Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-01-10

Richeson was then escorted into the
room and the legal machinery began
to move at once
| With the indictment in his hand
| Clerk Manning said:
| clarence V r. Richeson, this in
ldietment charges You with murder in
the first degree. ON Nov. 10, you
pleaded not guilty to the indictment
Do YOU wish to retract that plea 81
Yes, sir" replied Richeson.
What say YOU to the Indictment"
asked the clerk.
Guilty" was the reply without a
Ichange in tone.
The Indictment was then handed un
To the judge. who summarized it brief
lily and defined deliberate premediated
MALICE aforethought in committing
murder by poisoning
| The only penalty provided by law"
! said the judge, for murder in the first
degree is death Have you pleaded
guilty to murder in the first degree
after due consideration and with the
| fun knowledge and understanding of
the nature and effect OF such a plea o.
| Yes. sir" was the calm reply
is the plea made by You free and
voluntary" continued the Judge
Yes. sir" still came the reply.
| Did yeH consult counsel with ref
erence 10 the nature of the offence
| and the plea >" asked the Judge
| Again came the simple Yes, sir"
After Judge Sanderson had ascer-
tanned that neither the counsel for the
prisoner nor the district attorney had
any objection to the plea, he ordered
it entered upon the records. Then
turning TO District Attorney Pelletier.
Judge Sanderson asked if it was de-
sired that sentence be imposed.
The district attorney Immediately
answered that before moving for such
sentence he wished to read the con-
fession.
Richesons Acknowledgement of guilt
in writing was sent to the district at
torney and the court through his
counsel, last Friday. was read and also
made a part of the record
The district attorney said; THE
commonwealth has been always ready
to proceed TO trial and it is my opinion
| that the evidence which the common
wealth has accumulated would be
sufficient for an ordinary jury to find
this defendant guilty of murder in the
| first degree"
| This ended the commemorative case
against. Richeson so far as the court
was concerned.
| Judge Sanderson then looked toward
the tall form of the young Virginian.
standing there without Il waiver. and.
addressing him once more said:
| clarence Y. T. Richeson. have you
anything to say why sentence of
death should not be passed upon you ~
| Ine young man apparently swallow
| ed hard lump in his throat, but with
out even shadow across his face he
replied:
No, sir; nothing further than I
have stated
Rising in his seat Judge Sanderson
pronounced the death penalty on
Clarence V T. Richeson at 1915 P NJ.
fixing the week of May 10 for his ex-
eeution by the passage of electricity
| through his body, and ending with the
impressive words which Rieheson him
self may have uttered in PRAYER fer
| some sinner:
And may God in His infinite good
ness have mercy upon your SOUL
Richeson's appearance in court. to-
| day, differed but little from that of his
two previous appearances. His COM
plexion was paler than before. quite
| blaEched in fact, and there were no.
| ticeable lines on either side of his
| face. His pronounced paleness was
particularly marked in contrast with
his raven black hair, which was
combed III the attractive manner
| which has been remarked as cilarac-
teris.ic of the man. His eyes had the
seme compelling lustrous quality.
| which parishioners and acquaintances
had found to be the outward indica-
ton of magnetic personality. Gener-
ally during the proceedings he direct
ed his gaze midway between the floor
and the bench, but in addressing the
| court, he looked directly at the judge.
His words We're evenly modulated.
although at times so low that Judge
| Sanderson had to request him TO re-
peat what he had said.
Tho clergyman was dressed. today.
in his usual neat manner A low collar
left his neck much exposed. The only
indication Of emotion was noticed
1 ilFit III Lilt III III VI PUSHES III HIS
| threat, as he seemed to glup down any
emotion which might be striving for
utterance. His mouth WAS tightly
closed. the usually expressive lips be-
ing pressed firmly over teeth that
| seemed to be locked together. except
| when he spoke. Under his firm cheeks
his rather prominent jaw bones coule
be seen to be sternly set, either in
logged determination or in an effort
at self-c0ntrol Throughout the pro-
ceedings Richeson's hands gripped the
wooden rail before him.
The mans clerical appearance was ell
HANGED by a long, semi-ftting overcoat.
which covered a new suit of black mate
| rial This suit he had procured from
counsel, today, in order that he might
appear at his best That he has not en-
tirely recovered from the effects of his
recent self-mutilation was shown when
it was found necessary TO carry the min
! lister up and down stairs to the court
room. Inside the court room, however,
he was able to walk with little assist
, ance.
|