New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-01-07
BY R|CHESON
Continued from first page.

Continued from UrN
from his wounds he is said 10 have
chung to his counsel, ex-senator VIII
lam 4. Morse, and pleaded TO he allowed
TO tell the whole story to him. Feeling
that his client might be laboring under
loss of mental as we'll as physical
strength, Mr.. Morse refused to hear IT,
and for the next week or two, during
his Convalescence, Richeson remained
quiet, in fact. almost speechcss.
Early in the present week Richeson's
Virginia counsel, John T. Lee Of Lynch
burg. arrived and when Mr. Lee and the
other attorneys went TO see their client
Richeson cried out that he was guilty,
also declaring that he intended TO make
clean breast Of the crime. At that
time the prisoner was plainly laboring
under great stress of mind, and his con-
dition WIS such that his counsel would
not accept his suggestion Of a confes-
sion. They urged him to think the mat
ter over more calmly, and left him
On Wednesday last the attorneys paid
another visit to his cell. and at that
time the confession made public to-day
was written by the prisoner. in spite Of
efforts Of his counsel TO dssuade him
from his purpose. for they believed he
might be laboring under mental strain
which had weakened his reasoning pow
ers Richeson was insistent, and the
confession was prepared and signed by
the prisoner himself in the presence OF
the lawyers He is said 10 have written
his statement without q trcmor. When
he mad finished he handed the document
to his counsel, exclaiming as he sank
back upon his cot:
Thank God I have eased my con-
science of that load"
A second copy of the confession was
drawn up and signed by Richeson yester-
day. This was done at the request of
his counsel. and it was this copy, dated
January >, which was turned over to
District Attorney Pellctier.
The lawyers carried this second copy
10 the District Attorney late Yesterday
afternoon and a conference took place
Immediately, but whether it had any
bearing upon what Is in store for Richie
son was not made known Everything
that seemed to hint of a compromise
was discredited by the District Attorney
to-day
Mr.. Pcletler informed Rlcheson's
counsel at yesterdays conference that
they alone could make the confession
public, so at one o'clock to-day, in Mr..
Morses office. the typewriter confess
sion was handed to group of news
paper men who had been summoned.
District Attorney Peletier pointed
out this afternoon that the confession
is not plea of guilty TO the indictment
charging murder in the first degree, al
though it is available as evidence in
case Of trial, and to jury it would
mean only conviction.
But conviction for murder in the first
degree was the worst outcome that the
LAWYERS for the defence could possibly
cxpcct. Astute lawyers remarked to-
night that counsel would rarely permit
a confession to go forth without hope
Of something less than the death pen
ally. and It was the general belief that
some understanding must have prcced-
ed the giving out Of the document at
this time
While the court and the district at
torney may accept. by arrangement
with counsel, plea for a lesser crime,
the penalty Of which AT the most,
would he Imprisonment for life, Dis
trict Attorney Pelletier was emphatic
in his statement that he would accept
no such compromise, and no plea can
be accepted without his approval.
Another possibility suggested is plea
Of insanity. through which Richeson
might be sent to an asylum. Still an
other course Of procedure would be the
calling Of the jury and the reading Of
the confession, which, without other evil
dencc. would he followed 10y formal
verdict Of guilty Of murder in the first
degree After that all effort could be
made to obtain Communication Of the
death sentence through executive action.
!.
parents Of Miss Violet Edmands, Richie
sons hanctc, refused TO comment upon
the confession. Neither would they say
where their daughter was staying. The
ministers counsel refused 10 discuss
V hat course they would pursue.
Evidence hitherto unpublished. by
which the state expected to show that
the Cambridge minister met Miss AVIS
Linncl on the DAY she died and that he
had an opportunity TO hand the poison
to her, was revealed tonight by Lazarcs
4. Tafralan. % Confectioner, Of Massa- !
chusctts avenue. Mr.. Tafrsliau said:
ON the afternoon Of october II, the |
day on which Miss Lnucll died the Rev. !
&. Y T. Richcson came into my store, |
where he frequently bought expensive !
candies. and purchased canister of |
stick candles He took the car for Bos |
ION I'm front Of the store 1T O'Clock. |
I have been shown the canister found M |
the room Of Miss Linneli and have idon- /
tined Il as the one | sold To- tho Rev. !
MIR Richcsou on that DAY. ! have ais" /
g,ou MIR RiChosOn SiLCc and have idon- |
lihcd him for the District Attorney.
IIyannis, Mass Jan. g. Members Of the