The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-11-01

sired to make a statement
I thereupon sent for Captain Nc
Cluskeys James Byr-ne OF HornoloTver.
Ryrna, Miller & Potter, Mr.. Miller of
the same firm, and in their presence
Zones made his statement to me With
out going into detail he stated in sub
stance that what Mr.. Wetherbee had
testified to was true He said that for
some days prior to Rice'S death Patrick
had given Mr.. Rice tablets Of a gray
ish color, that Mr.. Rice took those tab
lets from Patrick. and that Patrick told
him to take them. as he had taken some
himself: that about this time Patrick
and Rice had become very intimate
that Mr.. Rice on Saturday sent Jones
to Patrick's house to demand certain
papers from Patrick that he had in his
possession
This was about the 18th of Septem-
Der. 1900; Mr.. Rice had been bothered
with constipation When Mr.. Patrick
brought him some tablets Patrick had
said he had taken some himself Two
days after this Mrs Van Alstyne ad-
vised him to eat bananas Mr.. Rice
said the bananas ciogged his stomach
and I told the doctor The doctor said
that Rice having diarrhOea, he would
pull through. The tablets were taken
every night until Friday, before Mr..
Rice died. He may have taken more;
If he did, did not know OF It. The
last time saw him take them was
Wednesday or Thursday before his
death. Friday night Rice fretted, Wor-
ried and grieved about his business in
general speaking OF the Galveston uOOQ
and other things .
AFRAID OF PATRICK
He was afraid that Patrick had got
him into some clutch by which he would
lose the most of his property. He wor-
ried and cried like q woman in Mysteries
until ? o'clock that morning and then
fell off into a sleep until O'Clock.
He slept very little that night and
he sent me to Patrick's house Saturday
morning and told me If I did not return
rre he
authorities Patrick was ag1tate0 and
said I want to know Rice'S condition
and what steps he viii take and want
you to telephone me and II Hlce taxes
any steps TO notify the authorities
want to know If you viii be sure and
telephone me- I told him that I would.
When I went back Rice was sleeping.
When I left Patricks house, 1 went for
the doctor and when L returned Rice
was asleep and nothing more was SAID
about the papers until Sunday morning
His mind was wandering Sunday morn
ing after he woke up; and he talked
incOherently. About II OF u O'Clock he
had improved and he asked about the
papers He asked me why dld not get
them I told him that atrick had prom
ised to call but had not done So He told
me to 90 and see him again and tell him
that he had given him the last warning
He told me TO tell il TO him in the pres
ence of some person went TO see
Patrick and he said the papers were IN
his Office and that he would get them
one or two o'clock He did not DO 50
and I went to his house about O'Clock
He said he would bring the papers l
told him to bring everything he had N
the house and he wanted to know why
Rice wanted the papers. He nnaily o1d
90 to the house
RICE WAS NERVOUS
Rice said he was very nervous and
said: I have some smelling salts to
quiet your nerves Patrick asked for
a towel and sponge and 1 got them for
him He said that I must leave the
room. 1 left and heard Patrick saying
he would remain with Rice. heard
Rice laughing a few minutes later ana
saw Rice lying on his back with the
towel over his head in \ cone shape and
Patrick holding IT in his right hand
Patrick did not see me and Rice did not
see me As soon as I saw the condl-
ton of things I lay down and went TO
ssWhen Patrick entered the room he
showed Rice a package He showed hlTn
something in a bottle which looked IKE
salt which he diluted IN water and gave
to Rice, telling him it would strengthen
him very much
I wiz not take it unless you take
some first said Rice I tasted Ii and 1t
tasted acid or metallic ike. I would not
take it unless knew what it was and 1
put II on the shelf I poured little out
in a glass from which he had taken
some This was about O'Clock he
was looking out of the window and
persuaded him to go to bed He said he
would go. I carried him and put him IN
bed. When left told Rice what Pat-
rick had said about the papers ana oL
his saying he would come to the house.
Patrick did not call the next morning
and Rice told me to telephone him and
tell him that this was his last warning
I telephoned to Patrick about OF $50
o'clock He went into the room with
Rice got into a chair and commenced
to talk with Rice"
RICES DEATH
Mr. Osborne says Jones described
Rice's death as follows
Mr.. Rice was very sick. Patrick
said to me: Go get a doctor I went
for one and he came back with me and
pronounced Rice dead Patrick asked
How long has he been dead2' The doc
tor answered 20 minutes. This was about
9 o'clock. Patrick asked the doctor what
said to get an undertaken. The doctor
recommended an undertaker named
Senior. Madison avenue and 59th street
went there but could not get Senior
and Patrick said: Never mind, I'll get
another
When got back I found an under
taksr named Pl0wright there. Then Pat
rick took me aside and said. Now Jones
We've got to get all Of the old mans pa
pers- Understand We must get all Of
them We took all the papers we could
find that Patrick bundled them all up.
and took them away with him. Monday
morning Patrick came to Mr.. Rice's
house He had q book IN his hand He
said, This is Mr.. Rfce's check book
Then he showed me two checks signed
with Mr.. Rice's name. he said, I walt
you TO I'LL out the amounts of these
checks, and at his request I filed out
one for $4,000 and another for S65, ,000.'
AS TO the emba1Ining of Mr.. Rice's
body, the letter used was dictated by Mr..
Rice either in July Or August, but 1t was
not signed by him I saw this letter
among Rica's papers on several occasions
Inasmuch as 7 went up town to see Sen
iDr, the undertaken. while Patrick made /
the arrangements for the undertaken
did not see the letter that Patrick gave
to the undertaken have seen IL sew
eral times since however. and can state
positively that II was the letter unsigned, I
among Mr. RiceFs papers
The most of Mr.. OSb0ruefS iufOrma ton (
from Jones was IN hte form Of a written
letter on prison paper, both sides of which
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