New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-09-26
DEATH NOT MADE KNOWN.
BANK WAS NOT TOLD WHEN IT ASKED
ABOUT WILLIAM NJ RICE'S CHECK.
AUTOPSY HELD AND DETECTIVES AT WORK
on THE cAsE-LARGE CHECKS
DRAWN IN LAST DAYS

William Marsh Rice. eighty-four years old,
died at his home. in the Berkshire apartment
house. on Sunday. The body was TO have been
cremated yesterday morning. Instead it was
taken TO the Morgue at o'clock yesterday
afternoon. Coroner's Physician Donlin per
formed an autopsy. which witnessed by
Coroner Hart Professor Witthaus and four
Central Office detectives. The body was found
to be saturated with embalming liquid. The
lungs were congested. The heart was sound,
and the general state of the body indicated
senility.
Sergeant Frank Morris, of Captain McC1usky' s
STAFF, gave out the following facts concerning
the mans death:
Mr.. Rice lived alone with his valet. Charles
F. Jones. His legal adviser Albert T.
Patrick attorney and counsellor at law, No
275 Broadway. Mir Rice's bankers were S. NJ
Swenson & Sons, No. Is Wall-st. With that
firm he had 4 deposit of 100000 and many
stocks, bonds and other securities.
on Monday morning, two days after his eli
ents death. Mr.. Patrick presented check for
$4,000. payable to himself, at the Offices of
the bankers at the same time be said nothing
about the death OF NJ. Rice. The check was
dated Saturday. On account Of the large
amount involved and from the fact that the
signature did not look like the usual signature
of Nr Rice the firm refused 10 cash the check
at once They called up Mr.. Rice's residence on
the telephone. and the call was answered by
the valet, Jones. He said that the check and
signature were all right
The firm. however. insisted upon personal talk
with Mr.. Rice, for the valet had not told them or
his death The valet communicated with Mr.
Patrick, the lawyer, and asked him If he should
inform the firm that Mr. Rice was dead, and Mr..
Patrick told him 70 go ahead and do so, which
he did. Subsequently Mr.. Patrick went to the
bankers office and presented to them an assign
ment. legally drawn and executed, of all the
money, stocks, bonds etc
FED on BAKED BANANAS.
Mr. Rice had been il for week. In the early
n;
baked bananas as It thought they would
benefit him. Mr.. Rice ate FIVE and then ate four
more which had not been baked. This made
him violently i'll. BY Thursday. however he had
partially recovered. and consumed a large
amount of soup. This again upset him. but he
rapidly recovered and on Friday was in a COM
parauvely good humor. On Saturday he felt
we'll enough TO transact some business. He
therefore wrote out four checks, all for his
lawyer. Albert T Patrick of No go Broadway.
The checks were for $4,000 and $4,000 on
Swenson & Sons. and $4,000 and $4,000
on the Fifth Avenue Trust Company.
shook MIN by the arm, and noticed that it fell
by Mr.. Rice's side in a lifeless way. Becoming
alarmed, he sent for DR.. Currie, who, his
arrival said that Mr. Rice had been dead about
twenty minutes.
Jones called up Mr.. Patrick, Mr.. Rce's lawyer.
and at his suggestion sent the news Of Mr.. Rices
death 20 his brother, Frederick NJ Rice, of Hous-
ton, Tex. Arran gements were made to cremate
the body Mr.. Rice had often discussed crena-
lion with Mr. Patrick and had expressed a de- |
sire that after his death his body should be
burned He had requested Mr. Patrick to draw
UP a legal instrument which would authorize
such an action. This Mr.. Patrick had declined |
10 do. and had suggested that Mr. Rice write him
a letter in which his arishes in regard to the |
matter should be stated. Mr.. Rice hesitated to
do this. but some time during June July he
dictated typewritten statement to Jones and
signed it, subsequently delivering it to Mr. Pat
rick The arrangements to carry out his wishes
were interrupted, however by the receipt Of tele
grams from Frederick N Rice requesting that
the body be neid until he together with Captain
James Baker, Mr.. Rice's lawyer in Texas should
arrive from Houston.
VALET SAID RICE WAS OUT
In the mean time Mr.. Patrick had made en-
beavers to have the checks, which Mr. Rice had
made out to him on Saturday, certified. Jones,
who had written the body of the checks, had
misspelled Mr.. Patrick's name in the S25,OOO
check on Swenson & Sons, writing ALBERT" in
stead Of Albert" Monday forenoon Swenson
& Sons called UP the Berkshire Apartment
House on the telephone, and Charles Jones Mr..
Rices valet. who responded, answered that the
check was ali right" This, he says was in ac-
cordance with directions which he had received
from Mr. Patrick.
We won't certify to the genuineness of the
$4,000 check until we speak with Mr.. Rice"
answered the bankers, and then, Jones admits
he answered that Mr. Rice was then out"
Being in quandary. Jones called up Mr.. Pat
rick and informed him OF the question which
had been asked by the paying teller of Swenson
* Sons
When they ask for Mr.. Rice again" an
swered Patrick, tell them he is dead. That
will be all that is necessary"
In compliance with these directions Jones
answered the second call over the telephone and
then swenson & Sons declined to certify the
check, and consulted with their lawyers Bow
ers & Sands, of No. % Wyilliam-st The law
yers assigned James W Gerard, one Of the
members Of their staff, TO make an investiga-
ton, and he conferred with District Attorney
Gardiner and the Headquarters detectives. Mr.
Gerard on Monday night, in company with De-
tective Valley called Mr.. Patrick at his
house, and also had talk with Jones Rices
valet. After these interviews Coroner Hart was
approached. and he consented to take charge
Of the body and have an autopsy made
The checks on the Fifth Avenue Trust Com
pany had already been certified. Mr. Patrick
withdrew S25.0 to another bank
MR.. PATRICK EXPLAINS.
In speaking of the matter last night Mr.
Patrick said
Not penny Of the mo-ey was mine 1t was |
all to be used in a business arrangement which !
was carrying through for Mr. Rice l have
known Mr.. Rice for a good MANY wears and /
being his intimate friend and counsellor have !
naturally come 10 transact more and more of !
his business. / have offered to give up any
claim 10 the checks, II irregularity is suspected |
But ] had perfect right to have them either !
certified or Dashed, so long as the trust company
Or S~enson d Sons had not been legally informed |