New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-20
81 Have Made My Peace with
God: | Am Resigned to My
Fate" He Declares.
BROTHER WON'T SEE HIM
Praises Governor for Stand He
Has Taken-Will Take Charge
of Body-Execution Prob
ably Tuesday.


fate. wish now to go to my death as
soon az possible; the quicker the better.
These words spoken by Clarence V. I.
! Richeson, former Baptist minister ana
the confessed slayer Of Avis Linneli' to
! the Rev. Herbert S. Johnson his spiritual
adviser. to-day expressed the mental
| condition of the condemned man, whose
tenure Of life is now measured only by
| hours
There is much reason TO believe that
he will go to his death in the electric
chair shortly after midnight Monday.
Reclining on cot in his death cell
Richeson talked long and earnestly with
Mr.. Johnson and with the prison chap
lain, the Rev. Herbert W. Stebbns.
II do not want TO sleep. | have so
little time to live and so much | want
to say that | must talk, talk" he said.
Part Of the conversation was OF
medltative and religious nature and part
was reminiscent. The prisoner reviewer
countless incidents Of his boyhood In Vir-
ginia. His college days at Liberty. Mo-
| furnished further topics, az did also his
exuorience at the Newton Theological
Institution and in his various pastorates.
! Douglas Richeson, who came here from
| Chicago 10 take care of his brother
body. said tonight that he did not IN
tand In visit the condemned man. Dis
cusslng the effort To have Richeson
sentence committed TO life imprisonment,
his brother said
your Governor is n credit to any
state. | think that he has been fair To
the man and certainly fair to the CON-
monwealth which he represents. All
/ that can be done has been done. what
has been done cannot be undone.'
When the hour of execution arrives
Mr.. Johnson. as his spiritual adviser
will precede him I'm the short walk from
the death cell 20 the electric chair.
Three physicians prison doctor the
medical examiner OF the county ana the
surgeon general of the commonwealth
Will attend as tho legal witnesses. The
prison chaplain as an officer OF the
rrtsor and A friend of the condemned
/ man, ~ eiltllleu W dNA'Hd
To Exclude Richeson's Counsel
! Besides this there may he three wit
nesses designated by the warden. An
appcaI having been made TO Governor
Foss by press associations Tor repre-
! s,ntation at tho execution. the warden
/ decided to acCcdc to the wishes or the
! Governor and will probably name "a the
/ three other witnesses representatives. ~
three press organizations. Late yester-
| day n was learned that Richcson had
/ requested that his counsel, william y.
| Morse. be present at the execution, but
the warden was compelled % deny tho
request. owing 20 the fact that the num-
Der Of witnesses permitted by Jaw had
all been selected.
surgeons and medical societies eager
70 gain some knowledge from the post
mortem examination OF the unusual sub
feet, have applied Tor the brain and
spinal cord Of the victim Of tho death
chair. but these will bc refused.
Richcson was deeply pleased when
told to-day that his father had promised
that his body should lie beside that Of
his mother in tho family lot on Richeson
Mountain In Amherst Courthouse. Va.
between Mr. Stebbins and Mr.. John
son RichesOn has not been without
religious adviser at any time since he re
ceivcd on Friday the announcement that
there was no hope OF his escaping the
electric chair. While MI. Johnson -
with the prisoner Mr.. Stebbins IN MAX
ing the best "a - brief opportunity FOR
sleeping and the chaplain is Richeson's
companion and counsellor while Mr.
Johnson IL seeking rest.
During the early part OF the day Mr.
johnson and Eicheson had long and
earnest talk on religious matters. The
minister asked the former minister what
passage Of the Bible pleased him most
and Richeson reclted the Odd Psalm.
Recites the Twenty third Psalm.
After reciting tho psalm said MIR.
Johnson, "Richeson gave a most beauti-
full exposition OF ii, applying the truths
of II TO his own experiences and his own
life. Other portions Of the Scriptures
that he repeated were tho entire 03d
Psalm. the 2Tth Psalm and the sGth
Psalm"
But the greatest comfort the con-
demned man found in the Bible, accord
ing to Mr. johnson, was tho 18th verse
Of the 22d chapter Of Revelations:
And let him that IL athirst come. And
whosocyer will, let him take the water OF
life freely.
This passage he repeated to himself
again and again, occasionally elaborat-
ing on the text. The 18th verse of the
9th Psalm he frequently repeated, ap'
parently believing that OF all the Script
ural quotations this might most appro-
priately apply to his case:
Deliver me not over into the will of mine
enemies: for false witnesses are arisen up
against me. and such as breathe out
cruelty.
"RIcheson is man Of great talent,
said Mr.. Johnson, after leaving the death
cell to-day He talked at length of the
great spiritual truths which religion
holds and which n. We been revealed unto
men. He Is in calm frame of mind
and | feel that he will meet death cour-
ageously and like Christian man. He
has made his peace with God. and h.
wishes now, he says, to go to his execu-
ton as soon rs possible
After whiting Richeson to-day DR.. Jo-
seph /. MacLaughlin, the prison physi-
clan. said that he found the condemned
man In q satisfactory condition. He Is