The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-21

against anyone. He has Scarcely uttereu a harsh word and to me personally and to those who come in contact with him he has again and again expressed his gratl- tude"
 His Atrocious Crime
 The crime for which Clarence Virgil Thompson Richeson, at the time of his arrest pastor of the 1mmanuel church of Cambridge, was sentenced to die in the electric chair, was the confessed murder of his former sweetheart, 19 years old Avil Iinnell of Hyannis n pupil in the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston.
 The girl stood in the way of the min ister's marriage to Miss Violet Ed mands, a society girl and heiress of Brookline. both through an engage ment which still existed between the two and because of condition in which Miss L.innell found herself. The girl was deceived into taking u poison given her by Richeson, which she believed would remedy that condition and died in rooms at the Young Woman's Chris tan association, on the evening of De- tober II, 1911. On that day invitations had been Issued for the wedding cere- mony which was to unite Rev. MT. Rich oson and Miss Edmands.
 Groans were heard coming from q bath room of the association quarters shortly after o'cyock that evening. The door was broken in and Miss Llnnell was found partially unconscious and ap- parently in great agony. Half an hour later she died without recovering con sciousness.
 Suicide Theory Discredited
 A belief that the girl had committed suicide was at first general, but her family were disposed to discredit the report and q thorough investigation was made.
 Soon after the girl died, 1t was learned that some one had telephoned to Richeson, as the girls nearest friend, and informed him of the circumstances He coldly denied at first that he knew the girl at all. Then finally, admitting that she had been member of his former parish in Hyannis, he suggested that her brother-in law in Bridgewater be notified. Before hanging up the re- ceiver he ask ted: "Did she say anything before she died2'
 In a weeks time material evidence began to accumulate. A woman de- clared that Rieheson had telephoned from her home making an appointment for the afternoon of October IA with some one at the Young Woman's Chris tian association rooms. Richeson's landIady admitted her boarder had re- turned bowl to her with the remark that she had better wash 1t thoroughly as 1t had boen used to mix paste which had contained poison. The most dam a ging evidence, however. came from William Hahn, a druggist of Newton Centre and a friend of Richeson. Ac- cording to Hahn, Richeson came to him four days before the Linnell girl died and bought a considerable quantity of cyanide of potassium. explaining that he wanted 1t "to kill a dog which was ta hot f,atnnfaQ " ('amhrf1Rp confectioner told of Richeson coming to his store on the afternoon Miss Lin- nel died and purchasing peculiar shaped jar of candy, identical with a lar found in Miss Llnnel's room. The minister had taken Boston bound car in front of the candy store. woman came to the police and told of seeing the pastor and the weeping girl eating together in a restaurant on the same afternoon. As result of this informa tion the police felt warranted in taking definite action.
 Interest in Case Intensified Interest in the case was intensified on December 20 when it became known that Rlcheson had mutilated himself in his cell at the Charles street jail. The public apparently lost all sympathy for the prisoner following his strange act. which was interpreted as confession of guilt At Hyannis, the home of Avis Linnel. the minister was hung in effigy. with a placard on the dummy reading, Guilty Read Luke 17:2.' In Boston a conference of Baptist ministers was called and Richeson was formally de- prived Of his title of reverend.
 Rlcheson confessed his guilt in a statement written by himself on Janu- ary and given out by his counsel on January 6. The confession was ad- dressed to his counsel
 Richeson was taken into court on Jan uary 9, pleaded guilty of the murder of Avis I.innell and was sentenced to be electrccuted at the Charlestown state prison in the week beginning May l9.
 Richeson, on April 2G, sent a petition for communication of sentence to Cover nor Foss.
 Simultaneously with the presentation of the petition, Counsel William A. Morse and Philip R. Dunbar of Boston and John L. Lee of Lynchburg, Va, filed numerous dispositions relating to evidences Of in- sanity on the part of members of the Richeson family in Virginia and as to peculiar acts and traits of the prisoner.
 Governor Foss took the matter under advisement.
 Richeson Examined
 Upon receiving Richeson's petition Gov ernor Foss immediately called upon Dr. l.. Vernon Briggs as an insanity expert 10 examine the prisoner. Later Dr. Ed ward E. Lane and pr. Isdor II. Coriat, acting for the defense, filed reports find ing that Rieheson was insane. The gover- nor on May II formally appointed as an insanity commission for the common wealth pr. Henry R. Stedman. Dr. George T. Futile and Dr. Henry r. Frost.
 The commissions report In effect de- clared Richeson sane. although suffering