Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1900-11-02
saw RICE MURDERED.
Jones Says Patrick Committed
the Crime.
THE Ex.yALET ATTEMPTS SUICIDE.
He Declares Patrick Gave Him the Knife,
with Which to Kill HimseIf-Had Pre-
vlousIy Made the Confession - mpris-
oned Attorney Makes Denial.


oned Attorney Makes Denial.
New York, Nov. 2.--The death Of
the wealthy William Marsh Rice at
his Madison avenue apartments on
Sept. %; the attempt Of his New York
attorney, Albert T. Patrick, to cash
checks for large amounts which pur.
ported to be signed by the million
aire; the refusal of one bank to cash
the checks drawn ON it, and the dis
covery by the bank officials that Mr..
Rice was lying dead at the time the
checks were presented; the subse-
quent claim by Patrick that Mr.. Rice
had made him, by will, the trustee of
his estate, which amounts TO any
where between $4,000,000 and $4,000.
600, the charge of forgery both as
regards the checks and will placed
against Patrick and Mr.. Rice's valet,
Charles +. Jones; the arrest of Patrick
and Jones and their Judgment in jail,
have been followed by an attempt OF
Jones to suicide, and a confession he
has made.
Jones. in his cell in the Tombs, at.
tempted suicide by cutting his throat
with a penknlfe given him, he says,
by Attorney Patrick, also confined
in the Tombs, and for the purpose OF
getting rid of one of the witnesses to
Patrick's alleged crime. Jones was
taken to Bellevue hospital The ply
sicans said he would recover.
His crime, according to the confes.
sion of Jones, parts of which the Dis.
trict Attorneys office gave out, was
nothing less than the murder of the
millionaire by Attorney Patrick and
the purloning of valuable papers re
lating to the estate. The taking off
of Mr.. Rice, says Jones. was done by
the internal administration of some
poisonA supposedly mercury, and the
final application of a towet saturated
with some anaesthetic. presumably
chloroform. The portion of the con
fession which had to do with the
last moments of the old man is the
following, given out by the authori
ties as coming from Jones. the scene
taking place in the apartments of The
millionaire. and he lying sick in bed
Rice said. II am very nervous, Mr.
Patrick | wish you wouldn't trouble
me. Please go away"
Patrick replied: II have some salts
here. Mr. Rice, that will cure youl
nervousness
He produced a bottle and uneorked
it. The contents smelled to me like
some very strong liniment.
Then Patrick said TO me: "Get me
a towel and a sponge" ] got him
both. Then Patrick said:
Clones, you have to leave" | left
AS | was leaving Patrick said: I'll
remain here until Mr.. Rice gets t.
sleep" He closed the door behind
me.
I stood in the hall for few min
utes and soon I heard Mr.. Rice laugh
/ thought this was queer, so | pushed
open the door. | saw Mr.. Rice lying
on his back in bed.
The towel that | had given Patrick
was wrapped around the sponge In
some shape. This cone was lying di
rectly over Mr.. Rice's eyes and nose
Patrick was pressing it down with
his right hand. Patrick did not SEE
me. and. of courst. Mr.. Rice could
not After seeing what | had seer
went and lay on my bed
Mr.. Rice grew very sick. Patrick
said to me:
eco get a doctor"
I went for one. He pronounced Mr.
Rice dead.
According to Jones, Rice had threat
ened to appeal to the authorities il
Patrick did not deliver over to him
Patrick on the night of the murder
came in with the papers. Then fol
lowed the scene described above.
Afterward occurred the purloinine
of valuable papers, the episode of the
checks, etc
In addition TO the confession OBJ
tanned from Jones much information
was obtained from the valet in re-
gard to the finances of the old mil
lionaire and the various documents he
signed This viii prove of great value
to the Texas heirs in event of civil
litigation.
Other arrests may be made as q re.
suit of Jones' confession. but no ster
in this direction win be made until
the statements of the valet have been
verified.
Attorney Patrick denies having fur
nished Jones the knife. and he also
ienies the statements in the confess
sion.