as
sutton for the daughters hand.
BORROWED RING.
At the same time Richeson was
meeting Miss Linnell as formerly.
But one day he borrowed the diamond
ring he had given her, on the pretext
that the stone needed resetting He
did not return it Eventually the news
papers announced the engagement of
Rev. Mr.. Richeson and Miss Violet
Edmands. The Linnell family demand
ed an explanation. The minister
promptly declared the story a news
paper fake" and was believed.
/ The invitations to the wedding of
RiCheson and Miss Edmands were
sent out the afternoon of Saturday,
( Oct. II. That same afternoon Rich
eson dined with Avis Linnell at a lit
/ tie restaurant in the Back Bay While
there the girl appeared depressed At
times tears rolled down her cheeks
/ When she returned TO her lodging
/ place, however, she seemed cheerful,
although quickly eXCusing herself and
hurrying away to her room.
/ Groans were heard coming from
bathroom of the association quarters
shortly after I o'clock that evening
The door was broken in and Miss Lin
nell was found partially unconscious
and apparently in great agony. Half
an hour later she died without recover
ing consciousness.
a belief that the girl had committed
suicide was at first general, but her
family was disposed to discredit the
report, and a thorough investigation
was made
DENIED HE KNEW HER.
Soon after the girl died, it was
learned, some one had telephoned to
Richeson, as the girls nearest friend,
and informed him of the circum-
stances. He coldly denied at first that
he knew the girl at all Then finally,
admitting that she had been a mem
Der of his former parish in Hyannis,
he suggested that her brother-in-law
in Bridgewater be notified Before
hanging up the receiver, he asked
Did she say anything before she
died?"
The theory of suicide was dispelled
when the real conditions surrounding
the death of Miss Linnell were made
known. The girl had been sitting in
a chair with her feet in a tub of hot
water, while beside her was a fresh
change of clothing. The autopsy re
vealed the fact that she had taken q
dose of poison, and the conclusion was
drawn that she had done so in the in
nocent belief that it would remedy &
condition that later would be a cause
| of great embarrassment.
The day following the girls deatf
Rev. Mr.. Richeson preached what wa!
to be his last sermon in the Cambridge
church, and in his prayer referre,
briefly TO the death of a near friend
That afternoon, dining with a membe
OF his parish in Somerville. he wal
able to eat but little and spent mucI
time on couch in apparent menta
misery. He explained that he wa
overcome by the recent death of .
dear friend" That night he went L
the home of Moses Grant Edmands il
Brookline, father of the girl to whom
he was TO be married a week or 8
later, and there remained in seclusioI
through the next few days precedin
his arrest.
ARRESTED AT RESIDENCE.
| Richeson was arrested at the HON
OF the father of Miss Edmands i
Brookline the morning of Oct. 20.
| Interest in the case was intensife
Dec. 20 when it became know
that Richeson had mutilated himse
in his cell at the Charles street jai
Richeson confessed his guilt in a stat,
ment written BY himself Jan 8 an
4 given out by his counsel Jan. 6.