The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1912-01-11
RICHESON ADMITS
MURDER or GIRL;
FEELS PENITENCE
Accused Pastor Weakens and
Gives to the Public Written
Confession Of Guilt.

Boston, Jan. Several lawyers
Richeson from death Is by having
him adjudsed insane r by conn
mutation of his sentence.
Practically all of the ministers
friends who believed in his limo.
doubt as to tho identity Of Miss
Linnell's murderer abandoned their
support of the prisoner. when he
mutilated himself in Jail on De-
cember 20.
This sst led q. many e aoss a shs
been in possession Of all his mental
faculties for ON time.
Boston, Jan. 6.-The Rev. G. ".
4. Richeson, former pastor Of the
Emmanuel Baptist church, Of
Cambridge, today made a written
confession to the effect that he
poisoned his former sweetheart,
Avis Linnell. The statement was
given into the hands Of his ceun-
gel HHhc &c thoooHfession pub
lie at / p. m. The confession
bearing Richeson's signature
reads:
81 hereby confess that I am
guilty of the offense of which |
stand indicted"
Text of the Confession.
The full text of the confession fol-
lows:
Boston, January 8, 1912.
John L.. Lee, Esq, William A.
Morse, Esq, and Philip R. Dunbar.
GN~- ~ -. 49,
my sin, and earnestly desiring, SO far
as in my power lies, to make atone
ment, l hereby confess that / am
guilty of the offense of which l a
indicted.
II am moved to tllis course by no
inducement of settlement or leniency.
Heinous as was my crime, God has not
wholly abandoned me, and my con-
science and manhood, however de-
PRAYED and blighted, will not admit Of
my still further wronging by a public.
trial her whose pure young life i have
destroyed. Under the lashings of re-
morse, / nave suffered and am stf-
fering the tortures of the damned. In
this ] find a measure of comfort. In
my mental anguish / rec !gp1ze that
there is still ly the mercy Of the
Master, some remnant of the divine
spark of goodness lingering with me.
] could wish to live only because with
In some prisons walls l might. in some
small measure, redeem my sinful past,
help some other despairing soul, at
least, 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. T.. Richeson.'
Admission Wade Public.
Just before noon today the judges
OF the superior court and the district
attorney went into conference at the
4 5000 .zl y--..t -..- 49,
representatives of the press We're called
to the office of William A. Morse, the
leading counsel for the accused clergy
a
In the Office were nearly a dozen
newspaper men, while in n private Of
flee were Mr.. Morse, John Fl. Lee, the
Virginia lawyer, engaged by the faith
or of the young clergyman, and Philip
Z. Dunbar. After all the papers had
been found to be represented Mr.. Morse
said:
Gentlemen, I now give you Mr..
Richeson's confession
Typewriter sheets containing the
confession were then handed to the
newspaper men and those who paused
to ask further explanation were told
that there was nothing more to be said
at this time.
The fact that the confession was
dated three days ago was pointed out
to the counsel, but they refused to
comment on it at this time.
District Attorney Pelletier learned
Of the confession Of Richeson from
newspaper men but later confirmed it
from Mr.. Morse. He said:
"The trial will go on just the same
no matter what statement may be is
sued by Richeson.'
Judge Won't Talk.
Mr.. PeHetier had just come from his
conference with the judges when he
vas informed of the new turn. HI
declined to make any other comment on
the confession although it was init
mated hat he might have something
to say later. chief Justice Aiken alsc
declined to make any statement.
Richeson is under indictment for the
murder in the first degree Of Miss Lin
nell by giving her a quantity of cyan
ide Of potassium. The penalty for such
a crime in Massachusetts is death In
the electric chair. If Richeson stands
in court on January IS next, the date
set for his trial, and acknowledges his
guilt the court, under the law, would
be obliged to impose the death sen
tencc, IN the opinion of court house
officials.