The Iola register., 1900-11-09
A NEW YORK SCANDAL
Death of Millionaire Rice is Furnish
ing Abundant Sensational News
for New York Papers

September 23; the attempt of his New
York attorney. Albert r. Patrick to
cash checks for large amounts which
purported to he signed by the million
aire the refusal of one bank to cash
the checks drawn on il. and the dis
covery that Mr.. Rice was lying dead
at the time the checks we're presented:
the subsequent claim by Patrick that
Mr.. Rice had made him, 10y will. the
rustee of his estate. which amounts to
any where from SO, 600, O00to S.. 000, 600.
the charge of forgery both as regards
the checks and the will placed asain
Patr ick and Mr.. Rice's valet, Charles
f. Jones; the arrest of Patrick and
Jones and their Judgement in Jail.
have kept New York interested for
over a month in what by the develop
ments of today, promises to become
the most celebrated of the many cele-
brated crimes which the courts of this
city have been called on to inves,i-
gate.
The first incident which led up to to-
days 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 a confession to the authorities.
Before the public had time to learn if
the report of confession was true
tha M - n 1it,,r Il
ing the night Jones had. in his cell in
the Tombs, attempted suicide by cut
ting his throat with II penknife given
him, he says, by Attorney Patrick,
also confined in the Tombs, and for
the purpose Of getting rid of one Wit
ness to Patrick's alleged crime.
His crime, according to the confess
sion of Jones, parts of which the dis
trict attorneys Office gave out today
was nothing less than the murder of
the millionaire by Attorney Patrick
and the purloining of valuable papers
relating to the estate. The taking off
of Mr.. Rice, Jones says, was done by
the internal administration of some
poisin, supposedly mercury. and the
final application of towel saturated
with some anaesthetic, presumably
chloroform. That portion of the con-
fession which has to do with the last
moments of the old man is the follow
ing, given by the authorities as COM
ing from Jones, the same taking place
in the apartments of the millionaire
and he lying sick in bed:
"Mr, Rice said: 4 am very nerv-
Gus, Mr.. Patrick. wish you would
not trouble me, Please go away.
Patrick replied: i have some
salts here, Mr.. Rice, that will cure
your nervousness.
He produced bottle and uucorled
it. The contents smelled to me like
some very strong liniment.
Then Patrick said to me: Get me
towel and q sponge.
~ got him both. Then Patrick
said: Jones, you have to leave
"T left. As was leaving Patrick
said: I'm remain here tin Mr. Rice
gets to sleep He closed the door be-
hind me.
81 stood in the hall for a few min
utes and soon | heard Mr.. Rice laugh.
| thought this was queer. so |
pushed open the door. l saw Mr..
Rice lying on his back in bed The
towel that | had given Patrick was
wrapped around the sponge in cone
shape. This cone was lying directly
over Mr.. Rice's eyes and nose. Pat
rick 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, / went
and lay on my bed.
''Mr. Rice grew very sick. Patrick
said to me: go get doctor
81 went for one. He pronounced
Mr.. Rice dead.
Attorney Patrick denies having fur
nished Jones the penknife and he alsC
denies the statements in the con
fession.
Jones, after his suicidal attempt
was taken to Bellevue hospital
hastily summoned physicians having
just been in time to save him from
death through loss of blood. A
8 o'clock tonight the hospital sur
geons said he was slightly better anC
the chances are that in few days h,
will again be returned to the Tombs
The coroner's investigation into The
death of Millionaire Rice, which wa
to have been held today and whicl
had previously been adjourned to
await the report of the chemist who
had examined portions of the remains
for traces of poison, was again ad
journed because of the development
in the case,