Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-05-21
BORROWED RING.

At the same time Richeson was
meeting Miss Linnell as 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 news
papers announced the engagement of
! Rev Mr.. Richeson and Miss Violet
Edmands. The Linnell family demand
ed an explanation. The minister
promptly declared the story a news
paper fake" and was believed
The invitations to the wedding of
I RichesOn and Miss Edmands were
sent out the afternoon of Saturday,
1 Oct. II. That same afternoon Rich
eson dined with Avis Linnell at a lit
! tie restaurant in the Back Bay. While
there the girl appeared depressed. At
times tears rolled down her cheeks.
I When she returned to her lodging
place. however. she seemed cheerful,
although quickly excusing herself and
J huTrying away to her room.
Groans were heard coming from
bathroom Of the association quarters
shortly after Z o'clock that evening
The door was broken in and Miss Lin
nell was found partially unconscious
and apparently in great agony. Half
an hour later she died without recover
ing consciousness.
a belief that the girl had committed
suicide was at first general, but her
family was disposed to discredit the
report and a thorough investigation
was made
I DENIED HE KNEW HER.
Il Soon after the girl died, it was
learned, some one had telephoned to
RichesOn, as the girls nearest friend,
and Informed him of the circum-
stances. He coldly denied at first that
he knew the girl at all. Then finally.
admitting that she had been a men,
Der of his former parish in Hyannis,
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 dispelled
when the real conditions surrounding
the death of Miss Linnen were made
known. The girl had been sitting in
chair with her feet in a tub of hot
water, while beside her was a fresh
change of clothing. The autopsy re-
yealed the fact that she had taken a
dose Of poison, and the conclusion was
drawn that she had done so in the in
nocent belief that it would remedy a
condition that later would be a cause
OF great embarrassment.
The day following the girls death
Rev Mr.. Richeson preached what was
to be his last sermon in the Cambridge
church, and in his prayer referred
briefly to the death of a near friend
That afternoon, dining with a 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 by the recent death of a
dear friend" That night he went tc
the home of Moses Grant Edmsnds in
Brookline, father of the girl to whom
he was to be married a week or sc
later, and there remained in seclusiou
through the next few days preceding
his arrest.
ARRESTED At RESIDENCE.
Rlcheson was arrested at the home
OF the father of Miss Edmands in
Brookline the morning of Oct. 20.
Interest in the case was intensified
Dec. 20 when it became known
that Richeson had mutilated himself
in his cell at the Charles street Jail
Richeson confessed his guilt in a state
] ment written by himself Jan. 3 anc
given out by his counsel Jan. 6.