Norwich bulletin., 1912-05-21

"Do you here repent of your sin?"
 T do."
 q Am Willing to Die"
 Do you forgive everybody"
 T forgive everybody"
 Are you willing to die for Jesus sake?'
 T am willing to die"
 As the word "die" came from the lips of the man in the chair the gold headed cane of Warden Bridges was tilted slightly upward, there was crash of a falling lever and Clarence Virgil Thompson Richeson was no more.
 Dead at Instant of Contact.
 The 1.-the form of the former pastor surged forward in the great leather thongs, but no sound came from the throat of the victim.
 The current was kept on for one minute and eight seconds. The man was dead the instant of the contact which was made at ten minutes and two seconds after midnight
 After the electric wires were dis connected from the chair, the three physicians, DTS. MeGrath, Mclaughlin and Butler. each in turn applied their ] tim and declared him dead.
 The body was removed from the death chair and laid upon a table be- hind a screen.
 Crowd Outside the Prison.
 It is expected that the wishes of the dead man will be carried out and that he will be buried beside his mother in the family lot on Richeson Mountain, in Amherst Courthouse, Va. A brother, Douglas Richeson of Chicago, is in Boston, to take charge of the remains.
 More than two thousand men, wo- men and children stood for more than an hour in front of the prison during the hour before and after the execu- ton. All the time there was a ter rife downpour of rain. But no sound or sign of the happenings inside could reach them or satisfy their curiosity,
 Mado Gifts of His Books.
 Previous to his execution Richeson presented MT. Johnson with three vol umes of the works of the Fart of ShaftsbuTy and with his manuscripts. He also gave books to several other clergymen friends and made gifts to Chaplain Stebbins and others who were with him. MT Johnson also treasures the testament which Rich eson used constantly while in his death cell, many passages of which are marked Across the top of one page RichesOn had written. Gone to God. Clarence"
 Statement for Mr. Johnson.
 After the execution the prison chap lain handed Mr Johnson a personal statement from Richeson. This state ment AIr. Johnson had not read to- night, bue understood it to be an en- tirelY personal communication and one which would probably not be made public. %
 Gave Example Of Deep Religious Faith.
 The following statement was given out by the Rev. Herbert Johnson. hacheSon's spiritual adviser, after the execution.
 q make this statement not so much l as an item of news as an act of justice in order to give truth concerning cer- ] tain questions relating to Mir. Richeson | that have been much in the public ] mind Of Late.
 The stories that he has been for a | good portion of his time in a state of ! physical collapse are absolutely un- 1 founded, except for the one severe physical reaction after his counsel an hOBneed to him that his sentence 1 would not be colnmuted by the gov l ernor. He did not eat a Inouthful oi food for thirty hours The collapse which followed lasted for fourteez hours, and vas a perfectly natural re- l suit of the strain. From the moment | when he recovered tfll he entered the 1 execution chahj3eF he gave an almesi AV,1r ff.s.H fs1r.Ie f.F l to speak more truly, @ deep religious faith.
 Used No opiatss. f@rhe second erroneous impression l which l wish to correct is that his l courage was buoyed up through opi- 1 ates and medicines, Not once since 1 hR e0tered the state prison at Charles town did he take single drop of med. ieine of any kind. ] spoke to hifa to. day oH this point and also te DF. Me. ] I.aaghiiB, the prison physician. Df Mel ,aHgillIn authorizes me to nalz, this statement
 Wei Satisfied With Attorneys.
 '-rheYe has besn on the part of ear tain people the claim that Mir. Biehe SOB was dissa ttshed with his attornsys Nothing could be further from tn trWb, He has always spoken to me O theiF faithfmness and ability in in very highest terms. This relates es peeisliy te Hon. William A. Morse. Il my opinion nothing more could hay been done for MT. Rieheson by an lawyer than was done by those whom he employed.
 Preferred Death to Communication.
 q have received a number of let teFs and telegrams from attorneys an others during the past week whic stated that MT RichesOn should hay appealed his case to the suBrem court. 1 wish to say to these attor news and to all other persons who fec that further legal steps should hay been taken that Mr. Rielaeson himsel vetoed any such proposition. I ex PiaiRed to him fully several days ag the opinion of these lawyers an friends who desired further litigation Mir. RichesoH declared that he pre- feTrcd te die ratheF than te see3iFe tn communication ef his sentence.
 Was Net a Normal Man.
 'I am altering ao complaint and T criticism whatsoever when I say thil nay opiHien has grDwA constantly tha Ma Rleheson was n04 a normal mal Fol tle past two days I have speI houts iH talking Uith ham about tL iainutest details of his crine thin thai no man who could know his opin ion and have heard his statement con corning the crime could escape th deep conviction that if this man Wa nui insane. he was on the bordcriine ( iuSanitY'
 Ihs statement Eas Giygn eut bs aIl