The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.) 1904-1977, 1912-01-11
MINISTER GUILTY
OF AWFUL CRIME
The Rev. G. V. 4. Rieheson, Pastor
of Massachusetts Church, Con-
fcsses Giving Cyanide TO
Discarded Sweetheart.

Boston, Jan. THE Rev CIar-
|ence V. r.. Richeson. pastor Of the
Emmanuel Baptist church Of Cam
bridge. Massachusetts, until
arrested last October on a charge
Of numbering his discarded sweet-
heart has made a full confession,
in writing, and has sent it TO his
counsel, who made it public Sat-
Iurday.
The murdered girl was Miss Avis
Linnell, 10 years old, a music stu
dent and choir singer. The girl
and the young minister had been
Iengaged to be married, but at the
time OF her death the engagement
had been broken off and Richeson
was successfully wooing Miss Vio-
let Edmands, the daughter of a
wealthy father, and their marriage
day had been set. The sudden death
of Miss Linnell took place in a
bathroom at the Young Woman's
Christian Association, cyanide of
poison being the cause.
At first it was believed Miss Lin
nell had committed suicide, but the
lpolice soon obtained evidence that
showed that a murder had been
committed. This evidence pointed
to Richeson as the guilty man. A
druggist who had sold the young
minister cyanide was found, and he
testified that Richeson, at the time
he bought the cynaide, had in
lvited him to his wedding, When
tarrested Richeson was in the home
of Miss Edmands.
Miss Linnell took the poison
which Richeson had given her be-
lieving it was a drug which would
relieve her condition.
Opinion in Cambridge and in the
minister's congregation was divided
as to his guilt. The father Of Miss
Edmands and the girl herself be-
llieved him innocent, and it was be-
| lieved the father was ready to de-
| fend him with his money. The
pastor, soon after his Imprisonment
showed signs of insanity, and was
undoubtedly in a greatly reduced
state. December 20 he inflicted
wounds on himself with a piece of
Tin and has since been under the
care of physicians.
| Richeson was a former student
of William Jewel College at Lib
erty. For a time he was pastor of
the Budd Park Baptist church in
Kansas City, now the Bethany
Baptist church. He was very at
tentive to women in all his pastor
ates and was engaged to several.
The Confession.
"GentIemen: Deeply penitent
and earnestly desiring to make an
Iatonement, ! hereby confess that
am guilty of the offense of which
| stand indicted.
II am moved to this course by
mo inducement of leniencey. Helm
GUS as is my crime, God has not
WHOLLY abandoned me. My con-
science and manhood, however de-
PRAYED and blightcd, will not admit
of my still further wronging by a
public trial, her whose young life
have destroyed. Under the LASH
ings of remorse | have suffered the
tortures 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 di-
vine spark of goodness still linger-
ing with me. | could wish to live
only because within some prison
wall might, in some small meas
ure, redeem my sinful past, help
some other despairing 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.
Sincerely yours,
Clarence V. I. Richeson.n
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