The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1912-05-23
RICHESON TO DIE.
Gov. Foss WithhOlds Clemency from
Former Preacher.

mis-, expired tonight when Gov. Foss
announced that he would not refer
Richeson's petition for communication
of sentence to the executive council.
The statement from the governor
followed closely the filing of the re-
ports of the special insanity commits
sion which declared the condemned
man sane, although subject to fits of
historical insanity. The commission
found that Richeson was sane at the
time of the murder and that he is
sane at present.
In the death chamber at Charles
town the prisoner has borne himself
calmly since he was transferred from
the Charles street jail Tuesday. 1t
was apparent that he still hoped that
clemency would be extended to him,
and it was believed to-day this alone
was keeping up his spirits.
Is a Neurotic.
The statement issued by Gov. Foss
shows that the alienists found that
Richeson's family was afflicted very
generally with insanity and that the
condemned man himself is neurotic,
a. somnambulist, and neurasthenic
and subject to hysterical insanity.
The statement follows:
Executive clemency will not be
extended in the case of Clarence V.
T. Richeson. The prisoner was SEN
fenced upon his own confession for
crime which it appears impossible
that any normal man could commit.
after his confession and sentence
a plea of insanity was set up by his
counsel and strongly supported by af-
fdavits extending over his life. The
character of these afidavits left no
other course for the governor than to
submit these and the prisoner him
self to an examination by our lead
ing alienists, in order to protect the
commonwealth from the charges that
the man was actually insane when
the deed was committed as we'll as
at the present time.
Of Emotional Nature.
"The evidence shows that Richie
sons family is heavily afflicted with
insanity; that he himself is a neu-
rotic, somnambulist and neuras-
thenic; that he is subject to extreme
emotional disturbances, marked by
loss of memory, which two alienists
have diagnosed as hysterical insanity,
one physician adding the alternative
as hysterical delirium and the ma
jority opinion indicating that the at
tacks are hysterical attacks marked
by emotional disturbances of brief
duration, with loss of memory dur
ing the attack and for varying pc
riod following it.
"The evidence, however, while
clearly revealing these attacks. indl-
Gates that his crime was not COM
mitted by him during such an at
tack.
Accountable for Crime.
Therefore, while there is some
divergency of opinion among the
alienists as to whether these attacks
indicate actual insanity, there is suf-
fcient ground for the conclusion that
he is accountable for his crime and
that the exercise of executive Glenn
ency in this instance would be con-
trary to the public good.
"The afidavits and medical adJ
vices as to Richeson's unfavorable
heredity, his lapses of consciousness
and his attacks of delirium are too
voluminous to include in this state
ment and are not suited for publica-
ton.
THE alienists referred to are DR..
Edw. B. Lane and DR.. Isador Coritat,
acting for the defense; DR.. L. Ver-
non Briggs, acting at the personal re-
quest of the governor; and Drs. Hen
ry R. Steedman, George T. Tuttle and
Henry p. Frost, acting as commits
sion for the commonwealth
Richeson was not Informed of the
governors decision tonight. His
spiritual adviser, the Rev. Herbert
S. Johnson, and the prison chaplain,
the Rev. Herbert w. Stebbins, visited
the prisoner at o'clock and re-
mained with him for an hour.
At the time they entered the death
chamber they were not aware, how
ever, of the governors findings.
When asked if he would notify the
prisoner of his fate in the morning,
Mr.. Johnson said he could not tell.
Uses Referendum in Court.
1