1912-05-08-Meriden Morning Record-Says Richeson Mormon Elder

Says Richeson has been a Mormon Elder Several Years

Meriden Morning Record, 8 May 1912, p. 1

Mrs. Louise E. Brittain in sworn statement claims murderer was secretly connected with Mormon organization while preaching from Baptist pulpit.

Says Mormon Signs were Always Answered

Woman Recently Divulged Her Knowledge to Close Friends and They Prevailed on Her to Make an Affidavit.

Boston, May 7--Clarence V. T. Richeson, under sentence of death for the murder of Miss Avis Linell has been a Mormon elder and secretly connected with the Mormon organization for several years though preaching from a Baptist pulpit, according to a sworn statement just made before William A. Thibodeau, an attorney and justice of the peace.

Author of Affidavit.

The author of the affidavit, Mrs. Louise E. Brittain claims to have been formerly connected with the Mormon church and to have been a celestial wife of a New York man who is at the head of the Mormon organization in the east. In the statement, Mrs. Britain says she has known Richeson for several years past, first meeting him three years ago at a Mormon conference held on Staten Island, where she says the Baptist clergyman was recognized as one of the Mormon elders and was particularly active in the affairs of the conference.

Has Seen Him Many Times.

She has seen him many times in and about Boston and has given him the Mormon signs which were always answered, she claims. She says she attended a Mormon conference at Providence, R. I., a little over a year ago at which Richeson was present and that she received commands from him as a Mormon elder at a Boston gathering of the leaders of the church.

Becomes Converted.

A short time ago, Mrs. Brittain became converted from Mormonism, she says, though for eight years previously she had been aiding in the propaganda of the Mormon church in Boston and New England. According to Attorney Thibodeau of the firm of Thibodeau and Ellsworth, who gave out the affidavit tonight, Mrs. Brittain recently divulged to some of her close friends her knowledge of Richeson's alleged connection with the Mormon church, and she was prevailed upon to make the facts known previous to the time set for the execution of Richeson as it was felt that the information if withheld until after his death would seem unfair.

Mrs. Louie E. Brittain has become known during the past few years to Evangelical Workers in and about Boston.

Gives Interview.

In an interview tonight during which she was accompanied by Duncan A. McPhee, secretary of the Evangelical Alliance, Mrs. Brittain said that to the best of her belief Richeson was converted to Mormonism while still a student at William Jewell College in Liberty, Mo., from which he was expelled in 1909. At that time Richeson became attached to a young woman who now makes her home in Salt Lake City. To this young woman is due Richeson's trend toward mormonism, Mrs. O. Brittain believes. The affidavid, which was given out prior to the interview described some of the meetings at which she said she had seen Richeson and concluded as follows: "I have always considered Elder Clarence V. T. Richeson a member of the Mormon organization in good and perfect understanding and do the present day, and believe that he is considered so by the Mormon organization.

"While it is not common, it is not unusual to find the more educated of the Mormon elders preaching in the pulpits of Evangelical churches, which baptized by immersion.