The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-09-29
In One Lawyer Patrick Is Said 10
BE Il Large Benz
ficiary.
DEATH STILL CAUSES COMMENT
Police Working on the Theory
That the Texan May Have Been
Murdered and an Admins
traitor Has Been Che sen.
EEDTELiC GPwCTAI.

| EETUELiC SPECIAL.
/ New York. Sept SIT was learned late
/ Tonight from high authority that Albert
! T. Patrick was beneficiary for a large
amount under what is SUPPOSED 20 he the
last VIII of William ~. Rice. Since the
/ death of the eccentric millionaire. las: Sun
/ day night. under circumstances which
/ caused an investigation ly the authorities.
many stories Of a recent VIII IF which Mr..
Patrick was an executor. have been in cir
c,.iatiun.
There are AZ least two wills In existence.
and there : reason to believe that there
are more. The wiIl of the most recent date
was drawn few months ago by Mr.. Pat
rick and under ii hc IL not only an execu-
tor. but n beneficiary To a large, amount.
The Texas courts to-day appointed Cap
tain James 4. Baker. Jr.. TO take charge
or The property Of Mr. Rice in Texas as
temporary administrator. Acting under this
authority. Captain Baker insisted to-day
upon having possession Of all property be-
longing to the estate of MIR. Rice, which Mr..
, Patrick had in his custody.
llr. Patrick says that since last January
he lad been the attorney for Mr. Rice. He
had in his possession certain papers, notes
and securities. which n had found in Mr..
IlCc'S apartments 1T M. so Madison ave-
nue. aJtsT the a'tiN OF tue ttt''itrlC nil
luualre. These he surrendered TO Captain
Baker.
Acting on the suggestion Of the police Mr..
Baker ATTENDED to some matters connected
with the estate He was able to make some
pr. Gre-s to-day il is not known where al
the securities OF Mr. Rice are placed. but
It IS expected that in few days Captain
Baker viii be IL a position to know the
status Of the case.
Captain Bak.r had for many years been
the attorney of Nj Rice and was thorough
ly familiar with the wealthy Texans af-
fairs. Mr.. Rice had in recent years made
several Wills In all these wills Captain
Baker was named an executor
The Captain had supposed 1t was the wish
| Of Mr.. Rice that his Texas attorney should
attend to the settlement of the estate. The
Captain, upon arrival here from Texas. was
surprised to hear that there was IN exist
| cncc Will of recent date. drawn by Air.
Patrick. who was named as both an eXecu-
| tor AMI a Beneficiary.
He aut Mr. Patrick had n consultation
| over The matter. The Captain took counsel
with the law firm of Bowers x Sands and
! also with the authorities. He hintCd TO MIR.
| Patrick that since there seemed to b. u
controversy likely to arise about the prop
erty It would be- best that the man named
as executor in all the previous wills should
have for the present the care of the prop
| erty. At that time he had not received his
appointment from the TeSa. courts. Mr..
Patrick coucurr-d in this suggestion.
1t is likely that there viii he prolonged
litigation. Sisters Of Mr.. Rice have cN-
pressed to the authorities their belief that
the aged millionaire WAS poisoned. but the
facts thus far aduuced do not warrant IN
arrest. Nevertheless the police are at work
on the case, and young man who en-
joyed Nh. Rice's confidence is under sur
VvillanCe.