The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-05-18
HAS COLLAPSED
UNDER STRAIN
Former Clergyman Calmly Hears
News of Fate, but Later His
Stoicism Yields Before Ter
ror of Electric Chair, and
He Becomes Pitt
able Wreck.

1. Wcheson. the former Clergyman. who
IS awaiting execution for the murder
of Avis i-innell. was stricken with an
attack Of hystcrical dclirIum in the
death chamber of the charicstown
n,ate Prison late tonight, whit, he ng
visited BY Prison Chaplain Stebhins ard
his counsel, William A. Morse.
iwitching and clsw!ng, tn. con-
uemned man rolled and tossa,l from
side TO side OF mis- b=d, ravinl, about
TWO men who. he cried out. were
watching and following" him. The at
tack was marked by spells OF rroan-
ing ana m5an!ns, after which the pris-
oher would lapse into iatervaia of mn
consciousness. Then he would revive
and continue his rawlings.
ihe prison physician, who ras sum-
tnoned' could not he reached. and DR..
Frederick l. Lyons, OF Cha-lestown
was called. II. administered seda.iycs
winch tended to quiet the patient in a.
measure ''
The rawlings OF the condemned man
We're attributed to the strain I'm, n hin,
OF the constant vigilance OF tn, two
guards Of the death watch. Tho
GUARDS sit close In front OF tho prison.
ers cell. and do not allow ,h.ir eyns
TO leave him for a moment throughout
me night or day. Their is no relaXin,.
81 INC vigilance. as the guards arc
changed frequently, and Richeson has
been subjected to the strain now To-
over seventy-ivc hours
Rlchcson's breakdown Tonight is no.
iefed to have boon further aggravatod
oF the news that his father had az
pressed the wish tina; his sons BODY Ito
not brought back TO Virginia for burial
Boston ""ou'
% H,
II rs claimed that R!chcson hcrrod
OF MS counsel. Nj. Morse, during tb,
any that arrangements D.. made 81 ,ba,
HiS nony night he buried near that of
ms mother IN Il Virginia cemetery.
h'chesons weakened condition TO-
.s"t - also believed to be duo part
~ TO the fact that lie has not ,.ateu
anything since early in tho uo-nt,,
re ieit his dinner untouched and re-
iuscd 1000 whc nit was offcr.- l,in,
tonight. Although Chaplain S,rhbin.
nae his lunch brought to him in tho
th-housc at $3.50 and at. It In Tho
room with the prisoner. Rlcheson ro,ld
NOT be persuaded TO touch his food
IT was the hardest hour of nv life
declared Attorney Morse. upon leaving
the prison later tonight 1T 10 =,
very serious condition. and 1 am afraid
may develop badly. Further than that, I
would not want to predict"
licheson's attack tonight was not
entirely unexpected by the prison of:
| hcials. all of whom have been sur
priscd al the self-control previously
! SHOWN by the prisoner. The svalptomS
are regarded as characteristic of those
attacks 10 which Richeson is said TO
have been subjected, and which wee
recently described by the alienists who
examined him as extreme emotional
disturbances "hyeterica] insanity
and "hyStcriCal delirium."
The aliensts declared the attacks
were marked by loss of memory and
were always OF brief duration.
1t vas expected that the sedatives
soothing effect before morning.
Told Of Ills Fnte.
Throughout the day Richeson had
borne UP we'll under the news that Gov
ernor Foss had refused to refer his
petition for clcmcncy to the Executive
Council. His only comment on the
Governors action which was allowed to
become public was the remark: LAS I
face execution. ms principal thought Is
not for myself bu; for the sorrow of
my family and friends"
1t was shortly before 10 o'clock this
morning that Richeson was Informed
of Governor f'oss's refusal to intervene.
The Rev. Mr.. Johnson and Mr.. Morse
entered the death chamber together.
and a few minutes later Mr.. Morse in
formed his client that all hone or com.
mutation was gone.
..Iv ii,t
we were ta!N'ne IN genera way
49,. 3t an" mere
va, naS ho'"i"s ~ Wv appearance III
hichcsoh l" lhu'chte that ne knew OF
his fate. After a time I mustered conr-
age TO say to him 'Richeson. / hav.
done all that lies in my power ~ save
Won from death hut nv .rfcr,s ~
been unavailing, and tho Governor has