Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1912-05-21
Physicians Hurried to Cell to Minis.
ter to Him-Last Steps
Taken.
THOUGHT FOR THE FAMILY.
Legal Counsel Will Not Attempt
Further Action in
Case.

| BOSTON, MASS, May Io.-CidIeuCe
" T. Richeson, the former clergy
man, who is awaiting execution for
the murder of Avis Linnell, was in
condition last night described by
his attendants at the death cham
Der of the Charlestown state prison
as "hysterical coma"
Attorney William A. Morse, the
condemned mans counsel, arrived at
the state prison just after 8 o'clock
last night and went to the death
house. A few minutes later a call
was sent for Dr. Mclaughlin, the
prison physician, to attend the MUIR
derer. who was moaning in his cell
and apparently in state of col
| lapse.
AS Richeson has requested that a
| clergyman be always with him until
the hour of his death, the Rev. Her.
bert w. Stebbins, the prison chap
lain, was with him during the early
part of the evening. and was reliev-
ed by the Rev. Herbert S. johnson,
who has been selected as spiritual
adviser to the condemned man. The
two ministers will take turns in re-
manning in the death house and will
endeavor to carry out the wishes of
the prisoner.
Throughout the day Richeson had
borne up well under the news that
Governor Foss had refused to refer
his petition for clemency to the ex-
ecutive council. His only comment
on the governors action, which was
allowed to become public, was the
remark:
''As 1 face execution, my princi-
pal thought is not for myself, but
for the sorrow of my family and
friends"
1t was shortly before 10 O'Clock
yesterday morning that Richeson
was informed of Governor Foss re-
fusal to intervene The Rev. Mr..
Johnson and Mr.. Morse en-I
tered the death chamber to-
gether, and a few minutes later Mr..
Morse informed his client that all
hope of commutation was gone.
eve We're talking in a general
way" Mr.. Morse said, afterward,
land there was nothing in the APP
pearance of Richeson to indicate
that he knew his fate. After a time
l mustered courage to say to him:
'Richeson, l have done all that lies
in my power to save you from death,
but my efforts have be unavailing
and the governor has refused posi-
lively to refer your petition to his
council Richeson was standing
when ! gave the news to him, and
aside from a slight dropping of the
head and detected look, there was
absolutely nothing in his manner to|
indicate that he was conscious of
the fate that awaits him.
Eve spent nearly four hours in
discussing many matters Of mo-
ment to him and myself, but there
was nothing in his manner to indi-
cate that he wanted to take the pub
lie further into his confidence, and
felt that he would make no further
statement.
81 was astonished at the way he
took the dreadful news and / feel
sure that he will die as he has lived
during this trying ordeal, brave
man"
When Attorney Morse left the
death chamber last night he stated
that he had found his client in a
very critical condition, that he was
moaning constantly and he feared a
complete collapse.
Mr.. Morse absolutely denied re-
ports that he was preparing petit
ton for an injunction to restrain
Warden Bridges from executing
Richeson on the ground that GER
tain of the alienists had found him