Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1912-01-12
EVENTFUL WEEK
HAS JUST PASSED
Politics Stirring Throughout
The Land-Pastor Con-
fesses Murder, Etc.

weather for several years has prevail
ed over the country, cuusing
great loss of property. and also much
suffering among the poor, loss of
thousands of head of stock in the
west and southwest, snow slides,
blocking of railroad traffic, etc. The
blizzard and intense cold has proven
the worst for years.
The 1000, 900 fire in New York,
which destroyed the Equitable Life
Assurance Society's building, in
which six lives were lost, and mum
Der of others injured. marks the
greatest loss on record by fire in any
one building in this country. The
building was supposed to be as nearly
fireproof as was possible to build, yet
it burned like tinder. THE intense cold
weather hindered the work of the
firemen, and but for the fact that the
adjoining buildings were fireproof,
the loss of property would have been
greatly increased. The catastrophe
proved that no building can be con-
structed absolutely fireproof by any
known methods and means.
The chief senastion of the week was
the confession and sentence to death,
of Richeson. the murderer of Avis
Linnell, his sweetheart. This case has
attracted attention all over the world
more so, if possible, than the Bent
tie case. Richeson, pastor of u prom
inent church in Cambridge, Mass.
betrayed and afterwards, to hide his
guilt and the girls shame, and to al
low of his marrying another and
weather. lady. gave her capsule
of cyanide of potassium, telling her
it would relieve her physical condi-
tion. After his arrest, and up to n
short time ago, he strenuously denied
his guilt.
On last Monday he made confess
ion of guilt. and on Tuesday was SEN
fenced to death in the electric chair.
1t is said, that in view of his confess
ion, thus saving the state of Massa-
chusetts the large expense of trial,
and making it unnecessary for num-
ber of ladies to appear in Court, tina
the sentence may be commuted to
! life Imprisonment.
There is no case on record, so far
as can be recalled, comparable in all
respects to this. The prominence of
the talented young minister, the es-
TEEN in which he was held, the pro-
minence and wealth of his church and
the people with whom he was intim-
ately associated, his duplicity and
monumental lying, stamps him AZ
either insane or a moral degenerate
of the lowest and most pronounced, as
well as the shrewdest type.
An eventsof the week of much mo-
ment, was the meeting of the General
Assembly of the State, on Wednes-
day. The Legislature was called to
order by Speaker Bryd, promptly at
IL o'clock. The election of officers
was matter of short time, as all
of them had been selected in caucus
the evening before, Hon. Richard
Byrd was reelected Speaker without
opposition. John w. Williams, of
Giles, was reelected clerk; Col.
Newhouse was re-oppoInted sargeant
at arms.
In the Senate, Lieutenant Governor
Ellyson. presiding, Mr.. Booker, of
Halifax, was reelected clerk. and
Capt. Watkins, of Charlotte, elected
sargeant at arms.
In the House there are only Id Re-
publcans, fewer number than for
many years.
In the Senate there are five Repub-
licans. All of them are new men.
Two years ago there were six Repub-
lican members of the Senate.
The Governors message was read
before both bodies, which is according
to. the law, but an entirely useless
waste of tiiie, az the message had
already been printed, and in the hands
Of the Legislators. The keynote this
time, seems to be Progress W ith
Economy" and the boys will get
down to business. The editor of the
Roanoke Times is in Richmond, re-
} porting the doings of the Assembly,
and along with other advance notes
} gives the number and location of each
legislators seat. 1t is gratifying
to know what kind of a seat gentle
man is accorded in the House. The
constituency in these parts will be
t glad to learn that Mr.. Mustard has
seat 80, front row, on the Speaker
/, right. Now, where is Mr.. Royal an
chored?