The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1912-01-12
MChESON ADMITS
MURDER OF, GIRL
Tortured by Conscience
Young Pastor Con
fesses-Wiu Go to
Trial Anyhow.

Boston, Jan. 6. - The Rev.
Clarence v. T. Richeson confessed
his guilt of the murder of his former
sweetheart, Avis Linnell Of Hyannis,
in a document made, public by his
counsel today. The confession de-
clares that the accused is guilty "of
the offense of which he is indicted, "
which sis murder. in the fire degree.
Whether Richeson will pay the
extreme penalty, which under Mas
sachusetts' law is death in the
electric chair, no court official cared
to predict today.
~ THE CONFESSION.
The confession was as follows:
Boston, January 8, 1911.
JohniL. Lee, Esq; William A.
Morse, Esq; Phillip r. Dunbar,
ESQ.,
Gentlemen: Deeply pertinent
for my sin and earnestly desiring,
as far as in my power lies, to make
atonement. / hereby confess that
am guilty of the offense of which
stand indicated.
Il am moved to this course by
no inducement of self-beneft or
leniency. Heinous as is my crime,
God has not wholly abandoned me,
and my conscience and manhood, :,
however depraved and blighted, :,
will not admit Of my still further
wronging by public trial her whose
pure young life have destroyed.
Under the lashings of remorse I have
suffered and am suffering the tor
lures of the damned. In this find
a measure of comfort. In my mental
anguish recognize that there is
still, by the mercy of the Master,
some remnant of the divine spark
OF goodness still lingering within me.
L could wish to live only be-
cause within some PRISONS walls I
might in some small measure re-
deem my sinful past and help some
other rsdespairing soul, and at last
find favor with my God.
You are instructed to deliver
this to the district attorney or to
the judge Of the court. : III ~
=. Sincerely yours, -,
,,Clarence,V. T. Richeson.n
FIRST DECREE MURDER.
The indictment against Richeson
charged that he "feloniously, will
fully and of his malice aforethoughtn
gave Miss Linnell cyanide of .potas-
sium with deadly intent and that
because Of her death. he is guilty OF
murder in the. first degree.
District Attorney Pelletier declar-
ed today after the" confession had
been made public that the trial, set
for January Is, would surely be
called and that he would accept no
compromise in the way of plea to
q lesser crime.
1t was pointed out that if the dis
trict attorney maintained this at
titude only an insanity commission
or Communication by the executive
council and the governor could save
Richeson from the electric chair. 1t
lies, however, with the court and
the district attorney to accept a
minor plea, such modification usual.
ly coming through some weak link
In the governments case.
EXPECTED BY SOME.
Today's development in one of
the most interesting murder cases
in the history of the State was not
altogether unexpected by some of
those in close touch with the situa.
ton. From the beginning the
prosecution has asserted that its
evidence was strong, although when
it came to the actual delivery of the
poison to the girl there appeared to
be missing link in the chain.
Richeson himself provided pro-
bably the greatest sensation in the
case when. early on December 20,
he mutilated himself so horribly
that his life hung in the balance for
some hours. He was saved only by
an operation.
Even while bleeding from his
wounds he is said to have clung to
his counsel, William A. Morse, and
pleaded to be allowed to tell him
the whole story. Feelinu that his