El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-05-18
++++++++4+++++++

Boston Mass Nav 1S-Soue time
during the ensuing week Clarence N-
T. RichesOn, the former Baptist clergy-
man and brilliant young Virginian. VIII
pay the death penalty in the electric
chair at the CharlestOWn state prison
for the murder Of Hiss Avis LnnelL
The execution win take place probably
on Monday or Tuesday
RichesOn, who has hoped against
hope that governor Foss would grant
q Communication OF his sentence, from
death TO life imprisonment realized to-
day that the supplicatiOns OF his
friends had failed and resigned himself
TO his fate. God is just" he told his
guard, and I am content to die
RfehesOn in death House,
RicheSOn occupies the death house
ia the CharlestOWn prison and a. prison
guard, detailed to the death watch, VIII
be with him day and night till the
chair snuffs out the life demanded BY
the commonwealth in eXpiatiOn OF his
crime. He spends most OF his time in
reading scripture or in cOnTersing with
his spiritual adviser, and has scarcely
spoken. save to inquire once whether
electrocutiOn was an easy death"
Those who talked with the con-
demned man today said that there has.
been q great moral and physical change
in the young preacher He has grOWn
older and more careWOrn during his
Incarceration. and the sang frOid that
enabled him to preach two sermons in
the Emmanuel Baptist church after he
had given the death potion to his
sweetheart has dfsapDeared re IA now
devoutly religious and his faith. his
friends say, VIII carry him 20 the chair
with unfaltering step
His Last Hours.
RichesOu's last hours will be spent
IN spiritual preparation for his jour
ney to the great beyond HIS religious
advisor VIII be summoned, and before
the prison guards perform their last
services to the doomed man. he VIII be
allowed an hour for meditation and
prayer
This over. the death warrant win Be
read TO the legal witnesses summoned
to attend the execution. and they viii
be led by warden Bridges to the death
chamber Here they viii await the
coming Of the accused
Meanwhile the prison guards win
Dlsy themselves with the preparation
dressed in pair OF light trousers. slit
Tor the application Of the electrodes
and a soft shirt. This done the doomed
man accompanied by his spiritual ad-
visor and his guards viii begin his SOL
emn march TO death.
Ine execution OF RichesOn win draw
the curtain on tragedy unsurpassed
Tor cunning, cruelty and uOtOrfetv in
the criminal annals of the United
states The minister with his wedding.
announcement already in the hands 81
friends, and a discarded sweetheart
Linlo tuning MIN 10 relieve her from a
position that would cloud her life with
shame, calmly conceived plan that
would release him from his unweIcoms
4 z -
woman OF his choice
His HypOcriticaI Cunning.
With hypOCritical cunning he sOOthad
the fears of the little choir sfnger
pleqging himself 10 right the wrong
ne mad done, and then deliberately Dr1r-
CHASED a quantity Of cyanide OF potas-
sum, deadly poison, from drugEfst
Hahan. OF Boston. and set about COM
EouholnS the pills that spelled death TO
the girl and freedom TO himself. Hiz
EeAl step was TO make an appointments
with mis- unsuspecting sweetheart ana
present her with the drug. counselins.
It's early use with kindly words AMI
assurances OF its efficacy
me preacher then iourneved 70 thu
nome OF MS uance, where he awaited
S-e leatn that would set him free and
forever dlSpel the chance of dfscov-
cry. He had not long to wait on Oc-
toeeI H. scarcely q hours after he
Lao given the girl the cyanide capsule
neI ooqy was found I'm the bathroom
o4 tne Aoung Women's Christian assoc
1t was at first believed that sba b,.s
committed suicide in a fit of desDoD5-
ency upon learning the news ~ T5f,L-
son approaching marriage to- 1Tisv
Eomands- The inquest. h0vavs- -.
Fealed the fact that had she lfve5 ~
would have become a mother. srS r.
autopsy showed that her deafb 49,
1eSn caused by cyanide OF potassium
Inc events that followed rafseJ n.
Slrl death from the status 81 i ff++1.
mentioned suicide TO the estate 80 - 80
or the most atrociOus and yvideIv ~
Continued on Next PaEe1