The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-05-17

~,f,SsTes~ MASS, MAY l4.-~-t lareiacs
VT Rsehesnn must 1je In tho eirctFis
chair at the Chariestown stare prisst'
next week for the murder OF AVE-
I.lnaell. Of Hyannis
His last hope expired today When
Governor Foss stated that he sealid ns'
refer Richeson's petition for e"fnfao'a-
+f1n m the executive council
Tha governors decision came after
reading the reports received tsaaN tt".
tbe six aiienists who were chosen 10
examine the condemned man ne ~
port az the alienlsts vas pracsitm,n
Ia the effect that Richesen is sane ne
GOVERNORS statement follows
.E.xecutsye ciemencv Will not tfe es-
+a,ted in the ease of Clarence v I,
ptcheson. The prisoner was sentenced
,,po,, his own confession. and without
n trial for a crime. which II aopcat :
,nnnassihle that any normal man e""'0
commit. ,.,,..,,
AFTER his confession, his sent'h1",
a pl.a OF insanity Was set up nS hlT
,g-iInE,.t md strongly Supported hA ain
aavits extending over his ihI ~
character of these aihdaVits itif H'
,t,,rr course for the governor than &c
suh,,,i, these. and the prisohef hifsf~
~eir ~ an examination M our iea"i's
alia14ists- In nrll1r- III protect Inc ~. IL
raonwealth from the charge that W.
r,su wss actually insane when the aeed
,as committed AZ we'll as nj The pres
ent tiue. Man,
The evidence shows that Richie.
sons family IL heavily afflicted with
,psanity that he himself Is neruoue,
n communicates and Il neHraEthenA,
thnt ne lis subject 10 extreme emo
tionat disturbances, marked pN loss
az memory, Witch two aiicntsts nave
diagnosed as hystertcal insanity, one
uhysician adding the alternative term
sc sss-.s srtsyss .ssssEtala sac s.istS 2
For!ty opinion Indicating tn1r tt1rsc
attacks arr. hysterical attacks married.
by extreme emotional disturbances %
l,rief duration. with loss Of memory
during the attack and Tor Nafsahs
period following Il.
.sTha evidence, however, while
cicarly revealing these attacks, indf~
Gates that his crime was NOT corr
mitted by him during such an attack,
therefore. while there Is some diver
gence Of opinion among the aheHlsts
as 10 whether these attacks indicate
insanity, there IL sufficient ground Tor
the conclusion that he is aecountapis
for his crime and that the exercise
az executive clemcncy in this instance
woiua be contrary TO the public good
The affidavits and medical evil
deuce as to Richesons unfavnra bic
haraditv his fapses Of consciousness
and his attacks Of deIirium are too
yolun,inous to include hi this state
ment. and are not suited to publica-
ton
With probably only three mora
DAYS OF life ahead OF him, Richeson
was still cheerful In the death cell at
C'harlestown today. He passed
very restless night. but today was
much more comforta BILE
He ate a very hearty dinner this
noon, consisting of two chops. pota-
toes, toast. strawberries. and smoked
a cigar afterwards. During his din
ner DIR. McIHfus Hin, the prison doe
tor, called on him. and declared that
his condition was evry much Ina
proved.
Richescn chatted at considerable
length, this morning, and again in the
afternoon with Rev. II. III. Stebhins.
chaplain of the prison.
Richeson spent the greater part OF
the afternoon reading the Bible and
the regiigious books which Chaplain
Stebbins took to him.
The prisoner will not be given The
fatal news until tomorrow. The eAe
cution will probably take place Mon
day morning.