Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-21

BOSTON. May 21.-Douglas Richeson of
Chicago. brother Of the former clergy
man, Clarence v. T. Richeson, who paid
the penalty for the murder Of Avis Lin
| nell in the electric chair at the state pris-
on just after midnight. claimed the body
today. Before it could be turned over to
| relatives 1t was necessary that DR.. George
B. Magrath, medical examiner of Suf-
folk county. perform the autopsy re-
quired by law. This he planned to do
during the forenoon. Reports that the
brain and other organs of the executed
man might be given to medical institu-
| tons and medical specialists for exami-
nation and study were declared untrue
| by DR.. Magrath.
his old home in Virginia, If his wishes
are carried out, and will be buried in
the little cemetery at Amherst Court
| house. The last words as the body is
the Rev Herbert S. johnson Of Boston,
who acted as Richeson's spiritual adviser
after he was taken to the death house.
One Of the last requests made by Richie
son was that Mr.. Johnson accompany the
body to Virginia. Mr.. Johnson also will
carry messages from the executed muir
derer to his relatives.
AeIC mo WILL.
Richeson left no will, but in converse
| ton with Mr.. Johnson and William A.
Morse, his legal counsel. during the hours
preceding his death, he gave directions
| as to the disposition of his personal eff
| fects. His library Richeson left to cleri-
| cal friends.
The execution of Richeson is declared
by witnesses to have been the most sue
cessful Of the fourteen that have been
| held at the state prison since the cleo
trio chair was adopted. 1t was necessary
to apply the current only once, and less
| than fifteen minutes after Warden
Bridges and the party Of witnesses left
the prison office for the death house
| lures to the papers stating that the Or
| der of the court had been complied with.
1t was nearly daylight before the last
| of the morbidly curious who had hung
| night departed. In pouring rain more
| than a thousand people stood outside the
prison walls for hours, awaiting the word
| that the execution had taken place.
Sings Favorite Hymn.
With the bare walls echoing the words
| of his favorite hymn, Some Time Wei
| Understand" Richeson was led from his
| cell and put to death in the electric chair
| at II minutes after II o'clock this morn
| ing.
| There were no signs Of the physical
| breakdown which threatened two days
| ago, and his voice was strong as he rolled
out the words of the hymn chorus:
| Not now, but in the coming years,
| IL may be in that better land.
| Wen know the meaning of our fears.
| And then, some time, ell understand.
| And then, some time, We'll understand
| Richeson walked to the chair erect, eyes
! straight ahead, until he sat down. Their
he closed his eyes and kept them shut
| until the end.
Seated in the chair he was asked Sc
ries of questions by the Rev. Mr.. John
son. In the course of his answers he
said. God will take care Of my soul and
The last of the questions was. Are you
willing to die fog Jesus sake?
The reply. in an even. well modulated
tone, was simply. Il am willing to die
One Application Enough.
| The current applied was of 1900 volts
eight amperes. One application was suf-
| ficient.
| When the officials and witnesses enter.
ed the death chamber after walking
| through the prison yard in a peltinR
rain they heard sounding through the
walls the strains of song. 1t was Richie.
son and his spiritual advisers. the Rev
Mr.. Johnson and the Rev. H. H. steb-
bins. singing.
Before starting on the death march
Richeson shook hands with William A.
Morse. his counsel. who at the last
moment had been admitted as a witness
and with the two chaplains. the Rev
NJ. ]. Murphy, the Catholic prison chan.
lain, being also present.
Then he said, Pm ready" ana walk
ed on. He was. dressed plainly in a
black cheviot suit a frock coat white
vest, white shirt. turned-down collar and
shirt front and with low black shoes
| brightly shined.
Watches Preparations Calmly.
Late yesterday afternoon Richeson's
long hair was clipped so that the cleo
trodes would fit close to his skull, and al
fifteen minutes after z o'clock in the
evening Nathan Allen. deputy warden OF
the prison. took to the death house a pair
of black trousers. slit up the leg. and 9
striped shirt. which is the prescribed
garb for the death chair. Unmoyed
Richeson watched the preparations. From
his cell he could hear the movements In
the death chamber. where the last tests
were being made or the mechanism Of
the electric chair.
In the morning Richeson read several
letters. which the prison authorities had
permitted him to receive. After this hi
wrote to number OF his friends. These
were given to his attorney, William A.
Morse, to be delivered after Richeson's
DEATH and with the injunction that the
names Of the persons to whom they were
addressed be kept in confidence.
One Of these letters. 1t Is known, was
directed to Miss Violet Edmands, the gir
to whom Richeson was engaged to b