Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-05-23

son had been graduated Miss Edmands
| was prominent socially and was wealthy
| in her own right, as well as entitled to
| share In the estate Of some 1886, 900 left by
| her grandfather. Entrance to tho exclu-
| sive home of the Edmands had been easy
! to the minister the pastor of the
| church tho family attended, and in a
short time he was accepted as suitor for
the daughters hand
At the same time Richeson was meet
ing Miss Linnel formerly. But one
| day he borrowed the diamond ring he had
| given her, on the pretext that the stone
needed resetting. He did not return It.
Eventually the newspapers announced
the engagement of the Rev. Mr. Richeson
and Miss Violet Edmands. The Linnell
| family demanded an explanation. The
| minister promptly declared the story n
newspaper fake" and was believed.
| The invitations to the wedding of Richie
! son and Miss Edmands were sent out the
afternoon of Saturday. October a. That
| same afternoon Rcheson dned with Avis
| Iinnell at little restaurant in the Back
| Bay. While there the girl appeared de-
! pressed. At times tears rolod down her
cheeks. When she returned to her lodg-
ing place, however. she seemed cheerful,
although quickly excusing herself and
hurrylng away to her room.
FOUND GIRL IN AGONY.
Groans were heard coming from a
| bathroom of the association quarters
shortly after seven o'clock that evening.
The door was broken in and Miss Lin
nell was found partially unconscious
tl,. tn, Hole
hour later she died without recovering
cons seriousness.
A belief that the girl had committed
family were disposed to discredit the
report. and thorough investigation was
made.
Soon after the girl died. it was learned
that someone had telephoned to Richie
son. as the girls nearest friend. and In
formed him of the circumstances. He
colby denied at first that lie knew the
girl at all. Then finally. admitting that
she had been a member of his former
parish in Hyannls he suggested that her
brother-in law in Bridgewater be notified
| Before hanging up the receiver he asked:
| Did she say anything before she died.
! The theory of suicide was dispeled
when the real conditions surrounding
the death of Miss Linnel were made
known. The girl had been sitting in n
chair with her feet in a tub of hot water
while beside her was a fresh change of
clothing The autopsy revealed the fact
THAT she had taken n dose of poison and
the conclusion was drawn that she had
done 50 in the innocent belief that 1t
| would remedy "A condition that later
would he cause of great embarrass-
ment.
HID IN THE EDMANDS HOME.
| ON the day following the girls death
| the Rev. Mr.. Rcheson preached what
| was to be his last sermon in the Cam
bridge church, and in his prayer refer
red briefly to the death of near friend
That afternoon. dining with member
Of his parish in Somerville. he was able
to eat but little and spent much time on
a couch IN apparent mental misery. He
explained that he was overcome py the
recent death of "A dear friend" That
night he went to the nome of Moses
Grant Edmands In Brookline, father of
the girl to whom he was to he married
"A week or so later, a. II there remained
in ssclusion through the next few DAYS
preceding his arrest.
| Scores of police ana newspaper men
took up the mystery of the death of Avis
Llnnell. 1t seemed apparent at the out
set that the belief in n suicide theory
was one which the murderer had plan
ned to foster. Given the crime and the
reason for 1t the next step was to find
the man responsible for the condition of
the victim. The police had not far to
seek and the newspapers made no pre-
tence at mystery In directing their s,ls-
picions. The girl had but one sweetheart
and she made no conc alment of her af-
lection for Richeson.
In a weeks time material evidence be-
gan to accumulate. woman declared
that Richeson had telepnoned from her
home making an appointment for the
afternoon of October II with someone at
the Young Woman's Christian assoca-
ton rooms. Richeson's landlady admitted
her loarder had returned "A bowl to her
with the remark that she had better wash
lit thoroughly as it had been used to mix
paste which had contained poison. The
most dana tng evidence however. came
| from William Hahn. a druggist OF New
ton Center and a friend of Richeson.
REASON FOR BUYING POISON.
According to liam, RlcneSon came to
| him four days before the Linnel girl
died and bought Il considerable quantity
of cyanide of potassium. explaining that
he wanted it ITO kill "A dog which was
about to have puppies" Cambridge
confectioner told of Richeson coming
to his store on the afternoon Miss Lin
nell died and purchasing peculiar
| shaped Jar of candy, Identical with a
jar found in Miss Linnel's room. The
minister had taken Boston bound car
lin front of the candy storc. a woman
came to the police and told of seeing
the pastor and the weeping girl eating
together in "A restaurant on the same
afternoon. AS a result OF this informa-
ton the police felt warranted in taking
definite action.
| The evening of October 10 chief In
spector Dugan and members of his force
went to the home OF Mr. Edmands on
| Devon street, in Brookline. to arrest
the Rev. Mr.. Richeson on the suspicion
that he was guilty of murder. Admission
TO the house was denied although the
hour was early. Tho police had no
search warrant and did not feel justified
in breaking into the magnificent resi-
dence upon the uncertainty of Richeson
Iheing inside They therefore remained
| on guard through the night. frequently
knocking upon doors and windows and
calling upon the occupants to open and
admit the officers
The weary vigil was kept up until
daylight hnn rad