New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-09
Governor Tells Council He Prob
ably Will Not Present Plea
for Communication to 1t.
MORMONS DENY MURDERER
Church Leaders and His Attor-
ney Disavow Woman's Charge,
but It's Truth Is Again
Asserted.
rBy Telegraph 10 The Tribune

son. slayer of Miss Avis Linnell, for com
mutation Of his sentence to life imprison-
ment will fail and that he will he exc
cuted at the state prison in CharlestoWn
during the week beginning May ~. Gov
ernor Foss told the members of the EX-
ecutive Council at their meeting to-day
that probs bly, he would not refer the petit
ton of RlChesOn to them. The Council
can take no action unless the Governor
submits the plea to it, The consent OF
this body is necessary TO Communication.
Significant at the meeting to-day was
the remark Of the Governor to Lieutenant
Governor Luce. who had planned to go to
his farm in Maine for a vacation of ten
DAYS lie asked the Governor whether his
absence would cause any Inconvenience in
the consideration Of the RiCheson case.
The Governor told him to go to Maine.
Nj. Foss himself is opposed to capital
punishment. hut most Of tie council are III
favor of il Again only one of the eight
members is Democrat and the sessions
OF the council are not always pleasant. the
Republicans opposing the Governor strenu-
ously at times
The case Of Silas y. Phelps, who was ex-
ecutcd foI the murder Of sheriff, is con-
sidered as indicating that there is no hope
Tor Eicheson. Governor Foss strongly
u-Ecd the council to commute the sentence
OF a rccr. ignorant mill worker. who had
provocation in the fact that the Sheriff
broke into his dwelling The council how
ever refused to extend clemenoy.
Puzzle Opinion Against Richeson.
PutMe opinion IS strongly against
leniency for R!cheson, and the Governor
l., al ief
examine the former Baptist clergyman. but
the doctor has not reported that the muir
derer IS mentally unbalanced The publi-
cation Of an affidavit by Mrs. Louie Brit
tain that Richesou was a Mormon elder
served further 10 lessen RicheSonS chances
for life although il was denied. in behalf
OF the Governor that the affidavit had any
thing to do with his failure to refer the
Commutdtion plea to the Executive Council
The council meets every Wednesday. Tn
less the RchesOn case is put before il next
Wednesday Richeson will die in the electric
chair early Monday morning. May ~. In
the opinion Of the Lieutenant Governor and
the other members of the council the case
is closed unless something unforeseen hap
pens.
Realizing the injury TO his case that the
woman's affidavit had produced, William
A Morse. attorney for Richeson made pub
lie to-day an affidavit by three generally
recognized Boston Mormons that RiChesOn
was not a member of that sect and never
had been In reply 10 the second affidavit,
William a. Thibodeau. counsel for Mrs.
Britain the former celestial wife of
New York man, asserted that Mr.. Morse
could not know the real state Of things.
Denials from Senator Reed Smoot and from
one of the counsellors Of the Mormon
Church at Salt Lake City were received
here to-day.
report is being circulated that the
affidavit Of Mrs. Britain was published as
means of defending another woman.
Has Record Of Richeson's Life.
William 4. Morse, in denying the former
minister's Mormon afiliaton said
We have a record in shorthand of every
thing that Richeson has ever done. ! know
lust what he has done in every year of
his life He was not in Staten Island in
1909 as this woman charges. The story is
a foolish fake of the same kind as the
letters / get every day from various peO-
rle, most Of them claiming to be messages
from heaven. The story is absolutely IN
true"
Tie second affidavit in the case was
made to-day by John y. WhitesdeS,
Lawrence w Richards and Leslie II. Van
DYKE elders Of the Mormon Church in
Massachusetts. In the affidavit the elders
state that Mrs. Britain was excommuni-
Gated from the Mormon body last March
for improper conduct and for bearing
false witness against the church and mis-
representing its doctrines and practices"
The elders further say that there is no
rnarriaCe in the Mormon Church whereby
The laws Of the states are not complied
With. and that they know personally that
Richeson was never allied in any way with
the denomination.
Washington. May 3-Senator Smoot, Of
Utah. to-day denied that Kicheson was a
member OF the Mormon Church. Senator
Smoot said
tain that Clarence V. r. Richeson is an
elder Of the Mormon Church is malicious
fslsehood. Hcheson IS not now nor ever
has been an elder, or even member, Of
the Mormon Church. ! am informed that
Mrs Britain was excommunicated from
p the Ghg and Sas eT roSctions upon the Nor
mon Church is undoubtedly the reason for
her statement
Salt Lake city. Utah. May sc. W
Penrose second counsellor to Joseph T.
Smith. president Of the Mormon Church.
denies that Clarence V r. Wcheson is a
member OF the Mormon Church or that he
Is in any way affiliated with that faith.
According to Penrose the story given out
nv Mrs Louise T.. Britain is false in every
respect He denies that signs ever are
used by the Mormons in greeting one an
other and that IL is the common practice
for elders of the church TO occupy pulpits
OF evangelical churches which baptize by
immersion.
Clarence V. T. RichesOn is not mem
her Of the Mormon Church and was never
present at a Mormon conference in Staten
Island. IL was asserted in a statement
issued last night by W. 5. Langdon, act
ing president Of the Eastern States Mis-
sion of the Church of Jesus Christ Of
Latter Day Saints, with headquarters here.
The only conferences Of the Church ever
held in this city were held at it's head
quarters No. SO West 1880 street Mr..
Lanzdon declared There are no members
OF the Church on Staten Island, he said,
and no Mormon missionary has ever la
bored there.
COULDN'T FIND THE ORDINANCE.
Henry Dorm. who has fruit store at No.
3sl Third avenue, where his father had
been in the business for forty years,