Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1912-01-07
HE WILL LIKELY
receive ONLY A
LIFE SENTENCE
thinks DISTRICT ATTORNEY
Former Pastor Made CODfGS-
sion In Writing

BOSTON Mass, January 6.-Goaded
,y q guilty conscience until he could
n 1opger conceal his terrible secret,
ACIarence V. T. Richeson, the former
SRaptist minister of Cambridge, accus-
ed of the murder of Avis Linnell, a
music student, today made confession
4 #ot the crime.
The confession made by the forme"
minister was in written form and was
addressed to John l.. Lee, William A.
Morse and Phillip r. Dunbar, coun>
sci and friends of the accused man.
The full text of the confession is
las follows:
John L. Lee, Esq, VIM. A. Morse,
Esq. Phillip r. Dunbar, Esq.
"Gentlemen-Deeply penitent for
8my sin and earnestly desiring, as far
5 as in my power lies, to ankle atone
q lnent, I hereby confess that l am gull
4 ty of the offense of which | stand in
dicted
q am moved to this course by no
Sinducement of self-benefit or lenien-
zcy Heinous as is my crime, God has
not wholly abandoned me, and my
conscience and manhood, however, de-
PRAYED and blighted, will not admit
Of my still further wronging, by a
public trial, her whose pure young
] life have destroyed.
Under the lashings of my remorse
have suffered and am suffering the
stOrtures of the damned In this'I find
a measure of comfort. In my mental
anguish l recognize that there is still,
by the mercy of the Master some REM
nant of the divine spark of goodness
still lingering with me.
Il could only wish to live because
within some prison walls l might ii
some small measure redeem my sim
ful past, help some other despairing
soul and at last find favor with my
God.
You are instructed to deliver this
to the district attorney or to the
Judge Of the court. Sincerely yours,
CLARENCE V. T. RICHESON."
The written confession was given
70 the newspaper men in the offices of
Counsel Morse. After all the papers
had been found to be represented, Mr..
Morse said:
Gentlemen, l now give you Mr.
Hcheson's confession"
Those who paused to ask for some
iorther explanation, were told that
mere was nothing to be said at that
ome. The fact that the confession
was dated three days ago was pointad
OUT 10 the counsel, but they refused
10 comment on it.
District Attorney Pelletier declared
FHcheson's trial would go on just
One same, no matter what statement
1nsht have been given out by the
prisoner. 1t was charged that Richie
son sent cyanide of potassium to Miss
'''l'neII IN the guise of a drug that
WOULD relieve her of an embarrassing
physical condition.
AS Richeson stands today before
N'e law, he is indicted for the mur-
IN tae first degree. of Miss Lin
neil by giving her a quantity of cy.
''Ue OIL potassium. The penalty fol
s0cA crime in Massachusetts is
'''2 IN the electric chair. If Richie
,o" stands trial in court a week from
.'0"uay and acknowledges his gull
"5cordance with his statement q
'''' 'he court, under the law. woul;
We Obliged to impose the death sen.
.''ce' in the opinion of the court
mouse officials.
IL is intimated, however, that eff
W. 'S are now being made to hav,
'ecused minister enter a plea 0
S before the court, the under
tnE @"ulnE being that the district at
f,a e' VIII ask for leniency and tn
n,' -poS'uon of life sentence in tn
penitentiary.