The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-05-20

calmly. said there must have been
some mistake and left tho church.
or "hbnormnl Mentality
One of the mysteries in the method
of Richeson was shown in his pur-
chase of engagement rings. After
travelling half way across the country
To tho West and again to the South
the detectives found n pewelcr at LIB
erty. Mo, viii, whom the minister
dealt. Five or six years ago he
aought woman's diamond ring valued
at sl25 on the instalment plan. and
when he had paid $50 no returned It.
In October, 1908, he gent to Liberty
'or another diamond ring. reinittinE
'hc fun price. This was expressed TO
dyannis and never returned to the
icwelcr. TO whom that ring was
given Richcson has never told.
About October 1 of last year the
merchant received lctte rfrom Richie
son asking that a diamond ring cost
ing about 5000 he sent by express to
him at iyannis. a check for the value
IL the ring was inclosed. The dealer
selected ring which he had listed
IT Slo5 and left II at the express Office
dircctc dto Richeson at lIyannis
a day or two later he saw a news
paper account of the arrest of Richie
son. and the local express agent intor-
ceptcd the package at Chicago by telc-
6raphcd instructions to return II to Lib
e>ty Tho ring. therefore. never
reached It's Eastern destination. who
ever Richeson intended should wear 1t.
One of the alienis,s who pronounced
RichcBon sane described him as being
OF abnormal mentality. Pcrhaps this
term abnormal mentality" is AS good
an explanation as any of the strange
actions that marked his life. Take,
for instance, the period which ended
when he poisoned tho girl who loved
and trusted him.
Last August. when R!cheson was
visiting Avis Linneli at ITyannisport.
and there acting as her botroched. and
when ne was being entertained at
Dublin. y. II. at the summer home Of
the family OF his other hancee. Miss
EdInands. he was writing affectionate
letters to the sick woman IN silt Lake
CITY, promising to be with her soon.
TO her he confded his intention to
leave the Dast and join her In the
West. whsrts therc was wider oppor-
tunty for an earnest. eloquent young
preacher.
On October -, the day after Avis
Lnnell was poisoned TO death. Richie
son. while Il guest In tho Edmands
homo AT Brookl!ne, wrote to the young
woman in Salt Lake CITY that soon. in
that very month. no would he OIL his
way Wes.. whore he would sesk i
NH-it iHtAl ne might preach to tnOu-
sands instead of 10 hundreds"
Whom that letter was written Avis
linnlall was dead and only the minis
ter knew tho secret OF the then sGp-
posed suicide.
Invitations to tn wedding OF him
self and MISS Edmands had been
mailed and OF all the friends Of his
youthful days In St. Louis. Kansas City
and Liberty Mo. Miss Patsey Fel1s.
-,
ben efactrcss. and the girl TO whom ne
had pledged himself seven years be-
fore was tho only ono whose name
WAS omitted from tho list OF those
notified Of the approaching marriage.
only when friend bought he- a
partr containing an account OF the
arrest Of Richcson for the murder OF
Mss Linneil did NESS Felts learn OF
tho deceit hc had practiced. In all the
sven years C,hrenre R!cheson had
profrsscd tho most scrupu,ous devo-
/ ton 20 Miss FeGs. ard sho believed
that no other woman had ever Sc
riously entered his thoughts.
Killed Ono, Chcercd Another.
It was a ngular. almost inexplica-
be. thing Ric!icson did on Sunday, Oc-
;ober Is. The previous night he had
been Informed o. the violent death OF
Avis Linnell "a suicide by cyanide"
on sunday morning hs had preached
10 his congregation in Emmanuel Bap-
list Church IN Cambridge. In tn.
evening he baptized two young girls.
and In his brief sermon on that occa-
sion he referred with feeling TO the
young girl the member OF his former
churoA n Hyann!s. who had endsd her
life the night before
Ills ministratlons to his people
ended for that Sunday, Richeson hast