New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-09-28

Captain McClusky's detectives, Serseants Val
lely, Carey and Murphy. under the direction OF
Assistant District Attorney John F. Mcintyre.
asserted last night that they had made astonish-
ing discoveries in connection with the mysteri
Gus death OF William Marsh Rice the aged capt.
talst, who died suddenly at his home, No. 800
NIadison-Ave.. on Sunday night last after sign
iug and turning over to his attorney. Albert i.
Patrick. on Saturday. checks amounting to
| S2JO,OOO
The police officials held a conference last night
between > and o'clock at the office of Bowers
& Sands. No. 81 Nassau-st... which at
tended by Assistant District Attorney Mcintyre
Captain James A. Baker. of Houston. the Texas
attorney for Mr.. Rice. and James w. Gerard.
Mr. Mcintyre appeared the legal adviser of
The Police Department. Albert T. Patrick was
not present.
The conference developed that Mr.. Patrick,
the New-York attorney for Mr.. Rice. had turned
over to Captain Baker, his fellow executor
under the viii Of Mr. Rice all the property
of Mr.. Rice which he said he CPatricl0
possessed. It developed that neither Mr.. Baker
nor Mr.. Patrick had qualified as executors under
the will and it was practically decided that it
would be proper to remove the property from
Mr.. Bakers possession and turn it over TO the
Public Administrator of this city.
POLICE ESTIMATE OF ESTATE.
1t developed during the conference that the
police Ead sought the assistance of one of the
largest and most responsible bankers in Wall
Street in securing rough estimate Of the
amount of Mr. Rices estate. As a result Of
their investigation they reported that the es-
tate amounted to probably more than
$l0000OO0. and possibly as much as $l5000OOO
Those present at the conference were informed
that Mr.. Rice had left two wills-one made six
years. ago. in which Captain Baker and Albert
r. Patrick were named as executors, and an
other made within short time, in which the
same executors were named and three others
were added, Frederick A. Rice being one of
them. Captain Baker expressed astonishrnent
at the announcement of the existence Of the
second will.
The surprise of the afternoon came when it
was announced that the police had secured from
Mr.. Patrick a certain assignment made by Mr..
Rice TO Mr.. Patrick under recent date. of all of
| his (Rice's) personal property on deposit with
Swenson & Sons. bankers. Of which the following
is a copy:
State. City and County of New-York
For value received. l hereby assign to Albert
T. Patrick all my stocks, bonds. notes. bills,
sums of money and all other property in course
Of action now on deposit with s. NJ. Swenson &
Sons, No. 10 Wall-st-. NewYork City, and the
said Albert T Patrick is hereby authorized to
receive and receipt for the same. Witness my
hand the 21st day Of September 1900.
W. NJ. RICE.
Witness: Morris Meyers, David c. Short.
This assignment was obtained by Detective
Sergeant Carey, and is now in the possession of
Captain McCusky.
When the police asked how they got hold
of the assignment paper they vaguely hinted
that Mr. Patrick did not part with it willingly
No one would say last night how much money
s NJ Swenson & Sons hold to the credit Of Mr.
Rice 1t is believed 10 be a comparatively small
amount.
This was practically the result Of the days
work on the part of the police and the District
Attorneys Office and there were hints last night
that sufficient irregularities had been unearthed
to warrant the arrest Of several persons.
WON'T DISCUSS TWO WILLS
When Mr.. Patrick was seen at his office. No.
275 Broadway after the conference OF the police
officials at the Office Of Bowers & Sands. he de-
clined to discuss the two wills When asked
AGAIN with reference to the size of the Rice
estate he stuck TO his former statement. which
was that persons in position to know placed the
value of the estate at between 100000 and
$75OOO When asked about the assignment
purporting be signed by Mr. Rice In his pat
rick's) favor he threw up his hands and said
that il the police had any such instrument they
must have obtained it surrepttiously, as he
never turned any such assignment Cap
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