Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1912-01-07

ical strength his counsel, Mr.. Morse,
refused To hear him ana during his
| oonvalescence Rieheson remained
| quiet.
When the attorneys visited their
client early this week Richeson cried
| out that he was guilty and declared
his intention to make a clean breast
of the crime, ic plainly was under
great mental stress and his condi.
tion was such that ms counsel would
not accept his suggestion, He was
urged to think the matter over more
carefully.
ON Wednesday the attorneys again
visited Richeson's cen and his con-
fession, made public today. was WRIT
ten them by the prisoner, in spite of
efforts by counsel t. dissuade HIM,
as they feared the mental strain had
weakened his reaSoniug powers
Richeson insisted howeN er. and
prepared and signed ,he confession
in the presence of laWy 'rs without n
tremor As he handed ,hc document
to his counsel he exclaimed THANK
God. ! have eased my conscience OF
that load
\ second copy of the confession
was drawn up ana signed by Richeson
Yesterday and this copy, dated Jan,
uary 3, was turned over TO District
Attorney pelletler later.
Everything that seemed TO hint at
compromise was discrcdited hy the
district attorney today. Mr. pelleter
informed RiCheson's counsel that they
should make the confession pubic
and today in Morse's office the type
written confession WAS handed 10
newspaper men.
Mr.. Pelletier pointed out today that
the confession is not a plea to the IN
dictment although II * available rs
evidence in "A trial and II presented
to a jury 1t could mean only cunNi,-
ton.
As a first degree verdict is the
worst outcome that the defense could
expect astutc lawyers remarked to-
night that counsel would rarely per
NIT n confession to go forth without
hope of something less thun the death
penalty, and II Is the general belief
that some understanding must have
preceded the giving out of the docu
ment.
one possibility suggested Is plea
of insanity by reason of which Richie
son may be sent To an asylum. sun
another course of procedure may be
the calling of the jury and the read
inn of the confession, which would be
followed by formal verdict Of guilty
in the first degree. After That an Ell
fort could be made to obtain com
mutation of the death sentence
through executive clcmencN.
The crime alleged against Richeson
is the murder of Avis Linncll on the
night OF October "A. Miss Linnel
aged 10, was a native of HNannis
where Richeson formerly preached
and who was studying at the New
IataflA
Miss linnel was found dying In a
bathroom in the y. W. G. A, building
where she lodged. At first II was
believed she had taken poison but
day or two later II became generally
known that she had taken cyanide ol
potassium In the belief that 1t would
remedy her embarrassing physical
condition.
ON the day following Miss Linneli's
death RsnirsOn went to- the home o.
Moses Grant Edmands, father of MISS
Violet Edmands to whom Richeson
was to have been married october .,
last.
It was reported to the police that
the young woman was To have been
engaged To the young pastor. IT was
also a police theory that the clergy
man was the person to whom MISS
I.innell's physical condition would
cause the greatest worry.
On the night of october ~. WI
liam Hahn, . druggist at Newton
Center, reported To the police that n
few days before the death of MISS
Linnell. Richeson had purchased cy
anide of potassium from him. inc
next day Richeson was arrested at
the Edmands home In Brookline. The
wedding invitations were recalled.
A special grand jury on october 81
returned an indictment against Rlche-
son who pleaded not guilty. HIS trial
was fixed for January 10. Later ne
resigned his pastorate.
Richeson ~ about % yenrs old ana
was born at Rose nm, virginia.