Omaha daily bee., 1912-01-07
ADMITS
MURDER OF GIRL
Minister Confesses that He Gave
Cyanide to Avis Linnell, His
Former Sweetheart.
INSISTS ON MAKING STATEMENT
District Attorney Denies COmprO-
mise by which Man Indicted
for First Degree Murder May
Get Light Penalty.

BOSTON, Jan. 1.-THE Rev. Clarence v,
T. Richeson confessed to the murder OF
his former sweetheart Avis Linnen OF
Hyannis In a document presented by his
counsel today. His confession declares
that the accused Is guilty. of the offense
for which he is indicted, which is murder
I'm the first degree,
Whether Rlcheson will pay the extreme
penalty, which under the Massachusetts,
law is death In the electric chair, no court
official cared to predict today.
The confession was az follows:
BOSTON, Jan. ., igi2.-John l.. Lee.
william ~ Morse. Philip II. Dunbar
Gentlemen; Deeply penitent for my SIN.
and earnestly desiring, as far as In my
power lies, to make Rtonement, hereby
cunfees that am guilty OF the offense OF
which stand indicted.
am moved to this course by no In
ducement of saee-benofit or leniency.
Helnous as is my crime, God has not
wholly abandoned me, and my conscience
and manhood, however depraved and
blighted, will not admit of my still fur
ther wrongng. by public trial, her
whose pure, young life l have destroyed,
Under the ashings Of remorse, have
suffered and am suffering the tortures
OF the damned. / this l find a measure
of comfort. In my mental anguish
recognize that there is still, by the mercy
of the Master, some remnant Of the d.
vine spark of goodness still lingering with
me. could wish to live only because
within some PRISONS walls | might in
some small measure, redeem my sinful
past, help some other despairing soul, at
least, find favor with my God.
You are instructed to deliver this TO
the district attorney or to the Judge Of
the court.
Sincerely yours,
CLARENCE V. Il. RICHESON.
The indictment against Iticheson
charged that he "felonously, wlllfuly
ard of his malice aforethought" gave Miss
Linnen cyanide OF potassium with deadly
intent.
District Attorney Pelletler declared to-
day after the confession had been made
public that the trial set for January 10
would surely be called and that he would
accept no compromise in the way OF a
plea TO a lesser CRIME.
II was pointed out that II the district
attorney maintained this attitude, only
on insanity commission or commutation
by tho executive council and the gov
ernor could save Richeson from the
electric chair.
Todays developments in one OF the
most interesting murder cases In the
history Of the state were not altogether
unexpected by some OF those In close
touch with the situation From the be-
ginning tho prosecution authorities have
asserted that their evidence was strong,
although when IL came TO the actual de-
livery Of the poison to the girl, there
appeared TO be a missing link In the
chain.
lacheson, himself, provided probably
the greatest sensation of the case, when
in the early hours Of the morning OF
December 90 he so severely mutilated
himself that his life hung in the bal
ance for some hours and was saved only
by an operation.
Insisted ON COnfessing.
II is said TO have been at that time
that Richeson first insisted upon confess
ing Even while bleeding from his
wounds, he is said to have clung TO his
counsel, William A. Morse, and pleaded
to be allowed to tell him the whole
story. Feeling that his client might be
Iaboring from loss OF mental, as well
as physical strength. Mr.. Morse refused
to hear him and during his GONZALES
cence, Rlcheson remained quiet, in fact,
almost speechless.
When the attorneys visited their client
early this week, Richeson cried out that
ne was guilty ana declared his intention
to make a clean breast OF the crime. He
plainly was under great mental stress
and hic ondition was such that his coun-
sci would not accept his suggestion. They
urged him 10 think the matter over more
colmly and lift him. on Wednesday the
attorneys against visited his cell and the
! confession, was written by the prisoner
In spite Of efforts Of counsel TO dissuade
| him. as they found the mental strain
had weakened his reasoning powers
Rlcheson insisted. however. and prepared