The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-01-09
RICHESON ADMITS
MURDER OF GIRL
TORTURED BY CONSCIENCE, PAS.
TOR CONFESSES.
Prosecution Declares Prisoners Sur
render is Not Result OF COmpr0-
mise-May be Executed.

miSe-May be Executed.
Boston, Jan. 6.-The Rev. Clarence
Y. T. Richeson confessed his guilt OF
the murder of his formec sweetheart
Avis Linnell, of Hyannis, in docu-
ment made publ; Hy his ounsei TO-
day. The confess Oh de-. tat lie
accused is guilty "of the offense OF
which he is indicted,'' which is MUIR
der in the first degree.
Whether Richeson will pay the ex-
treme penalty, which under Massa-
ehusetts' law is death in the electric
chair, no court official cared to pre-
dict today,
= The Confession.
The confession was as follows:
Boston, Jan. 3, 1911.
"John L. Lee, Esq; William A. Morse,
Esq; Philip R. Dunbar, Esq.
~Gentlemen: Deeply pertinent for
my sin and earnestly desiring, as far
as in ny power lies, to make atone
ment, 7 hereby confess that I am
guilty of the offense of which I stand
addicted.
ct am moved to this course by no
anducement of self-beneft or leniency.
Heinous as is my crime, God has not
wholly abandoned me, and my con-
science and manhood, however de-
prayed and blighted, will not admit
of my still further wronglng by a
public trial her whose pure young life
7 have destroyed. Under the lashings
of remorse T have suffered and am
suffering the tortures of the damned.
In this 7 find measure Of comfort.
In my mental anguish recognize that
there is still, by the mercy of the
Master, some remnant Of the divine
spark of goodness still lingering with
in me.
s'I could wish to live only because
within some prisons walls I might in
some small measure redeem my sinful
past and help some other despairing
soul, and at last find favor with my
God.
"You are Instructed to deliver this
10 the district attorney or to the judge
of the court.
"Sincerely yours,
clarence V. T. Richeson."
First Degree Murder.
The indictment against Richeson
charged that he 'feloniously, Wilfully
and of his malice aforethought'' gave
Miss Linnell cyanide Of potassium
with deadly intent and that because of
her death he is guilty of murder in
the first degree.
District Attorney Pelletier declared
today after the confession had been
made public that the trial, set for
January Is, would surely be- called
and that he would accept no compro-
mise in the way of plea to a lesser
crime.
It was pointed out that if the dis
trict attorney maintained this atti-
tude only an insanity commission or
communication by the executive: council
and the governor could save Richeson
from the electric chair. It lies, how
ever, with the court and the district
attorney to accept minor plea, such
modification usually coming through
some weak link in the governments
vase.
Expected by Some.
Today's development in one of the
most interesting murder cases in the
history of the State was not altogeth-
er unexpected by some Of those IN
close touch with the situation. From
the beginning the prosecution has as
serted that it's evidence was strong,
although when it came to the actual
delivery of the poison to the girl
there appeared to be missing link in
the chain.
Richeson himself provided probably
the greatest sensation in the case
when, early on December 20, he mutt
lated himself so horribly that his life
hung in the balance for some hours.
He was saved only by an operation.
J,1oo1ino from his