Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-05-23
STORY OF RICHESON'S CRIME
Caused the Death of Avis LinnelI by
Poison October II, 1O11-Iiis Life
Checkered One.

The crime for which Clarence Virgil
Thompson Richeson, at the time Of his
arrest pastor Of the Emmanuel Church of
Cambridge, was sentenced to die in the
electric chair. was the confessed murder
Of his former sweetheart. 19-year- old
Avis Linneli of IIyanns, a pupil in the
New England Conservatory of Music in
Boston.
The girl stood in the way of the
minister's marriage to Miss Violet Ed
mands, a society girl and heiress of
Brookline, both through an engagement
which still existed between the two and
because Of condition in which Miss
Linnell found herself. The girl was de-
ceived into taking a poison given her
by Richeson. which she believed would
remedy that condition and died in her
rooms at the Young Woman's Christian
association. on the evening of October
a. 1911. On that day invitations had
been issued for the wedding ceremony
son and Miss Edmands
AS pastor of small church In the
Cape Cod town OF Hyannis two years
before. the handsome and eloquent min
lister. then 80 years old had been at
ceptionally pretty girl of II years. She
lived with her parents, her father. Ed
gar I.innell. being contractor and
builder. 1t was her ambition to become
teacher and she was ATTENDING the
state normal school at Hyannis
HE BAPTIZED MISS LINNEIL.
Miss Llnnell joined Richeson's church.
was baptized by him and became a MEM
Der Of the church choir In a short time.
early in 1879. Miss Linnel was displaying
diamond ring and confided in her girl
irlchds that she was to be married to
the minister the following October.
Abandoning her plan of becoming a
school teacher Miss Linnell began pre-
partitions for her wedding Some of her
rousseau was completed and the two
paid a visit to the Rev. Edward S. Cot
ton of brewster who was asked to Off
ciate at the ceremony.
Friction developed between Richeson
and his deacons in June. 1910, over the
yourg minister's impetuous manner and
his violent language There was also a
question as to the loss of $50 in money
which had been left by a parishioner in
the pastors study. The minister de-
clared he had been robbed of the money.
Shortly afterward it was learned he had
sent "a similar sum by money order from
a nearby town to woman in Salt Lake
City. Utah. His resignation followed and
he accepted a call to the Emmanuel Bap-
fist Church of Cambridge
When Richeson went to Cambridge
MiS Linnell went to the Conservatory
of Music in Boston. She was induced
to attend the conservatory by the min
lister in the idea that by the cultivation
OF her voice, which had given signs of
much promise in the Hyannis Church
choir she would better fit herself to be-
come mis- wife ON the minister's rec
concentration the girl took "A room at the
Young Womans Christian association
quarters on Warrenton street. Boston.
She proved diligent student and CON
tinued her church work by teaching in
pthe Sunday school of fremont Temple.
the leading Baptist Church of the city.
There were frequent meetings between
Miss Ln.Iell and Richeson.
HIS AMBITIONS WIDENED.
The successes which the young preach
er attained in his larger sphere OF USE
fulness made a marked impression upon
him. Surrounded by influential friends
and associates his ambitions wldened He
Hgan to pay court to Miss Violet Ed
mands OF Brookline, the daughter of
Moses Grant Edmands, a prominent Bap-
fist layman and trustee of tho Newton
Theological Seminary. from which Richie,