Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-05-20
R|CHESON' s
LAST HOURS.
Only Eleventh-Hour Reprieye Can
Save Him From
Chair
EXECUTION TO Be AT MIDNIGHT
Condemned Man Said to Be Resigned
to His Fate.-Truly Penitent at Re-
alizati0n of His Crime.

Boston, Mass, May 20.-An elev-
enth hour reprieve from Gov. Foss
now is all that can give Clarence Vir-
gil Thompson Richeson the privilege
of seeing another sunrise.
Warden Bridges, Of Charlestown
prison, is the only man who can tell
the exact time when Richeson will go
to the chair, to pay the penalty for
the murder of Avis Linnell Of Hyan-
mis-. Only today it became known that
certain gruesomc details that only are
attended to the day before an eXecu-
ton were arranged before the con-
demned man awoke at eight o'clock to-
day, and that the warden would not
deny that Richeson would go to his
doom shortly after y o'clock tonight.
Richeson ended day Of prayer and
discussion of his boyhood and minis
teriaI days with the Rev. Herbert S.
Johnson and Rev. Herbert Stebbins
by retiring by about one o'clock. He
had rested but little for two nights,
and easily droped off to sleep. Rev.
Johnson stayed with him until two 4.
H.. when Or. Stcbbins relieved him.
DR.. Stebbins was himself relieved by
DR.. Johnson about s a. NJ. When he
came from the jail, he said Richeson
had slept soundly and had not awaken
ed before he left.
"Richeson is wholly resigned to his
fate" said DR.. Stebbins. He has
made what peace he can with his
Maker during his last hours and deep
in my heart feel that he will face
that final court truly pentent and
with full realization Of his terrible
crime He is back in the fold, with
no malice nor criticism in his heart
for anyone. Richeson will go TO the
chair as man who knows and is
glad. in spite of the dreadfulness of
it, of the opportunity to face his
Maker
But one more matter, at 8 o'clock,
remained to be arranged. This was
whether William A. Morse, Richeson's
counsel, would be permitted to be
present at the execution. Besides the
Jury Of ~ witnesses for the State, the
two spiritual advisers and Warden
Bridges, three others, whose selcc-
lion is up to the warden, are per-
mittcd by law to attend. Upon sug-
gestion of Gov. Foss, Warden Bridg-
cs has asked three instead of one
newspaper man, as heretofore. All
these witnesses have been decided
upon, and the State attorney general $
office was today called upon to de-
eide whether Attorney Morse could
be given special permission to attend
his client until the end.
Richcson will be shaved tonight
about ten o'clock by the prison bar
Der. He has begged Warden Bridges
TO let him die in his own clothing in
stead of the usual prison blue suit.
1t was thought probable the request
would be granted.
Immediately the execution Is over,
the body will be taken to the pris-
on morguc where medical examiner
McGrath will claim it and have it ta-
ken to the city morgue in an under
takers private conveyance. The re-
mains will be claimed by Douglas
Richeson, the prisoners brother, who
is at local hotel.
1t was contrary to expectations ana
plans that Richeson was not executed
between midnight and sunrise this
morning. Because he had completely
recovered his composure from the
hysterical attack Friday night, War
den Bridges decided at ten o'clock last
night to give him another day. 10
his repeated question: when Will 1t
be. warden?" he was finally told tnat
it depended entirely on him. He un-
derstood instantly and though his
voice slightly broke and the tears
streamed down his cheeks, he said:
Don't be afraid Of me. There Will
be no scene. My ministers have
taught me how to stand it,