Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-01-09
Pastor Z Says Conscience
Would Not Admit Further
Wronging Dead Girl by a
Public Trial. I
WOULD REDEEM HIS
PAST SINS IN PRISON
Confession Describes Lash
ings Of Remorse He Has
Suffered; No Details Of
His Crime are Given.

Boston, Mass, Jan. 6.-The Rev. c..
V. T. Richeson, former pastor of the
Emmanuel Baptist church of Cam
bridge, Mass, today made written
confession to the effect that he poison
ed his former sweetheart, Avis Linnell.
The statement was given into the
hands of his counsel, who made the
confession public at p. m.
The confession, bearing Richeson's
signature reads:
Il hereby confess that am guilty of
the offense Of which'I stand indicted"
1t gives no Details
Newspaper Men Called In.
Just before noon today the judges
Of the superior court and the district
attorney went into conference at the
court house and about an hour later
representatives of the press were
called to the office of William A. Morse
leading counsel for the accused clergy
man.
In the office were nearly dozen
newspaper men while in a private Of
fee were Mrs. Mores, John H. Lee the
Virginia lawyer engaged by the father
of the young clergyman and Philip K.
Dunbar.
After all the papers had been
found to be represented Mr.. Morse
said:
Gentlemen now give you Mr.. Rich
eson's confession"
Confession Dated Three Days Ago.
Typewriter sheets containing the
confession were then handed to the
newspaper men and those who paused
to ask for some further explanation
were told that there was nothing more
to be said at this time.
The fact, that the confession was
dated three days ago was pointed out
to counsel but they refused to COM
ment on it at this time. District At
torney Pelletier learned Of the con-
fession of Richeson from newspaper
men but later confirmed it from Mr..
Morse. He said:
1.-THE trial will go on just the same,
no matter what statement may be is.
sued by Richeson.'
Mr.. Pelletier had just come from his
conference with the Judges when he
was informed of the new turn. He de.
clined to make any other comment of
the confession, although it was init
mated that he might have something
to say later.
Death Penalty For Crime.
Chief Justice Aiken also declined to
make any statement. Richeson is un-
der Indictment for the murder in the
first degree of Miss Linnell by giving
her a quantity of cyanide of potassium.
The penalty for such a crime in Massa-
chusetts is death in the electric chair.
If Richeson stands in court on Janu-
airy Is next, the date set for his trial
and acknowledges his guilt, the court,
under the law, would be obliged to i'm
pose the death sentence, in the opin.
ion of court house officials.
Friends Had Abandoned Him.
Several lawyers stated that the on
ly hope Of saving Richeson from death
is by having him adjudged insane or
by communication of his sentence. Prac'
tically all of the minister's friends VINO
believed in his innocence and those
who expressed doubt as to the iden.
doned their support of the prisoner
when he mutilated himself in Jail on
December 20. This act led many to
accept the theory that the minister
had not been in possession OF all his
mental faculties for some time.
District Attorney Pelletier correct
ed his first statement later by admit
ting that Richeson might possibly be
brought into court before the day set
for trial but that such action would
depend on the attitude of his counsel.
This was regarded as indicating that
the district attorney and the court
might find some legal way to accept a
plea of guilty of murder i'll the Sec
ond degree and permit life sentence.
How He May Escape Chair.
81 have no discretion in this mat
ter except a first degree plea of gull
IT," said District Attorney Pellitier.
II shall not accept a second degree
plea or a manslaughter plea When
asked under what circumstances
Richeson had been induced to confess,
Mr.. re1letier said: d,
Il shall have to refer you to Mr..
Morse for answer to that question.
Poisoning is first degree offiense and
you cannot make anything else out OF
it," 1t seemed to be the general opin-
ion among members of the bar thls
afternoon that there We're three ways
by which Richeson could escape death
in the electric chair. First. by the
acceptance by the court and the dis
trict attorney Of plea for a lesser de-
gree of murder. by the appointment OF
a commission which might adjudge
Ricneson insane, and third, by an ap-
peal to the governor and executive
council, after death sentence. for the
granting of communication.
Mr. and Mrs. Moses Grant Edmands,