The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-05-21
GIRL SLAYER
BORE UP WELL
TO VERY END
Continued from first page.l

which still existed between the two ant
because OF a condition in which Mis-
Linnell found herself.
The girl was deceived into taking {
poison given her by Richeson, which sh'
believed would remedy that condition
and died in her rooms at the Young
| Womans Christian association, on tn
| evening of October IA, 1911. On thai
day invitations had been issued for thu
wedding ceremony which was to unite
Rev. Mr.. Rieheson and Miss Edmands.
As pastor of small church in the
Cape Cod town of Hyannis two years
before, the handsome and eloquent MIN
lister, then SO years old, had been at
tracted to Avis Linnell, who was an ex
ceptional!y pretty girl of II years. She
| lived with her parents, her father, Ed
gar Linnell, being a contractor and build
er. 1t was her ambition to become q
teacher and she was attending the
State Normal school at Hyannis.
Miss Linnell joined Richeson's church
was baptized by him and became mem
| Der of the church choir. In short
| time, early in 1909, Miss Linnell was
displaying a diamond ring and confided
in her girl friends that she was to
be married to the minister the follow
ing October. Abandoning her plan OF
I becoming a school teacher, Miss Linnell
began preparations for her wedding,
Some of her rousseau was completed
and the two paid visit to Rev. Edward
$. Cotton of Brewster, who was asked
TO officiate at the ceremony,
Friction developed between Rieheson
Il 10,
young minister's impetuous manner and
his violent language. There was also
question as to the loss of $50 in mon
ey which had been left by parish
Toner in the pastors study. The min
lister declared he had been robbed OF
the money. Shortly afterward it was
learned he had sent similar sum by
money order from nearby town 70
q woman in Salt Lake City, Utah. His
resignation followed and he accepted a
call to the Emmanuel Baptist church of
Cambridge.
When Richeson went to Cambridge,
Miss Linnell went to the Conservatory
of Music in Boston. She was induced
to attend the conservatory by the min
lister in the idea that by the cultivation
of her voice, which had given signs of
much promise in the Hyannis church
choir, she would better fit herself to
become his Wife On the minister's rec
concentration. the girl took a room at
the Young Woman's Christian associa-
tion quarters on Warrenton street. Bos-
ton. She proved a diligent student and
continued her church work by teaching
in the Sunday school of fremont tenn
Pile, the leading Baptist church of the
city. There were frequent meetings be-
tween Miss Linnell and Richeson.
The successes which the young preach
er attained in his larger sphere of use
fulness made marked impression upon
him. Surrounded by influential friends
and associates his ambitions widened.
He began to pay court to Miss Violet
Edmands of Brooklne, the daughter of
Moses Grant Edmands, prominent Bap
fist layman and trustee OF the Newton
Theological seminary, from which Richie
son had been graduated. Miss Edmands
was prominent, socially, and was en-
titled 10 share in the estate of some
$4,000 left by her grandfather. En-
trance to the exclusive home of the
Edmands had been easy to the minister
as the pastor of the church the family
attended. aud in a short time he was
accepted SIS sutton for the daughters
hand.
At the same time Richeson was meet
ing Miss Linnell as formerly. But one
day he borrowed the diamond ring he |
had given her, on the pretext that the
stone needed resetting. He did not re-
turn it. Eventually the newspapers an
nounced the engagement of Rev. Mr. !
and Miss Violet Edmands. The |
Lnnell family demanded an explanation. |
The minister promptly declared the story |
a newspaper fake" and was believed.
The invitations to the wedding OF |
and Miss Edmands We're sent |
nut the afternoon of Saturday, October !
IA. That same afternoon Rieheson dined |
with Avis Linnel at little restaurant |
in the Back Bay While there the girl |
appeared depressed. At times tears
rolled down her cheeks. When she re-
turned to her lodging place, however,
she seemed cheerful, although quickly
axcusing herself and hurrying away TO
her room.
Groans were heard coming from
bathroom of the association quarters
shortly after o'clock that evening. The
ioor was broken in and Miss Linnell
was found partially unconscious and
apparently in great agony. Half an
iour later she died without recovering
consciousness.
A belief that the girl had committed
suicide was at first general. but her
amily were disposed to discredit the
'eport, and thorough investigation was
made resulting in the arrest of Richie
on and his confession later on.
Other Affairs With Women.
AT the same time the police began
IN investigation into the life of Rich
son Every important act of his life
rom the date of his birth at Rose Hill,
Ia, 80 years ago, until his advent in
was gone into. 1t was found
hat he went to school early at Amherst
Va, high school, then went
o Carrollton, Mo-. to work for broth
r and attend a local academy. Three
ears later he went to Liberty, Mo-, and
inferred William Jewell college to study
or the ministry. While a student he
applied pulpits in Kansas City, Mo-;
Miss; FL Paso, Tex;
.ouisville, Ky, aud other places
Richesons life had not been an UNI
isturbed one, it was learned, and many
ales were related of his entanglements
18th young women. At Liberty, Mo-,
lille in William Jewell college. he had
cen engaged to the daughter of pro-
essor The young woman lent Richie