East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1912-05-21
REV. R|CHESON DIES
IN ELECTRIC CHAIR
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frequently in the company of sew
enteen year old Avis Linnell, the
brightest of the local high school
students she had been baptized and
received into the church by the young
minister and the gossips of the lit e
village considered them naturally at
tracted to each other and looked for
them TO wed.
There was no formal announce
ment of an engagement. But Miss
Linnell had given up most of her So
cial diversions and was spending
nearly all of her time in church work.
She was the fright hand" of the pas
tor in most Of the events and took
his part In a dispute that arose from
his methods Of preaching. 1t was
Richesons boast that he always
called "a spade a spade" and his
forceful preaching, in which he as
sailed sin in every guise, soon split
the congregation in factions. In April
1910, Rev. Richesop resigned and
stated that he had accepted charge
in Emmanuel, Cambridge. He had
planned to stay there only a short
time and later marry Miss Linnell,
according to what their friends un-
derstood, and go to China as mis-
sionary
Then Avis Linnel, who had a splen-
did voice, left the little country viii
lage and went to Boston. She stated
that she was going there to study in
the Conservatory of Music so that she
might be better able to "aid her hus-
band in his church work. At that
time she was wearing a handsome
diamond ring which it was under
stood by her people had been the
gift of the minister.
Meanwhile Richeson had been in
stalled in the fashionable Cambridge
church. Here his work was crowned
with success and he became favor
ite with many members of the con-
gregation who professed to be charm
ed with his plain talks from the pull
pit. One night at a church reception
the young pastor was introduced to
Miss Viola Edmands. She was the
daughter of Moses Grant Edmands.
one of the wealthiest residents OF
Brookline, and reputed to be in pos
session in her own right of half
million dollars received from the es-
tate of her grandfather.
Miss Edmands was a different type
from the little country village maid
who had done so much for the
preacher down on Cape Cod. Proud
and imperious in manner, she was
attracted toward the young minister
and soon he was paying devoted at
! tention to her In a short time he
was her slave and soon she told her
intimates that she and the minister
were to wed soon.
Whether Avis Linnel knew of the
other woman at this time is not
known. 1t is certain however that
early in the summer she took the
| diamond ring from her finger and
wore it no more. But there was no
announcement to the home people
that the engagement had been brok-
en- and there were only a few people
who knew that another woman had
come between the preacher and MS
| little country sweetheart
Miss Linnell went home in August
and shortly afterward Richeson also
came to Hyannis to spend his vaca-
ton. Prior to that time the min
lister had been noticed dining in Bos-
| ton restaurants with Miss Linnell and
in the old town the couple were
much together and the rumor was
soon af,oat that they had patched up
their differences and would eventu-
ally be married.
In September Richeson returned
to his pulpit and Miss Linnell went
back to her music studies. AT times
her friends say, she seemed much dis
traught and troubled. Finally on
Saturday, October IA, the young mu-
sic student told her girl friends at
the Young Womens Christian asso-
citation, where she boarded, that she
was going to take dinner with her
gentleman friend" Although she
did not call Richeson by name she
was understood to mean him by her
friends.
No one saw the couple at their
meal. The last time they are known
to have been seen on the street to-
gether was the day before Miss Lin
nells mother who had been visiting
in 1ston, returned home. Her
daus nter accompanied her to the
railroad station and after her train
left, according to the story of George
Baker of Hyannis, who was there,
Richeson joined Miss Linnel They
left the depot together.
Following her visit to her gentle
man friend" for dinner, Miss Linnell
returned to the Y w. c. A. in high
spirits She told her friends that she
had been given some medicine and
that she was sure now that her
headaches" would be cured.
That night young women occupy
ing rooms adjoining heard groans in
the bathroom adjoining Miss LinnelTs
room. They broke down the door
! but the girl became unconscious and
died before physician arrived. For
q short time it was believed that she
| had killed herself. 1t was suggested
that Richeson had told her that he
was to wed the "other woman and
that this fact had caused her to end
her life. An autopsy, however, re-
vealed that she was about to become
a mother and that cyanide of potas-