The Anaconda standard., 1895-11-07
Mr.. RICE TESTIFIES
II Is Probable That He Is Innocent Of
the Charge.
A CHINAMAN ON THE STAND
The Defendant Heard the Shots
and Ran ExoltedIy Into the
Arms Of a Cop-To-Day
VIII Decide IL.

on Rice. the Casino actor. While
some things appeared suspicious in the
testimony the defense was strong and
few of those who have listened to the
testimony have any doubt of the in
nocence of the accused. The case was
resumed at o'clock yesterday after
noon. L. w. Weaver was put on the
stand for the defendant and testified
that he was in the doorway of the
Sazarac saloon. near the corner or
Broadway and Academy. just after
the shots were fired. and saw Rice
come around the corner of Academy
street into Broadway and run east,
passing the saloon where he was
standing The Morier block is at the
corner of Academy and Broadway,
the door ITO the rooms of Rice and and
Lang being on Academy street.
Shorty Bruce, the painter and paper
hanger. said he roomed in the Morier
building: heard Rice and Lang go up
to their rooms between 2 and o'clock
and heard them go down again after
the shots were fired.
v. M. Keeton. proprietor of the
Sazarac saloon. saw Rice pass there,
after coming around the corner of
Academy, followed by Lang. Rice
spoke to him and he answered. Rice
seemed to have been drinking.
WAS Rice a hard drinker?" asked
Mr.. Brodle. who acted as attorney for
the defendant.
II thought he was an easy drinker,"
replied Keeton.
Sing Wing. "A Chinaman who keeps
a laundry in West Broadway, next TO
the Holmes house. was the net wit
ness for the defense and said he heard
the shots while asleep in his bed. He
said that was all he knew about it.
This greatly excited Mr. Brodie, who
concluded that his witness had been
tampered with and began to question
him as to an interview the Chinaman
had had with a police representative
after the close of court the day before.
81 object to the defense trying to
impeach it's own witness" said Mr.
Mattison.
This Chinaman has been tampered
with" declared Brodie.
Evidently he Is not living up to his
agreement. or at least to what he was
expected to testify to-" said Mr.. Matti-
son. 'ibut that does not indicate that
he has been tampered with"
There was no cross-examination. W.
c. Stockdale. an actor at the Casino,
was the next witness He said he was
drinking with Rice. Lang and others
from o'clock that morning until
little after 3 o'clock. He thought the
defendant drank IL or II beers. Rice
and Lang left the Casino together.
Mr.. Brodie then began to address the
court. Judge Turner interrupted him
to say that perhaps Mr.. Brodie was not
aware that the prosecution was en-
titled to the opening address. Mr..
Brodie apologized and sat down Mr..
Mattison said he would waive his
opening address. MIR. Brodie then re-
sumed. He said that the least the
court could do was to honorbaly dis
charge the defendant. He said the
prosecution had totally failed to make
case and he proceeded Ito review the
testimony. Suddenly he again apollo
gized and said he had forgot to put
the witness on the stapd. He then
placed the defendant on the stand.
Rice said:
Il am an actor. a comedian. The
night of this highway robbery / had
been drinking in the theater until 10
or Is minutes after 3 o'clock. 1 went
home with Lang. and we went up to
Lang's room in the Morier block. We
were discussing the matter of the
speaking of lines on the stage. Ned
asked me what time it was, and
looked and saw Ii was half-past 3
o'clock About seven or eight minutes
after that we heard a shot, followed
by a scream. We went to the window
and opened 1t and heard another shot
VIC NNhN uONh lnlO NIt
As We passed the Sazarac / said to
Keeton, Where Is it. Keet. old boyY
i didn't wait to hear mis- answer but
hurried on. / was not running very
fast. but on a kind of a jog. / ran
into a policeman's arms just before
reached the opera house. He asked me
what / was running for. and l said,
What Is everybody running for?
Lang came up jusN then and told who
/ was The officers let me go. We
went up TO Lang's room again and
after a few minutes / went to my
own room and went TO bed. The next
j knew l was awakened by loud
knocking and calling. / went to the
door and saw three officers there. They
took me TO the county Jail. MCGOWAN
was brought in and said he didn't
think was the man. that It was a
stouter man. differently dressed. Then
they locked me up."
Was you drunk?" asked Brodie.
II was kind of Jagged. not drunk"
Regarding the story that he had
been arrested on a similar charge in
Chicago. Rice said he was never ar
rested before in mis- life and was never
in JAN in his life. The statement made
by Officer Baldisero and other officers
that he had made such a statement
he characterized as a lie. To Mr.. Mat
tison's question he said he had re-
marked 10 two policemen that he was
once molested in Chicago. He was
going to the stage entrance OF the
Lyceum theater In Chicago when two
policemen stopped him and wanted TO
know who he was and where he was
going. He told them and he was al
lowed TO 20 one. He had related this
incident on the street. he said. TO the
chief OF police and another policeman,
burt he had not said it at the time OF
his arrest.
That's how they came TO be ringing
this in on me-" said Rice. Mr.. Matelson
questioned him as TO his connection
with Holmes. the actor convicted OF
robbery in Tacoma. Rice said he knew
Holmes. but had no connection with
him at all and was glad he was con-
victed because he thought he deserved
81. That closed the evidence.
Go ahead. Brodie. say IL all over
again" said MattisOn
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