The Washington times., 1912-05-21
R|CHESON CALM
AS He EKP|ATES
CRIME WITH LIFE
Pastor-Murderer Sings and
Prays as He Walks Firm
ly to Chair.

advisers, his counsel, and the ten men
who were States witnesses. c. v. T.
Richeson, former pastor of Emmanuel
Baptist Church, Cambridge, died in the
electric chair at Charlestown prison
shortly after midnight today with an
exhibition of manhood he had never be-
fore shown during his life.
current of 1900 volts was hurled
through Richesons body at 12:10:O2 a. m.
Three physicians pronounced his death
instantaneous. Twice the voltage was
lowered and twice shocked again into
the body of the man who had betrayed
and then murdered pretty Avis Linncll,
the little Hyannisport choir singer
The last time the current was turned
on II was kept coursing its deadly way
through the murderer's body fifteen Sec
onds. Richeson was officially pro-
nounced dead at 12:17, after the doctors
had spent ffve minutes In a stethoscops
examination.
Adviser Breaks Down.
The Rev. Herbert Stebbins. prison
chaplain. who has officiated on many
such hideous occasions, broke down
completely after he had left the death
chamber.
1t was not altogether the misery or
horror Of the whole thing" said DR..
Stebbins today, that has shaken me.
1t was more than that. 1t was the mans
heroism displayed in his manner of
dying, penitent and secure in the belief
of salvation.
IT was a revelation and miracle that
only God could have wrought. Until he
was pronounced dead could not believe
this poor sinner who has confessed to
SO much weakness and cowardice
throughout his whole life would be able
IL
through sincere trust in God. l repeat
It was surely revelation of Cod 3
RR0IWer RRIUSa.o which 1.a, was granted because
hss0e he has ever ereH lived far better man than
Richeson's counsel and every jail
otncial who had the last keeping of the
man man echoed Chaplain Stebbins words.
Ihere was no one who had been thrown
with him who doubted for an Instant
that they would have a craven, cringine
thing to lift bodily into the death chair.
,rd,s instead or this. Richeson died with a
prayer on his lips. No man in the death
CELL before the summons came nor in
that chamber where he died, was more
cool and courageous than. the man ali
"efe "aitlhg TO see die like a coward
Found Him Singing.
He was singing as the summons came
TO him. Warden Bridges permitted the
two ministers and the condemned man
to finish the last verse of the hymn
Then, walking more steadily than his
TWO guards or the ministers, Richeson
paced the last twelve steps to the chair
where he seated himself and looked
curiously down, as his split trouser leg
was drawn to the knee and the hIec-
Again he glanced downward as his
arms were tightly strapped to the
chair arms and the heavy black leather
belt buckled across his abdomen. These
glances downward, however, did not de-
tract his attention from his confessions
or Christ drawn by the questions of DR.
Johnson. When the ruber mask. made
OF two broad strips, one to cover his
eyes and the other with a small ap-
erture in it to better hold down the
chin, was first. put on upside down;
in place, Richeson smiled. It was but
an instant that his features could be
seen, for the rubber fiipped into place
ana slightly distorted the nose and lips
plainly not of kind that had ever be-
fore illumined that dark, handsome
face. And it was seen. too. that his
pallor was changed by the slightest
he were thankful for the extra glimpse
OF this world which the mistake in ad-
JuSdng the mask had given him.
Then, as the little leather helmet, con-
tanning the head electrode, was ad-
1usted, covering the disfguring two
inch strip OF bare scalp where Richie
sons head had been shaved an hour
before. there came in answer to DR..
Johnson's question, his last words:
For Jesus sake, am ready to live
Wore Plain Suit.
,1Sicheson wore a plain black cheviot
suit His frock coat barely hid his
white vest, which seemed strangely out
OF place. He wore a soft white shirt,
slightly higher collar than usual,
its edges drawn closely together with
small black bow tie. His low shoes
were brightly shinod.
Shortly before 80 o'clock the ten
tnen who were to witness fer the State
Richeson's last great payment, gather
ed nthe parlor of the warden's resi-
4Snfe Rntier Thsy tnyy were Surgeon Major, J. H.
who took the place Of Gen. Charles Fos-
ter: Prison Physician Joseph I. Nc
Loughlin. Medical Examiner George B.
hcGTath: First Deputy Sheriff Edmund
Quinn, of Charles street Jail: Warden
Benjamin r. Bridges. OF Charlestown
prison: Deputy Warden Nathan n, AL
lain at Charlestown: William C. Hill,
and J. Goetz. ana J. P. Yoder.
For thirty minutes these men sat
waiting FOR the summons 70 tho death
the prison. Then Warden Bridges, ac-
companied by William A. Morse. Richie
sons attorney, entered the room. In
his brief manner the WARDEN told of his
receipt of envelopes containing similar
poison to that which sent Avis Linnell
to an untimelv death. II broke the
trnscness but for a moment. Attorney
Morse left to say his farewell to Richie
son. Three minutes later. at 2O4,
Warden, Bridges said; Gentlemen. We
are ready"
No death warrant was read then nor
after the death chamber was reached
IN no regular order. but keeping we'll
together, the little group. lcd by the
military figures of Warden Eridges, en-
tered the great rotunda of the prison.
They crossed noisclesslv to a door open-
ing on a court. A violent drenching
rain beat In their faces as they stepped
out.
Across the inclosed yard, with collars
upturned and hats pulled down. they
moved to great iron door. The door
swung open noiselessly and the drench-
ed group entered. The chamber was
bright as day.
Test Lights.
Lying across the arms of the ugly
chair over which hung a single light
was a double row of test lights screwed
TO a bar The eXecutioner turned on
the current as the group entered for the
final test. Just above, where his hand
had turned the shining, round switch
the indicator nervously pulsated for
ward then hack and then forward