Milford chronicle., 1901-04-05
1u ~
CONFESSlJJsff5s.
Valet Jones Tells Of 1
William Marsh
PATRICK CHIEF CON

derer the Accused Lawyer
Author of the Conspiracy
and Murder the Aged MiIIi'
New York, April 3.-With5
slightest quaver in his well IN
voice, and displaying no OutN4
of regret or remorse, Charles F.
secretary and valet to the late "
Marsh Rice, yesterday confessed
der oath that he had ended the Ia
his employer and benefactor
chloroform.
The confession was the climax o
remarkable recital in which was la
bare the details of an alleged subtle
conspiracy which had for it's object the
seizure of 100000 in cash and negO-
table securities and the conversion Of
$S,OOO,OOO in realty to the uses of the
alleged conspirator.
The self-confessed murderer told the
story of the alleged plot from its in
ception. The capital crime he COM
mitted and all the minor offenses that
preceded it were, he declared, at the
instigation and direction of Albert T.
! Patrick. 1t was Patrick, he said, who
! conceived the idea of forging will
and forging transfers and conveyances.
| 1t was Patrick who induced two per-
sons to witness the forged signature.
1t was Patrick who determined that
Rice should die, and it was Patrick
who sought to have him killed slowly.
and then, becoming impatient, de-
termined upon quick action. And, ac-
cOrding to Jones, remarkable as it may
seem, Rice never knew Patrick during
his lifetime and never saw him but
once.
Jones, according to his story, first
began his acquaintance with Patrick
when the lawyer called at the residence
of Millionaire Rice on Madison avenue
this city in October, 1899. The witness
told of the growing friendship and the
gradual approach to the discussion Of
the affairs of Mr.. Rice which finally
resulted in the proposition to defraud
2 and Jones finally yielded Then camS
/ the deails of the story of the transfers
5 and conveyances of real and persona
f property to Patrick, over the forget
= signatures of Rice; the stealing o
J, blank checks from the millionaire
f check book; then delivery to Patric
and the forging of Rice's signature
s the proposition to put the aged million
s aire out of the way, first weakenin
e him by continuous doses of mercury
e the calling in of a physician at FIRE
t quent intervals, thus apparently pre-
Z viding for the issuance of a death Gel
'. tificate, and the extreme care wit
5. which this plan of slow poisoning wa
e carried cl;t.
II Jones described his return to NJ
IS Rice's apartments and the discover
f. of the millionaire sleeping PEACEFUL
n in bed, of his stealthy search for
le naDkin and the fashiOning OF it into
At cone shape as directed, he said by Pa
"a rick, and of pinning a small sponge
D. the point Of the cone Then he told
e. saturating the napkin and sponge wit
le chloroform and holding it over his ow
a. HOstrils to test its effect. He describe
in his approach to the bed with the sa
ut urated napkin in his hand, placing
over the face of the sleeping old ma
IN his flight from the room the wea
t wait of 80 minutes, in accordance wi
el Patrick's alleged instructions, at Il
nj expiration of which time he return
and found Rice dead. He then thrC
ev open the windows to free the rec
N. from the odor of chloroform, telepho
ce ed to Patrick that Rice was dead, Sc
ef for a physician and then, after e
nj pressing his grief at the loss of so go
of and kind an employer, he said he we
an to bed and fell into a sound sleep.
nv Patrick, accused by Jones of bel
i'd the arch criminal, listened to the W
Ike ness with attention and occasional
an made notes Of the testimony. Not ev
he the nerve of the remarkable witness
the stand was more cool, calm and c.
nm lected than this remarkable prison
,e- Patrick displayed neither anger, fl
es nor resentment.