The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-01-08
Because His Lawyers Could Not
Be Present in Court
CASE COMES UP TO- MORROW
self-confessed Slayer of Avis Linnell by
Giving Her Poison Pins His Hope
for Life on Governor Foss
and His Council.

Boston. Jan. s.-As Rev. Clarence ".
T. Richeson was preparing to start from
his cell in the Charles street jan Tor
The prisoners dock in the superior court
to-day to change his plea from not gun
tv to guilty of wilfully numbering ms
former sweetheart Miss Avis Linneil,
his iailers were notified that the clergy
mems counsel could not be present ana
that the accused clergyman need not ap-
pear until tomorrow.
The stage was being set for Reheson
anpearance. the sheriff had been notified
10 produce him and the court room was
ordered cleared at a certain hour, when
word was received by the district attor-
nav from his men that one Of the three
LAWYERS could not be present. The dis
trict attorney was, therefore, eompehed
TO postpone the case for another day
Orders were sent to the jan, canoeing
the previous arrangements.
Following District Attorney Pelletiers
appearance at the State House TINS
morning, where it was said that his
visit was without significance 50 lar az
the Rieheson case was concerned, II was
stated that Governor Foss would not
refuse to entertain any petition for
eIemency. and would not only look 1t
over carefully, but submit 1t to the
full council for hearing on its merits
Even if Richeson pleads guilty to the
first degree murder Indictment to-mor-
row. it is expected that sentence to the
electric chair will not be pronounced for
week or two ana that the governor
md council viii finally decide his case.
II is the desire of Richeson to have the
degree Of his punishment fixed by the
governor and council rather than by the
court and jury
All Parties Reticent.
Judge Sanderson was interviewed as
Ia what action he would probably fol-
low but refused to make any predic-
tion or comment upon the case. Neither
would District Attorney Pelletier add to
his statements of Saturday, while the
three lawyers for the defense, William
Al Morse and Philip r. Dunbar of Bos-
ton and John l.. Lee of Lynehburg, were
eaually Feticent. 1t lies wholly with
the court to accept or reject the plea
ut the suggestion of the district attor-
ney. and the decision is awaited with
much interest.
IF the plea is accepted, sentence may
be imposed Immediately. or Rieheson
may be remanded to jail to await sem
tence later. Or both court and district
attorney may refuse to accept the change
and send the prisoner back to jail to
await trial week from to-day. In
that case q regular jury will be drawn
from the 300 names of the panel and att
er the box is full and the district at
tornev makes a brief opening, the con-
fession will be read, Whether any more
evidence will be produced does not as
vet appear, but in the ordinary course
of events the jury would then be asked
to render a verdict Of murder in the
first degree, after which Richeson would
be sentenced to death.
Such proceedings would fulfill the pre-
diction Of the district attorney that
Richeson would surely be tried Jan. l5.
1t has been pointed out, however. that
a case we'll known in Massachusetts le-
oal annals permitted the acceptance Of
a confession as plea of guilty without
The assistance Of a jury
With sentence of death imposed upon
him. Richeson's only hope would lie with
Governor Foss and the executive coun-
ell. The ease would come to the State
House on petition and would be at
once referred to the committee on par
dons. Of which Lieut.. Gov. Robert Luce
and Councillors Keith, Goetting, Fletcher
and Quinn are members.
The last named said yesterday that he
did not favor the death penalty, Lieu
tenant Governor Luce strongly opposed
it while he was a member of the leg
islature, Council Keith is new man in
the council, but Councillors Goetting and
Fletcher voted against communication for
Silas n Phelps who was subsequently
granted a fifteen days reprieve.
In case the pardon committee should
favor communication for Richeson, the
after would 90 to the whole council
of nine men before the governor could
obtain the necessary permission to act
in the matter.
Richeson's Amplifed Confession.
Richeson's confession, as made public
Saturday, was bare of details. 1t is
understood. however,, that he amplifed
this greatly in conversation, and that
the district attorney is now in posses
sion of most of the information which
has come to the defense.
While no person can be quoted as re-
sponsible for it, the statement is made
on high authority, that Richeson's am
plified confession to his counsel corre-
sponds closely TO the following:
After purchasing quantity of cy-
anide of potassium from William Hahn,
a Newton Center druggist, on Oct. 10,
the minister took the poison to his
rooms in Cambridge. A few days later
he borrowed from Mrs. Frank II. Carter,
in whose home he was a lOdger, an earth
enware mixing bowl, 'to make some
hook paste" Returning the bowl TO
Mrs. Carter an hour or two later, he
warned her to be sure and wash it out
thoroughly, saying Il have been mixing
poison in IT. 1t was in this bowl,
and at this time, that the minister
concoeted the capsule. formed by mix
ing the cyanide of potassium with flour
aud water, which ultimately caused Miss
Linnell's death. This was Thursday
Oct. l2.
On Saturday, Oct. IA, Rieheson met
his one time fianeee, who still believed
herself his sweetheart, in front of the
LII