Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1912-01-06
R|CHESON HAS
CONFESSED
Boston Baptist Minister De.
clares He Poisoned His
Sweetheart
NO DETAILS GIVEN OF DEED
Statement Made Public by His
Counsel at One O'clock
This Afternoon.

L o..
Richeson, former pastor OF Emmanuel
Baptist Church of Cambridge, today
made a written confession to the effect
that he poisoned his former sweet
heart, Avis Linnell The statement
was given into ,le hands of his coun-
sci, who made it public at l p. N.
The confession, bearing Richeson's
signature, reads:
Il hereby confess that l am guilty
o. the offense of which | stand indict-
ed"
No details are given
Suffers Tortures of the Damned.
Boston, Mass, Jan. 6.-The full text
OF the confession follows:
Boston, Mass, Jan. 8, 1912.
John l.. Lee, Esq,
William A. Morse, Esq,
Phillip R. Dunbar, Esq,
"Gentlemen-Deeply penitent for
my sin and earnestly desiring, so far
as in my power lies, to make atone
ment l hereby confess that | am gull
tv of the offense of which l stand in
dicted.
Il am moved to this course by no
IiIducement of self benefit or leniency.
Heinous as is my crime, God has not
wholly abandoned me, and my con-
science and manhood, however. de-
praved and blighted, will not admit of
my still further wrongdoing, By a
public trial, her whose life I have
destroyed. Under the lashings of re-
morse, I have suffered and am suffer
ing the tortures of the damned. In
this l find a measure of comfort. In
my mental anguish, I recognize that
there is still, by the mercy of the Mas
ter, some remnant of the Divine spark
OF goodness still lingering with me.
l could wish to live only because with
in some prison walls I might, in some
measure redeem my sinful 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
JuuSe Ol lH6 court.
Sincerely yours,
CLARENCE V. 7. RICHESON."
Just before noon today the Judges
Of the Superior court and the district
attorney went into conference at tie
court house, and about an hour later
representatives of the press were call
ed to the Office of William A. Morse,
leading counsel for the accused clergy
man.
In the Office were nearly dozen
newspapermen, to whom Mr.. Morse
said: Gentlemen, now give you Mr..
Richesons confession"
Trial Will Go On.
Typewriter sheets containing the
confession were then handed tn the
newspapermen, and those who paused
to ask for some further explanation
were told that there was nothing more
to be said at this time.
The fact that confession was dated
three days ago was pointed out to the
counsel, but they refused to comment
on it.
District Attorney Pelletier said:
"The trial will go on just the same. no
r,atter what statement may be issued
by Richeson."
Electrocution the Penalty.
Richeson was indicted for the muir
der in the first degree of Miss Linnell
by giving her cyanide of pota ssium.
The penalty for such crime in Mas
sachusetts is electrocution.
May Save His Life.
Boston, Mass. Jan. 6-District
Attorney Pelletier later admitted that
Richeson possibly might be brought
into court before the day set for the
trial, but that such action would de-
pend on the attitude of his counsel
This was regarded as indicating that
some legal way to accept plea of
guilty of murder in the second degree
and permit a life sentence might be
found.
VIII Not Accept None But First De.
gree Plea.
Boston, Mass, Jan. 6.-Late this
afternoon, Mr.. Pelletier said. Il have
no discretion in this matter except to
accept first degree plea of guilty.
shall not accept a second degree plea
or a manslaughter plea. Poisoning is
a first degree offense and you cannot
make anything else out of it," Mr.. and
Mrs. Moses Grant Edrnands, parents
of Miss Violet Edmande, to whom
Richeson was engaged to be married,
refused to comment on the confession.
Neither would they say where their
daughter was staying at present.