Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-11-02
Jones, His Secretary and Valet,
Attempts TO Kill Himself.
AFTER MAKING CONFESSION.
Taken to u Hospital for Treatment and
Placed UDder Guard-Tho Assistant Dis
trsot Attorney for Greatep, Now York
Gives Out the Facts Related to Him by
One of the Accused Nen-Tho Part Play
ed by Patrick. the Dead MillloDalre's
Attorney.

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(By Telegraph to Virginlan- Pilot.)
New York, Nov. 1.-The death of the
wealthy William Marsh Rice at his
Madison avenue apartment on Septem-
Der 23d; the attempt of his New York
attorney. Albert II. Patrick, to cash
checks for large amounts which pur-
ported TO be signed by the miliionaire;
the refusal of one bank to cash the
checks drawn on 1t and the discovery
by the bank officials that MIR. Rice was
lying dead at the time the checks were
presented; the subsequent claim by
Patrick that Mr.. Rice had made him
by VIII the trustee of his estate, which
amounts to anywhere from s3,000,000 to
SS,000.OOO; the charge of forgery, both as
regards the checks and the will placed
against Patrick and Mr.. Rice's valet,
Charles II. Jones; the arrest of Patrick
ana Jones and their lodgment in jail,
have kept New York interested for over
month in what, by the developments
OF to-day promises to become the most
celebrated OF the many celebrated
crimes which the courts OF this city
have been called on to investigate The
first incident which led up to to-day's
climax was the fact disclosed yesterday
that Valet Jones had been taken to the
District Attorneys office and the subse-
Quent rumor that he had made q con-
fession to the authorities. Before the
public had time to learn if the report
of n confession was true came the more
startling news that during the night
Jones had in his cell In the Tombs at
tempted suicide by cutting his throat
with a pen knife given him, he says, by
Attorney Patrick, also confined in the
Tombs, and for the purpose of getting
rid of one witness to Patrick's alleged
crime.
THE CRIME.
His crime. according to the confess
sion of Jones. parts of which the Dis
trict Attorneys Office gave out to-day,
was nothing less than the murder OF
the millionaire by Attorney Patrick
and the purloining of valuable papers
relating to the estate. The taking off
of Mr. Rice, says Jones, was done by
the internal administration of some
poison, supposedly mercury. and the
final application of a towel saturated
with some anaesthetic. presumably
chloroform. Attorney Patrick denies
having furnished Jones the pen-knife,
and he also denies the statements in
the confession.
JONES LIFE SAVED.
Jones. after his suicidal attempt. was
taken to Bellevue Hospital, hastily
summoned physicians having just been
in time to save him from death
through loss of blood. At o'clock to-
night the hospital surgeons said he
was slightly better, and the chances
are that in q few days he will again
be placed in the Tombs.
The coroner's investigation into the
death OF Millionaire Rice, which was
to have been held to-day and which
had previously been adjourned to
await the report of the chemist who
had examined portions of the remains
for traces of poison. was again ad-
journed because of the new develop
ments in the case.
OTHER DETAILS.
New York, Nov. 1.-Charles T. Jones'
secretary and valet to the late mil
lionaire William Marsh Rice, made a
desperate effort early this morning to
commit suicide in his cell in the
Tombs. He hacked the right side of
his throat with small pen knife,
making a deep wound and slightly
opening the jugular.
He was discovered by one of the
keepers about o'clock. He had been
breeding tfIgT for half an hour or more
and was extremely weak. He would
have died had he gone 15 minutes
longer without medical care.
REMOVED TO HOSPITAL.
AS it was, the ambulance surgeon
had to administer stimuiants repeat
eddy before he dared to put the man
in the ambulance for removal to the
hospital. At the hospital Jones was
placed in the prison ward and a po-
liceman and two keepers were assign
ed to guard him. Along towards s
o'clock he had regained his strength
somewhat, but nobody was allowed to
see him. The Assistant District At
torney this afternoon gave out the
facts concerning an interview had with
Jones. in which the valet made a con-
fession.
THE WALLETS CONFESSION.
Tuesday afternoon" said MIR. Os-
borne, II received message that
Charles +. Jones, in the city prison.
desired to see me. went to see Jones.
and he was brought down to the
warden's office, and l asked him If he
wanted to see me. He said he did I
told him that the law did not require
him to make a statement. and explain
ed that anything he might state might
be used against him, and that I was
not his lawyer. l told him that he had
lawyer. and that he had better con-
suit with him II he thought necessary.
He said he voluntarily desired to make
q statement.
WITNESSES CALLED IN.
II thereupon sent for Captain Nc
Cluskey, James Byrne, of Hornblower,
Byrne, Miller & Potter. Mr.. Miller. of
the same firm, and In their presence.
Charles f. Jones made his statement to
me. Without going into full detail, he
stated in substance that what Weth-
erbee testified was true. He said that
for some days prior to Rice's death
Patrick had given Mr.. Rice tablets or a
grayish color; that Mr.. Rice took these