Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-07
NO LEN|ENCY FOR
R|CHESON'S GUILT
Continued from First Page.)

Continued from First Page.)
asserted that their evidence was strong
although when it came to the actual de.
livery of the poison to the girl there
appeared to be a missing link in the
chain.
Klcheson. himself, provided probably
the greatest sensation in the case when
in the early hours Of the morning of De-
cember 20 he so horribly mutilated him
self that his life hung in the balance for
some hours, and was saved only by an
operation. J.
1t is said to have been at that time that
Richeson first insisted upon confessing
Even while bleeding from his wounds he
is said to have chung to his counsel, Will
liam A. Morse, and pleaded to be allowed
to tell him the whole story. Feeling that
his client might be laboring from loss
of mental as well as physical strength.
MIR. Morse refused to hear him, and, dur
ing his convalescence, Richeson remained
quiet, in fact. almost speechless.
Dissuaded by Counsel.
When the attorneys visited their client
this week Richeson cried out that he
was guilty and declared his intention of
making clean breast of the crime. He
plainly was under great mental stress
sci would not accept his suggestion. They
urged him to think the matter over more
sa.mly, and left him. Wednesday the at
torneys again visited hts cell and the con-
fession made public today was write
then by the prisoner in spite of efforts
of counsel to dissuade him, as they fear
ed the mental strain had weakened MS
reasoning powers. Richeson insisted
however and prepared and signed the
confession in the presence of the lawyers
.lthout tremor- As he handed the
document to his counsel he exclaimed
Thank God l have eased my conscience
Of that load
A second copy of the confession was
drawn up and signed by Richeson yes
terday, and this copy, dated January D,
was turned over to District Attorney
Pelletier late yesterday. conference
followed. but whether it had any bear
ing upon what is in store for Richeson
was not made known. Everything that
seemed to hint at compromise was
discredited by the district attorney to-
day.
Mr. Pelletier informed Richesons
counsel that they should make the con-
fession public, and at ] O'Clock today,
in Mr.. Morse's office. the typewriter
Confession was handed to newspaper
men.
Confession Not Expected.
The confession was not expected by
the public or by the prosecuting Off
Gals at this time. although there was
a general belief in legal and press circles
that the case for the defense would col
lapse before it went to a jury.
Practically all of the minister $
friends who believed in his innocence
and those who expressed doubt as to
the identity of Miss Linnelrs murderer
abandoned their support of the prisoner
when he mutlated himself in jail De-
cember 90 This act led many to ac-
cept the theory that the minister had
not been in possession of all his mental
faculties for some time, and his at
torneys considered the advlsablllty OF
applying for a commission to examine
him as to his mental condition.
Charles +. CUMMINGS of belmont, cIerf
of the Emmanuel Baptist Church, over
which the Rev. G. Y. 7. Richeson pre-
sided, said upon learning Of the con1es
sion: Il am not surprised. The actlon'
of the minister have not been cOnslSteH
with those of an innocent man.
Mr. and Mrs. Moses Grant Edmands
parents of Miss Violet Edmands to whom
: Richeson was enGased. refused 10 com
ment upon the confession Neither "ouit
thew say where their daughter was stay
ing at the present time.
Richeson's Confession.
The confession, written and addressed
| to his lawyers, is as follows:
"BOstOn, January 3, 1917.
| aJohn l.. Lee, ESQ.,. William Morse, esq,
| and Philip II. Dunbar. ESQ.,:
"Gentlemen: Deeply penitent fol
NV sin. and earnestly desiring, AS far
| as in my power lies, to make atone
| ment, I hereby confess that l am
guilty of the offense of which l stand
| indicted.
IL am moved to this course by M
| inducement Of settlement or lentency
| HeinOus as Ia my crime, God has not
wholly abandoned me, and my con-
science and manhood, however deprav-
| ed and bIighted, will not admit Of my
still further wrOnging by public
| trial her whose pure young life l have
| destroyed. Under the lashings OF re-
! morse 1 have suffered and am suffer-
ting the tortures of the damned. In
| this 1 find q measure Of comfort. In
| my mental anguish l recognize that
!! there il still. by the mercy of the Mas
+, ter, some remnant Of the divine spark
! Of goodness still lingering with me.
could wish to live only because within
some prisons walls l might In some
small measure redeem my sinful past
help some other despairing soul. and,
] Mt last, find favor with my God.
"YOu are Instructed to deliver this
to the district attorney or TO the judge
| Of the court.
"Sincerely yours,
"CLARENCE v. Il. RICHESON."
| The Indictment against Richeson
charged that he "feloniously, willfuliy and
of his malice aforethought,' gave Miss
| Linnell cyanide of potassium with dead
4 hot hnn M n
he is guilty of murder in the first de-
gree.
Giving Out the Confession.
Just before noon today the judges OF
the superior court and the district attor-
ney went into conference at the court
house and about an hour later represent
atives OF the press were called to the
office Of William A. Morse. the counsel
for the accused clerp1,xnan