The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-01-07
PREACHER WHO ERASED IN HIS BIBLE
THE PASSAGE THOU SHALT NOT KILL

to impose q life sentence. The coun-
sci for the defense knew Richeson
was guilty. Their detectives had
confirmed to the fear they have |
felt all along that the dashing |
young minister had killed his coun-
try sweetheart that her child might
not be born to shame him. But that
Richeson admitted his guilt to them
is denied by those In position to
know. There is every reason to be-
lieve that, with proof of his guilt
laid before him by his own lawyers,
Richeson still brazened it out to
them even as he had to his parish
toner's.
But three days ago, Lee and Morse
realized that there was no hope of
saving Richeson. So they went to
Pelletier and pleaded for the accept.
ance Of a lesser plea, believing that
if the prosecuting attorney would
consent, they might return to Richie
son and tell him that in that way
alone mis- life might be saved
They found Pelletier adamant.
Whether they told Richeson of these
visits is not known, but Friday,
when they visited him. they found
that his bravado had gone, that con-
science or fear, or both, had over
come his brazen lies-and he handed
them his confession.
In dramatically simple language,
Lee told the story of the confession
as he sat in his room in the Parker
House tonight.
Story of Confession.
Attorney Morse and / went to Wis
| it Richeson Friday at noon 1t was
one Of the first visits had paid him
since returned from my Virginia
home, where spent the holidays.
Richeson was nervous and i'll at
ease; more SO than he had been at
any time since / entered the case, at
the behest Of that gallant old south.
ern soldier with whom / fought in
| the sixties-the father of DR.. Richie.
son.
"Richeson greeted me with ner.
/ vous dread. ! knew the pangs of con.
science and remorse had overcome all
4 else. He told me he had decided on
| a line of action. We asked him wha;
1T was, thinking to humor him, for
we had gone there to question him
! about his act when he mutilated him
sell.
at was 3 o'clock Friday afternoon
when we left Richeson's cell We
took 1t this afternoon to District At.
! torney Pelletier. That is all there is
to it. Wheher the district attorne,
will show leniency, or whether he
will stick to his assertion and de-
mand a first degree murder plea |
do not know He alone knows. We
can only hope.'
WAS Richeson's act in handing
you his confession the first intima-
1 tion you had of his guilt?" Lee was
asked.
The attorney flushed angrily, and
sprang to his feet
That is question | will answer
for no living man. he answered. I'll
we cannot continue this interview
without my answering that question
this interview is at an end-right
now" Then Lee bowed the newspa
per men out of his room.
Was Not Wrune Out
4 Pelletier would not admit that he
had had any hand in wringing the
confession from Richeson He was
cited to the Mcnamara case. in which
4 Prosecuting Attorney Fredericks
knew of the confessions of the Nc
Namara brothers for some time. bu
declined to admit even that he hat
been officially notified that Richesor
had confessed, though it is knowr
the written confession was handed
him by Attorney Lee this afternoon
That Richeson. the victim of fear
confessed in the hope that he Nigh
escape the death ne had meted ou
to the girl he betrayed, is the belle
of the jailers who have guarded hin
night and day. 1t is admitted tha
Richeson had heard of the confes
sion of the Mcamaras and of the lif,
Imprisonment that had won for Jim
/ Mcnamara, instead of death.
i But if Richeson escapes the deatl
chair, it will be because Gov. Foss in
i terferes to save him. Since his y,
duction into office, Gov. Foss ha.
shown himself the most lenient O
executives. A deep student of Grim
inology and the passions that swa,
men and impel them to crime. Gov
ernor Foss has declared often tha
crimes are not always committed b,
criminals, but by unfortunates. II
i 1911, he pardoned, with the sanction
OF his executive council. 76 mer
whom the law had branded as Grim
inals. This is the largest number O
criminals ever pardoned in one yea,
by Massachusetts governor.
Law Of Pardona
i Under the laws Of Massachusetts,
\ the governor must have the approva
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