The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-05-22
BODY OF R|CHESON
STILL AT MORGUE
Will Not Be Removed to Boy
hood Home in Virginia
for Burial.
STATEMENT BY MINISTER
Explains Reasons for Questions
Asked Condemned Man in
Death Chamber.

Boston. May 2l.-Tha body o. Car
ence V. I. Richeson. who was executed
early to-day for the murder of Avis
Lunch lay at the Nssta Grove street
Morsue tonight. Earlier In the da,.
IL George b. McGrata medical ex-
amineT Of Suffolk county. performed
.ne autopsy required by law, and de-
cares That Rlcheson's brain was nor
MAJ. Douglas R!cheson, OF Chicago.
brother of the dead man, was unde.
c!ded regarding the disposition of the
remains, and the matter probably will
De settled tomorrow. 1t was the I'M
oeFstanding PREVIOUS to the execution
INA t"e BODY would be taken TO R!chr
sons boyhood home in Virginia ;nr
burial, hut circumstances arose today
which prevented the plan from being
carried out.
The Rev. Herbert s Johnson. who as
SPIRITUAL adviser accompanied Richeson
10 the electric chair, ISSUED a statement
To-day explaining that certain nues
lions wers asked the condemned man
as he was being strapped in rae chair
ior the purpose Of taking Richeson's
'h!nu OH his ordeal and TO meet Ricae
son Wish TO leave some religious les
timony for the witnesses.
Statement of Minister.
Mt Johnson's statement. IN part. was
as follows:
me warden said that he wished 7
could max, the man talk from m,
ueath "Aair. as that would take his
thoughts off himself and his passinr
could occur without a neriod 80 LIS
tress!ng suspense. The wardcn
'!a'hed TO M how he would Civ. tho
a'Snai for the application of tho cur
~ Wncn the mar MS. bIa-ath wos a.,
called. en-
he also requested inc. so far as nos.
siole' before the execution IN tenr
iicheson from talking about il ard
TO keep his mind engaged with Other
things.
- Chaplain stebbins and ma,
agreed that VIC should induce Rich.
son to leave some kind of religious
testimony for the witnesses to the OK
ecution. and this plan appealed 10
Richeson. lie had wished that he
might do some good before he died.
lie had riiled in his ministry. and II.
thouSht that his testimony at his ex-
! eeu'ion might lead TO a religious life
any witnesses who might not he
Christian men.
Warden Bridges s3id that he
would give the signal to the electrical n
while !ichcson was making his reply.
we thought that probably he could
be strapped in the chair so quickly
that only two or three questions would
nbc necessary. Although the work Of
placing the man in the chair was done
speedily. Yet 1t took longer than had
anticipated, and consequently had 10
ask more questions. These questions
| were cNtcmporancous.
FINALLY came the question
, Are You willing to live or to die for
Jesus sake and mis- answer: I am
willing to live or to die were the last
words that he spoke as the sign2l was
given and his life passed out
Why did put that particular
question? 1t came naturally out OF
| my conversation with him that after
noon. In conversation with him
forty eight hours before his death. T
sought in vain to bring him TO the
poin, where he would rather die than
spend n life considering his sin. Two
hours and half before his execution
. he saw our point AMI T;'che-
son went to his death as a brave
Christian gentleman"
Left No WI.
Richeson left no will. but in con-
versation with Mr.. Johnson and Will
liam \. Morse. his legal counsel, dur
ing the hours preceding his death.
CONTINUED on Ninth Pagc)
I