The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-05-11
.ON HIS KNEES
RICHESON BEGS
FOR BRIEF DELAY
And Sheriff Quinn Allowed the Con-
demned Man to Remain in His
Regular Quarters, as Rich
eson Had Wished.
eson Had Wished.

Boston, May ll.-Nhen informed by
Sheriff Quinn at the Charles street Jail
yesterday that he would be removed
Saturday morning to Charlestown state
prison, Clarence " r. Richeson, the for
mer Baptist minister, who is under SEN
tence to be electrocuted the week begin
ming May 10 for poisoning his one-time
sweetheart, Avis Linnell, went down on
his knees and begged to be allowed to
stay at the Jail few days more.
ut would have been hard to refuse
him, and / told him that he would not
be moved tomorrow or Sunday" Sher-
if Quinn said last night The sheriff
added that Richeson will not be removed
Monday. He would not, however. saw
what day was likely to be chosen for the
change.
Sheriff Quinn said that he had made
Iall preparations to remove Richeson TO
Charlestown state prison this morning,
| In accordance with the usual procedure,
by which person condemned to die
Is taken to the death chamber within 10
days of the date set for execution.
When the sheriff visited Richeson in
his cell last night to tell him Of the
intended change, the prisoner knelt on
the stone floor Of his cell, and in the
sheriff's words, "He implored me to al.
low him to remain here Charles street
Jail as long as / could He said that
he would like to spend these last few
days in the place where he already had
passed so much time. He has been
kindly treated here, he said, and wanted
to stay as long as possible"
The next regular meeting of the gov
ernor's council is on Wednesday and
although this is only four days before
the date set for execution, Richeson may
be kept at Charles street Jail until the
council has had opportunity to act,
should Governor Foss refer to it Richie
sons plea for Communication of sentence
Governor Foss has asked the opinion
of several eminent alienists as to Richie
sons sanity. Until yesterday the gov
ernor was supposed to be relying largely
upon the report to be furnished by Dr.
L. Vernon Briggs to guide him in his
decision on the matter of submitting the
clergyman's plea for clemency to the ex-
ecutive council, but Dudley NJ. Holman
secretary TO Governor Foss, said last
night that the governor is in eonsulta-
tion with several eminent alienists re-
garding Ricteson's condition. The gov
ernor, Secretary Holman said, feels that
the case is so important as to demand
the opinion of more than one man.
These alienists, the secretary said, will
examine Richeson in Charles street Jail
Is they have not done so already, and
will make their report to the chief execu-
tive.
DIR. Briggs, who has completed an ex-
animation, has not yet rendered his
report to the governor. The report
probably will not be in the governors
hands before Monday morning The gov
ernor had before him yesterday a report
OF DIR. Isidor c.. Coriat, an alienist re-
tanned by the defense, in which Richeson
was declared to be mentally irresponsible
for his actions.
Statement from Gov Foss' Secretary.
A statement, given out late last night
by the governors secretary, runs in part:
"The governor realizes of course that
on his decision may rest the life or death |
of this man. He has asked DIR. L. Ver-
non Briggs to make an exhaustive study
of the case and is now awaiting the |
report from DR.. Briggs. But the gov
ernor has also called into conference DIR. |
Henry b. Stedman, DIR. Morton Prinnee |
and DR.. Fernold, and their opinions will |
also be most important factors in arriy-
ing at any conclusion which the governor |
may reach.
while it is well known the governor |
is opposed to capital punishment, he
will not for a moment allow his per-
sonal views to influence his decision. |
The whole thing hinges on this one
point: Was Richeson insane at the /
time the crime was committed?
"If the opinion of these expert alien
lists called into the case by the governor
is to the effect that Richeson is and has
been insane, then the governor must call /
together his council, have presented to it
the evidence and leave to their decision
the question of Richeson's sanity. The
governor has no vote in their delibera
tions, is not present and will abide by
their decision.
"The governor is not seeking to save
this mans life. He abhors, as does every
one, the awful crime to which Richeson
has confessed, and if it is found that
he is and was legally sane at the time
the crime was committed, he would not
think. for one instant, of extending to /
executive clemeney."