Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-05-21

expressed a willingness to die, War
den Bridges gave a signal.
DEAD IN INSTANT.
There was a sound of falling lew
er and Richeson was no more.
The 1.-the form of the former pas
tor surged forward in the leather
thongs but no sound came from the
victim.
The current was kept on for one
minute and eight seconds. The man
was dead the instant of the contact,
which was made at 10 minutes and
two seconds after midnight.
1t is expected the wishes of the
dead man will be carried out and that
he will be buried beside his mother
in the family lot in Virginia.
BROTHER TAKES BODY.
Boston, Mass, May 21.-Douglas
Richeson of Chicago, brother of the
former clergyman, Clarence RichesOn,
who was electrocuted just after mid
night, claimed the body today. Be
fore the remains were turned over it
was necessary TO perform an autopsy
/ required by law. The body will be
/ buried in the little cemetery at Am
herst court house, Va.
EXECUTION MOST SUCCESSFUL.
The execution of Richeson at 12:17
this morning was said by witnesses
TO have been the most successful of
any Of the IA that have been held at
the prison since the electric chair was
adopted. II was only necessary to
apply the current once. Richeson
walked without faltering from the
cent the execution chamber and
answered questions as to his faith in
God without fiinching.
CROWD WAITS IN RAIN.
In a pouring rain more than a
thousand persons stood outside the
prison for hours awaiting word that
the execution had taken place.
Within few days the death house
will be occupied again by Lena Gu
samano and Enrico MasciOli. who are
sentenced to death the week of June
for the murder of the woman's hus-
band.
CRIME OF RICHESON.
The crime for which Clarence Virgil
Thompson Richeson. at the time of
his arrest pastor of the Emmanuel
church of Cambridge, was sentenced
TO die in the electric chair was the
I confessed murder of his former sweet
3 heart, 19-year-Old Avis Linnell of Hy.
annis, a pupil in the New England
Conservatory of Music in Boston.
The girl stood in the way of the min
ister's marriage to Miss Violet Ed,
mands. a society girl and heiress of
BroOkline, both through an engage,
ment which still existed between the
/ two and because of a condition in
: which Miss Linnell found herself The
; girl was deceived into taking a poison
. given her by RiCheson, which she be,
lieved would remedy that condition
= and died in her rooms at the Young
81 WOmans Christian association the
) evening of Oct. Il, 1911. That day in
vitations had been issued for the wed
ding ceremony that was to unite Rev
, Mr.. Richeson and Miss Edmands.
= GIRL WAS YOUNG.
5 AS pastor OF a small church in the
Cape Cod town of Hyannis two years
. before, the handsome and eloquent
D minister, then 33 years old. had beer
: attracted to Avis Linnell. who was ar
3 exceptionally pretty girl of i years
= She lived with her parents, her father
q Edgar Linnell, being a contractor anC
1 builder. 1t was her ambition to be
come a teacher. and she was attend
D ing the state normal school al Hyannis
= Miss Lnnell Joined Richeson',
= church, was baptized by him and be
= came a member of the church choir
In a short time. early in 1909. Mis-,
e I.innell was displaying a diamond rinl
= and confded in her girl friends tha
e she was to be married TO the ministe
the following October Abandonin,
I her plan of becoming a school teach