The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-05-21
R|CHESON WENT TO
HIS DEATH WITH
LITTLE FEAR
Condemned Minister Executed
Early This Morning
LAWS PENALTY IS PAID
Spent His Last Hours In Prayer and
Seemed to Be Resigned to
His Fate.

Boston. May 21.-Clarence V. t.
Richeson was electrocuted at Charles
town prison at 1917 this morning.
The current was turned on at 121O.O2
and the prisoner was declared legally
dead at 1917. The former Bapust
clergyman, confessed poisoner OF
Avis Linnell of Hyannis, his one
time sweetheart, was outwardly calm
when he entered the death chamber,
and maintained his composure while
the straps and electrodes were being
adjusted as he sat in the electric
chair.
Richeson walked to the chair erect,
eyes straight ahead. until he sat
down. Then he closed his eyes and
kept them shut until the end. Seated
in the chair, he was asked a series
of questions by Rev. Herbert s.
Johnson, his spiritual adviser In
the course of his answers he said:
God will take care of my soul and !
pray for all. ! forgive everybody
The last OF the questions was Are
you willing to die for Jesuss sake?'
The reply. In an even, well-modulated
tone. was simply, Il am willing to
die" The current applied was OF
1900 volts, eight amperes. One ap-
plication was sufficient.
When the officials and witnesses OF
the execution entered the death
chamber after walking through the
prison yard in pelting rain, they
heard sounding through the walls the
strains of song. Ii was Richeson and
his spiritual advisers, Rev. Mr. John
son and Chaplain Stebbins singing
Distinctly audible as they closed
were the words, For know. what
e'er befall me, Jesus doeth all things
we'll"
Richeson left his cell smiling al
1908. Before starting on the death
march he shook hands with William
/ A. Morse. his counsel, who at the last
moment had been admitted as a wit
ness OF the execution, and with the
two chaplains, Rev. NJ. J. Murphy
the Catholic prison chaplain, beini
also present. Then he said, I'm
ready" and walked on. He wai
dressed plainly in a black chevlo
suit, a frock coat, white vest, Whit
shirt, turned-down collar and a blacl
bow tie, with gold studs on his shirt
front and with low black shoes
brightly shined. His head wa
shaved down the middle three inche
wide
When Richeson reflected that h
probably had less than IL hours 4
live he expressed a desire yesterda
afternoon to see his brother, Dougla
Richeson OF Chicago who is in Bos
ton. The former clergyman told hi
- spiritual adviser. Rev. DR.. Herber
$. Johnson, that he would not urg
, his brother to call IL the latte
thought he could not undergo the Of
deal, but would be pleased to Sc
him. The prisoner said that so ia
as he was concerned he could NEE
his brother without fear OF collap
ing. He had reconciled himself I
his fate, he added, and felt that h
was at peace with God and tn
; world. His brother decided not I
; visit him.
The condemned man slept sound
: for four hours yesterday morning, a
!, ter being awake nearly all night, H
y was calm and even cheerful at tim,
during the night. occasionally sin
ing hymn or repeating his favorit
scriptural passages. Rev. Herbe
w, Stebbins, the prison chaplain, WI
with Richeson until a. m, when |
10 IA 10 n..
. the death chamber until after moo
,r arranging to return again at mig
"a and comfort the prisoner In his la
! moments. Richeson had little apr
a lite and remained resting on his c
M during the morning.
Warden BENJAMIN +. Bridg,
~ Deputy Warden Michael ]. Murpl
- and Rev. j. II. Murphy, Roman Cat
- Ollie chaplain engaged in prison wor
- were among those who called to s
the condemned man. Rev. Mr.. MI
ply asked Richeson how he felt al
: urged him TO make his final pea
with God The former minist
spent much of his time yesterday
y prayer and In reading his Bible.
Rev. Dr. Johnson arrived az I
prison at a. m. just as Riches
awoke from n sound sleep. VIII
Warden Bridges went to the dea
20 chamber Richeson said. 81 am
w right and In good condition" T
AZ condemned man had little appel
lr yesterday morning and did not tou
IN his breakfast when Il was taken
ms by an attendant. Chaplain Stebbi
m was In the chamber until DR.. Jol
lt son arrived, but as Rioheson 81,
UT soundly during the early morni
hours the chaplain's services W,
not required and Mr.. Stebblns "
n able to rest on a cot In one OF I
three cells OF the building.
DIR. Johnson had his morning m
= sent to the prison, and he opened
as he conyersed with Richeson. r
" DR., Johnson. when asked II
y thought Rioheson would leave n 81
ment, said: II rather think he "
but am not certain" Richeson
ceived a number OF letters from
quaintances and wrote a number h
self He arranged for the distri
ne ton OF his books 10 ministers 9
others with whom he had b,
friendly.
Oh Richeson had no supper. say