The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-05-08
PARSON R|CHESON
MORMON SAYS
WOMAN
Affidavit Declares Him an Elder
In Church
FIGHT FOR HIS LIFE
Mrs. Louie E. Britain Declares That
She Knew Minister in the
Mormon Church

Boston. May S.-Clarence V. I.
Richeson. under sentence of death
for the murder of Miss Avis Linnel,
has been Mormon elder and secret
Nv connected with the Mormon organ
ization for several years, although
preaching from a Baptist pulpit ac-
cording to a sworn statement made
at Boston yesterday before William
Thibodeau an attorney and JUS
tice of the peace. The author OF
the afIidavit, Mrs. Louie h, Brlttaih'
claims to have been formerly conhec-
ted with the Mormon church and to
have been a celestial wife OF New
York man who is at the head OF the
Mormon organization in the East III
the statement Mrs. Britain asserts
that she has known Richeson for sew
eral years past, first meeting MN
three years ago at a Mormon con
ference held on Staten Island, where
she says the Baptist clergyman was
recognized as one of the Mormon ell
ders and was particularly active III
the affairs of the conference. she
has since seen him many times IN
and about Boston and has given him
the Mormon signs, which were al
WAYS answered she claims. she says
she attended a Mormon conference at
Providence, r. l., little over year
ago. at which Richeson was present
and that she received commands from
him as Mormon elder at a Boston
gathering of the leaders OF the
church.
A short time ago Mrs. Britain be
came converted from Mormonism
she says, although for eight years
previously she had been aiding IN the
propaganda of the Mormon church II
Boston and New England. According
to Attorney Thibodeau OF the frm o
Thibodeau & Ellsworth who gave
out the affidavits last night. Mrs
Britain recently divulged to SOM
of her close friends her knowledg'
of Richeson's alleged connection witt
the Mormon church, and she was pre-
vailed upon to make the facts know
previous to the time set for the exc
cution of Richeson as it was felt tina
the information, If withheld until a.
ter his death, would seem unfair.
Mrs. Louie Il. Britain has becom
known during the past few years
evangelical workers in and abou
Boston. She recently spoke at tn
irst-Highland Baptist church in thl
city. In an interview last night du
ing which she was accompanied b
Duncan 8. McPhee, secretary OF tn
Evangelical alliance. Mrs Brittai
said that to the best of her belle
Richeson was converted to Mormon
ism while still student at Willial
Jewell college in Liberty, Mo, frol
which he was expelled in 1903. \
that time Richeson became attacl
ed to a young woman who no
makes her home in Salt Lake Cit,
To this young woman is due Rich
sons trend toward Mormonism. Mr.
Britain believes.
The AFFIDAVIT which was given oil
: prior to the interview described SON
> of the meetings at which she sa
she had seen Richeson, and conclu
ed as follows. 81 have always consi
| tltu NldituNt v iNlthNoN
!, a member OF the Mormon organic
n ton in good and perfect standing al
(; do to the present day and belleN
I, he is considered so by the MormC
organization. While it is not col
I mon, II is not unusual to find Il
!; more educated of the Mormon eide
preaching in the pulpits of Evange
cal churches which baptke by II
I mersion."
! Miss l.. V. Richeson, a sister
Clarence V. r. Richeson, talked wi
Gov. Foss at the state house
"a Boston yesterday in behalf of h
s brother. William A. Morse and Phi
lip X. Dunbar of her brothers cou
, sci accompanied Miss Richeson in
:. the executive chamber The subje
v discussed was the plea which h
been made for Communication OF RiC
D.. esons death sentence, on the groul
!. that the former clergyman is unsoul
il mentally and has been so alwal
: The visitors were with Gov Foss on
I. a short time. Miss Richeson visit
ie her brother in Jail previous to calli
T. upon the governor. She talked wi
the condemned man for some tin
: Miss Richeson arrived in Boston frC
the Richeson home in Virginia Nc