Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-11-02
THE MURDER OF RICE
LAID upon PATRICK
BY JONES, THE VALET
LATE DEyELOPMENTs MAKE 1T ONE
OF THE CELEBRATED CRIMES
OF THE CENTURY.
JONES TELLS DISTRICT
ATTORNEY ABOUT PLOT.
AFTER THE MILLIONAIRE HAL
BEEN FED ON MYSTERIOUS
DRUGS,
PATRICK cHLoRoFoRMED HIM.
DETAILS OF THE MURDERER
SCHEME TO SECURE RICES
MILLIONS.

NEW YORK, November 1.-The
death of the wealthy VIM. Marsh Rice,
at his Madison avenue apartments on
September %; the attempt of his New
York attorney, Albert 7. Patrick, to
cash checks for large amounts which
purported to be signed by the mil
lionaire; the refusal of one bank to
cash the checks drawn on it and the
discovery by the bank officials that Mr.
Rice was lying dead at the time the
checks were presented; the subsequent
claim by Patrick that Mr.. Rice had
made him by will, the trustee Of his
estate which amounts to anywhere be-
tween 100000 and SS,000,000, the
charge of forgery both as regards the
checks and will placed against Pat
rick and Mr.. Rice's valet, Charles f.
Jones; the arrest of Patrick and Jones
and their Judgment in Jail, have kept
New York interested for over a month
in what, by the developments of to-
day promises to become the most cell
ebrated 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 subsequent rumor that he had
made confession to the authorities.
Before the public had time to learn If
the report of confession was true
came the more startling news that dur
ing the night Jones had in his cell in
the Tombs attempted suicide by cut
ting his throat with penknife given
him, he says, by Attorney Patrick, also
confined in the Tombs and for the pur-
pose of geeting rid of one of the wit
nesses to Patriek's alleged crime.
His crime, according to the confess
sion of Jones, parts of which the dis
trict attorney gave out tonight, was
Nothing Less Than 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, ar the
final application of a towel saturated
with some aneeasthetic presumably
chloroform. That portion of the con-
fession which has to do with the last
moments of tne old man is the follow
ing given out by the authorities as
coming from Jones, the scene taking
place in the apartments of the million
aire, and he lying sick in bed:
Rice said Il am very nervous, Mr..
Patrick. | wish you would not trouble
me- Please go away"
Patrick replied: 81 have some salts
here Mr. Rice, that will cure your
nervousness"
He produced bottle and uncorked
it The contents smelled to me like
some very strong liniment
Then Patrick said to me: Get me a
towel and a sponge"
! got them both. Then Patrick said:
Jones, you have to leave"
| left, and as | was leaving Patrick
said: 'I'll remain here until Mr. Rice
gets to sleep" He closed the door be-
hind me.
Il stood in the hall for few min
utes, and son | heard Mr.. Rice laugh
! thought this was queer, so l pushed
open the door, l saw Mr. Rice lying
Oh his back in bed.
The towel that | had given Patrick
was wrapped around the sponge in a
Gene shape. This was lying directly
over Mr.. Rice's Eyes and Nose.
Patrick was pressing it down with
his right hand. Patrick did not see
me, and, of course, Mr. Rice could
not.
After seeing what had seen l went
and lay on my bed.
Mr.. Rice grew very sick Patrick
said to me: GO get a DOCTOR"
went for one. He pronounced Mr. Rice
dead"
Attorney Patrick denies having fur
n1shed Jones the penknife and he also
denies the statements in the confess
sion.
Jones, after his suicidal attempt, was
taken % Bellevue hospital. hastily
summoned physicians being just
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 few days he will be again
placed in the Tombs
The coroner's investigation into the
oS"'AA " NhiiiiOldlP ttlCe was 10 nave
been held to-day, and which had been
previously adjourned to wait the report
of the chemist who had examined por-
tons OF the remains for traces of
poison, was again adjourned because
OF the Developments in the case.
Assistant District Attorney Osborne
this afternoon gave out more detailed
statement of what Jones said of the
happenings subsequent to Rice's death.
He said, quoting from Jones' state
ment:
When | walked up at s O'Clock on
the morning following Rice's death.
having been in the habit of carving
water to him during his sickness. L
asked him then if he wanted water
And He Did Not Answer.
took up his hand and Il was limp
and lifeless. at once saw that he
wa; either feigning or dead. I first