New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-13
R|CHESON UNMOvED BY
CHO|R'S OMNIBUS SONG
Jail Singers Peal Forth "You'II
Be a Long Time Dead" as
AIieniStS Examine Murderer.
UNDERCOES LONG ORDEAL
Prisoner Sits Facing Church
Scene While Experts Test
His Sanity, but He
Shows No Fear.
by telegraph to TIC Tribune !

by telegraph q TIC Tribune
Boston. May 12-Strains Of you'll Be
Long Time Dead" sung by the choir Of the
Charles street jail, failed to stir Clarence
V. r. Richeson, the murderer of Miss Avis
L,nnell. while he was undergoing vigorous
examination at the hands Of alcnists TO-
DAY. RiCheson was sitting in the Sheriff
lcuSe, opposite the jail. when the robust
voices of the singers began to ring out the
Cminous words of the familiar song. the
prisoner showed no emotion, and apparently
listened TO the music as unconcernedly as II
the shadow Of death were not lowering over
him
The board Of insanity experts selected by
Governor Foss TO examine into the mental
condition Of Richeson subjected the prisoner
to-day TO tho most exhaustive tests known
Their examination occupied almost the en-
tire day.
II was doubtless the most critical day Tor
tho former Baptist clergyman since he re-
Ceivcd mis- death sentence. early in January.
rom the time RiCheson admitted the Kill
uIg OF his former sweetheart. who stood III
the way Of his marriage to the wealthy
Miss Violet Edmands. Of Brookline. his
counsel have been working 10 secure
finding that the prisoner was mentally IRE
sponsihle for his act
Governor Against Death Penalty.
They were gratfed when. on Friday last,
Governor Fosy, who Is avowedly everse TO
the death penalty. named three prominent
alienists to make an impartial report for
his guidance in the matter Uf submitting
Richesons petition for Communication OF
sentence 10 tho council for Clemency.
The commission includes Or. Henry Rust
Stedman. Of BrOokline, chairman Of the
board of trustees Of the Taunton Insane
Hospital. DR. George T. Tutt'o. sunerin-
terdert Of the Mclean Insane Hospital. and
Henry r. Frost, superintendent of the Stat"
Insane Hospital They spent two hours
With Richeson ct tho Charles street jail on
SATURDAY morning. when q preliminary ex-
animation vas made
To-day the experts notified Sheriff Quinn
that they would hn al the Jail carly. As
on Saturday. Picheson was released from
his cell and escorted 20 the big music room
Of the Sheriff'e house. IN the Jail yard
Here during q create part e :hc cYawi-
nation the former clergyman set directly
N front Of = large painting Of church
scene. a copy Of the Blessing or the
Bread" tho original ~ which is IN the
Luxembourg gallery
Richeson shO7ed no trsce ~ nervousness
as he walked 10 the Sheriffs house. and
a. the completion Of the long ordeal Ne an
parAntlv was i'm excellent condition.
Aierists Are Silent
To avoid meeting newspaper men and ?
crowd Of tho curious about the iIii doors
the physicians arranged that their cab
should pass through the large csrr'age gat"
into the yard before they alighted They
left the Jail in the same way ~ the "nd
~ the daV and avoided discuss ng with
any one the results OF their examination.
Sheriff quinn did not attend the eNaml-
nation, but posted his guards outside the
room. with ono attendant inside. The
work % examination continued uninter-
ruptedlv from $50 a IN. until 1880 p. IN.
At that time Richesou sisnifed = desire
for his dinner Sheriff Quinn was called
and the prisoner was taken back to his
cell where he partook heartily Of Tho spe-
cial food which daily is sent 10 him from
! a restaurant outside.
Pichesou apparently was hearing him
/ self well and showed no fatigue. About
| . o'clock he was taken again % tho Sh"I-
| ifs house and tho aliensts resumed their
work The second session lasted until
| $40 O'Clock When it was over Richcson
/ bado the visitors good afternoon and vas
| returned 10 his cell. his carriage as b."
marched across tho Jail Yard being appar-
| entity one of hopcfulness, even Of conf
doncc.
I lie ate hearty supper aud tonight
! WAS reading in his cell, being allowed the
/ Suuda- papers, from which had been
clipped all reference TO his own case.
! II is believed that the alieuists completed
! their examination to-da". although th'E
would not state conclusivcly 10 the SheFirf
! that they would not return.
! 1t is expected the physicians report viii
/ be ready for the Governor some time be-
| fore the meeting Of the Executive Council,
| which is TO he held on Wednesday.
| At that time the Governor can ask the
| council TO commute the sentence Of Rich"-
| son TO life imprisonment if tho aiienists
rcport that the prisoner was insane a. the
! time he committed the crime. If they re
rort he was sane then, but Is insane now,
| The Governor can only ask that the council
grant reprieve until the prisoner IS sane.
| In this case. should sanity return. Richie
| son would he executed. Tie Governor
wouId have no voice in whatever action the
/ council might take.
II the council declines to take any action
on Wednesday. Richeson will be at once
| removed to the Charlestown state prison,
! there to await execution during the week
beginning May 10.