The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-05-21
RCH[SON FACED DEATH BRAQElY
AFTER LIVING THE LIFE Of A COWARD

Nathan D. Allen; Rev. Father Murphy.
Catholic chaplain at Charlestown:
william o. Hill and J. Gootz and J.
E. Yoder, star reporter for the United
Press.
For thirty minutes, these men sat
waiting for the summons to the death
chamber In the extreme right wing of
the prison.
lnen Warden Bridges. accompanied
by William A. Morse, Richesons at
torney, entered the room. In his
brief talk the warden told Of his re-
ceipt Of envelopes containing q sim
liar poison to that which sent Avis
Linnell to an untimely death. 1t broke
the tenseness but for moment. At i
torney Morse left to say his farewell
to Richeson. Three minutes later, at
1904, Warden Bridges said:
Gentlemen, we are ready"
No death warrant was read then
nor after the death chamber was
reached. In no regular order, but
keeping well together the little group,
led by the military figure OF Warden
Bridges, entered the great rotunda Of
the prison. They crossed noiselessly
to door opening on court. A
violent, drenching rain beat In their
faces as they stepped out. Across the
enclosed yard, with collars upturned
and hats pulled down. they moved to
a great iron door.
Back Of the iron Door.
The door swung open noiselessly
and the drenched group entered. The
chamber was bright as day.
Lying across the arms OF the ugly
chair over which hung a single light.
was double row of test lights screw
ed to a bar. They were sixteen can
I die power electric globes. The exe-
cutioner turned on the current as the
group entered, for the final test. Just
above where his hand had turned the
shining, round switch, the indicator
inervously pulsated forward, then back
ward and then forward, resting tren,
ulously on the voltage register. The
switch was turned back and the light.
went out. AS they did so burst o
4 song came through the massive doo1
which separated the death cell from
4 the death chamber.
Safe in the arms OF Jesus; Safe II
His gentle care came the words
\ slightly muffled but distinct. Ano
Richeson's clear southern accent coule
easily be distinguished above the 9th
j ers. AS the verse was finished, War
i den Bridges, who had taken his
i stand, erect and motionless, directly
!, before and a few feet from the chair
! nodded a signal. Two guards threw
open the door AS they did SO thu
last verse OF the old hymn. Richie
sons favorite in boyhood and minister
ial days. interrupted the entrance o
the men who had started to lead hin
i te death.
What they saw was Richeson stand
ing close to his cell door, both hand
clasping the bars singing, with fac
almost transAgured. They were no
the same features that had faced th
court, months before, and pleaded no
guilty to numbering Avis Linnell. l
was neither the same face that hat
later changed his plea to one OF guilt.
! in the hope that he would escap
death "and live out his life behin'
prison walls where he might conse
crate it to Cod
y ,t,,;e ;e{n cf0 r1nco fn fh
cell joining in the singing. Attorne
4 Morse. plainly showing his menta
: torture. sat huddled in chair direct
i'Elv In front of the cell and betweel
the two ministers. smoking.
: He had been permitted, at Richie
sons request, to witness the execu
: tion. What he suffered to grant hi
clients last earthly request wa
obvious.
All this was flashed to the eyes o
those waiting in the death chambe
in an instant. The two guards turne
quickly and searched Warden Bridge
: face. Although he made no percept
: ble eign. they stopped short and wal
ed for that last songful prayer to enc
y There was no hurry by the singers
L There was no diminution of tn
sIyolume of sound as it swelled out II
y to the room where waited the wi
9 nesses. The whitewashed stone wall
h reverberated with the last hopeft
l. words:
h For know that what e'er befall
u me. Jesus doeth all things we'll"
" AS it ended, the guards stepped TO
r ward.
y Goodbye, Mr.. Morse came tn
r clear tones from Richeson as his doc
o opened and he stepped out with
d guard on either side.
d Goodbye. Mr.. Johnson and goo
G bye, Mr.. Stebbins." said the doome
g man as he smilingly thrust out h
+ hand for a final clasp. He slight
e stopped but his step was firmer tha
IS those of the ministers who Wake
Is behind him and then passed him 9
n he was stopped and aided to his sea
4 In his chair.