Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-05-15
R|CHE5QN IN
The DEATH CELL.
Will, it is Believed, Expiate Murder
of Avis Linnell on Monday
Next.
EATS HEARTY BREAKFAST
Condemned Man Still Indulges Hopes
That He May Escape Electric
Chair-Fate Seems Inevitable.

Boston, Mass, May 15.-Rev. Clar-
ence V. I. Richeson slept soundly last
night, his first night in the death cell
No. /, at Charlestown prison, where
he will expiate his murder of Avis
Linnell in the electric chair next Mon
day. He arose at 1880 this morning,
apparently with his nerves and whole
condition in better shape than when
he was taken to the cell from which
he will walk out to his death. He
dressed himself carefully and asked
for toast, steak and coffee for break
fast. He ate heartily and read mag
azines and papers from which had
been clipped all stories referring to
his case.
Richeson, according to reports made
to Warden Bridges of Charestown
prison by the official who served his
breakfast, apparently knows his
doom S sealed, but down in his heart
of hearts up to noon today was still
a single shred of hope.
Even before his breakfast was selv-
ed he asked the silent watcher who
stood grimly at the door Of MS cell
all night, at what hour the governors
council meets today.
A negative shake Of the head and
the placing of the sentinePs finger
on his lips was his only answer, for
no man will speak to the murderer
again except his attorney, William
A. Morse; Warden Bridges; Rev. Her
bert W. Stebb:ns. prison chaplain; and
Rev. Herbert S. Johnson, Boston's
millionaire militant Baptist preacher,
whom the domed man has asked to
be his spiritual adviser in his last
dark hours before death.
Not even Richeson's father or his
sister can speak to him now, except
by special executive order from Gov.
Foss. No word has been heard from
the family in Virginia for months. A
sister, Miss l.. Y. RicheSon, visited
Richeson recently at Charles street
jail. She is said to have returned to
her home in the west.
Richeson is alone except for those
who have been named as having au-
thority to see and talk to him.
No word has come to him for days
from the Edmands family, whose res
idence in Brookline was closed today.
1t is thought the Edmands have left
Boston and Brookline until it is all
over, taking with the Violet Edmands,
to whom Richeson was to have mar
ried on the day that he was arraigned
on the charge of the murder which he
has since confessed:
Richeson's request to know the
time at which the governors council
will meet today showed that the man
still hopes against the fate that awaits
him.
But that it was a scant hope was
learned positively today when an un-
questioned authority at the State
House declared the governor would
present no petition for lcniency TO
his council-that no hand will be
turned to stop the laws wheels which
will within ten days snuff out the
life of New England's most famous
murderer. Even should this petition
be presented, it is known that the
body overwhelmingly objects to in
terfering with the sentence of the
court.
Facts learned early today at the
State House seemed to bear out the
rumors of yesterday that Richeson
was moved only after Governor Foss
had been satisfied by his corps OF
sanity experts that the prisoner is now
accountable" and was when he MUIR
dered the little Hyannls choir sing
er, whom he baptized while preach
ing at the Cape Cod hamlet. Sheriff
Quinn of Charles street Jail had full
authority to remove R!cheson TO
Charlestown any time within ten days
of the date set for the execution.
1t was learned positively today for
the first time that he had promised
Governor Foss, who had so requested,
that he would not remove Rlcheson
until the last minute" Gov. Foss
had all the reports of his alienists IN
his hands at noon. He went over
them carefully in the next two hours.
After this inspection of the reports
he conferred in his offices with Dr'
Briggs, one of the experts. len MIN