The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1912-05-18

|
AS pastor of small church in the
Cape Cod town of Hyannis two years
before, the handsome and eloquent
minister, then 80 years old, had been
attracted to Avis Linnell who was an
exceptionally pretty girl of II years.
She lived with her parents, her father,
Edgar Linnell, being a contractor and
builder. 1t was her ambition to be-
come teacher and she was attending
the State Normal School at Hyannis.
Miss Linnell Joined Richeson's
church, was baptized by him and be-
came member of the church choir. In
short time, early in 1909, Miss Linnell
was displaying diamond ring and con-
fided in her girl friends that she was
to be married to the minister the fol-
lowing October. Abandoning her plan
of becoming a school teacher Miss Lin
nell began preparations for her we'd
ding. Some of her trousseau was COM
pleted and the two paid visit to Rev.
Edward s. Cotton of Brewster, who was
asked to officiate at the ceremony.
Friction developed between Richie
son and his deacons in June, 1910, over
the young minister's impetuous man
ner and his violent language. There
was also question as to the loss of
$50 in money which had been left by
parishioner in the pastors study. The
minister declared he had been robbed
of the money. Shortly afterward 1t
was learned he had sent similar sum
by money order from nearby town to
woman in Salt Lake City, Utah. His
resignation followed and he accepted
call to the Emmanuel Baptist church of
Cambridge
| When Richeson went to Cambridge
Miss Linnell went to the Conservatory
of Music in Boston. She was induced
to attend the conservatory by the min
lister in the idea that by the cultivation
of her voice, which had given signs of
much promise in the Hyannis church
choir, she would better fit herself to be-
come his wife. On the minister's rec
concentration the girl took a room at
the Young Woman's Christian Asso-
citation quarters on Warrenton street,
Boston. She proved diligent student
and continued her church work by
teaching in the Sunday school of Ire
mont Temple, the leading Baptist
church of the city. There were fire.
quent meetings between Miss Linnell
and Richeson.
The successes which the young
preacher attained in his larger sphere
of usefulness made a marked impress
sion upon him. Surrounded by infiuen-
tial friends and associates his ambi-
tions widened. He began to pay court
to Miss Violet Edmands of Brookline
the daughter of Moses Grant Edmands
a prominent Baptist layman and trus
tee of the Newton Theological Semi
nary, from which Richeson had been
graduated. Miss Edmands was promi
/ nent socially and was wealthy in hel
own right, as well as entitled to share
in the estate of some $SSO,0OO left by
her grandfather. Entrance to the ex
elusive home of the Edmands had beer
easy to the minister as the pastor O
the church the family attended, and il
short time he was accepted as suitol
for the daughters hand.
At the same time Richeson wa!
meeting Miss Linnell as formerly. Blu
one day he borrowed the diamond RIM
he had given her, on the pretext tina
| the stone needed resetting. He did no
| return it. Eventually the newspaper
| announced the engagement of Rev
! Mr.. Richeson and Miss Violet Ed
mands. The Linnell family demanded
: an explanation. The minister prompt
! ly declared the story "newspape
fake" and was believed.
The invitations to the wedding o
Richeson and Miss Edmands wer
sent out the afternoon of Saturday
October IA. That same afternoo
Richeson dined with Avis Linnell at
little restaurant in the Back Bay
While there the girl appeared depres.
ed. At times tears rolled down he
cheeks. When she returned to he
lodging place, however. she SCENE
cheerful, although quickly excusin
herself and hurrying away to he
room.
II Groans were heard coming from
bathroom of the association quarter
shortly after o'clock that evening
| The door was broken in and Miss Lii
nell was found partially unconsciou
and apparently in great agony. Ha
an hour later she died without reco