The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-04-07
FORMERLY
OF WICHITA
David [. Short Accused of
Forgery in New York.
WAS A WICHITA CLERK
His Mother and Relatives Still
Live Here.
MARRIED Mss LATHAM
involved in the Mysterious
Rice Patrick Case,
MARRIED Mss LATHAM

The great sensation OF the cay In New
York involves formerly Of wichita
man
David l. Short, once a shoe clerk in -e
store Of Sid. NeT, and who married Miss
Latham who was book-keeper in Noses
COINS dry goods store, is one Of the two
men VINO have been arreste Tor conspIr-
acy in the forgery Of the will Of Million
ARE Rice.
Ar- Shorts mother still lives in ~ lch-
tia Her name IS Mrs. 1Ielick, anu she
lives in THE SiXth wara near the home oil
Henry schweiter.
Ii is doubtful il she knows that her son
is involved IN the case that has attracted
SO much attention throughout the nited
States.
A reporter for the Eagle saw the pic
lures Of Short and his wife in a New
York paper and had -neu identified "
people who were wei acquainted with
the parties when they lived here Tele-
graph inquiry ia New York yesterday
confirmed the suspicion that Short was
the former CLERK OF Sid. Ne2
Some time ago last fail an old man
named Rice. a mll millionaire. who
made fortune in Texas died II New
York. and New York lawyer named
Albert Patrick fled a viii for probate
which bestowed upon him nine-tenths OF
the fortune The viii was attacked by
other heirs and an Investigation made OF
the circumstances surrounding the death
OF 1Iull9naire Rice
Charles Jones, The vaIet-secretary Of
Millionaire Rice was put under a sweat
and confessed that Albert Patrick in
duced him % murder his master. that the
WIZ was a forgery written by him (Jones(
and witnessed by David I. short and
Maurice Meyers. Ga this confession Pat
rick was arrested for murder and Short
and Meyers for forgery.
Shorty after this Jones attempted to
commit suici5e In his CELL
A week or SO ago the hearing Of Short
and Meyers was held and the prisoners
were each placed under $4,000 bonds.
The hearing of Patrick is now being
conducted and the evidence Is daily pub
Hshed in the Eagle Jones SO far has
been the only witness examined and his
testimony is sensational not only for 5ts
revelations Of crime. but for the c0oIness
he uanIfes5s n telling OF his shocking
crime.
Patrick. ft appears from the evidence
tad secured for Short the appointment OF
commissioner Of deeds for the state Of
Texas in Nev York City. thus giving him
a standing IN the affairs Of Millionaire
Rice.
Jones says that Patrick prevailed upon
him TO murder his master. He consent
ed first giving him u1ercuriaI pills ana
next saturaEng a towel with chloroform-
procured from a brother in Texas. and
placing It on the CID mans nostr1Is while
he was asleep.
Previous to this the old man signed 4
paw check for the foreman of his pIanta.
ton ia Texas an gave lt 20 Jones. who.
"a turn. gave II TO Patrick for the purpose
Of pracdcfug on the Old mans signature.
After Rice was murdered Jones drew up
the forged VIII. Patrick signed the name
Of Rec to It. and Short ana Meyers sign
ed their names as Witnesses to the docu-
ment
Patrick asked Jones To commit suicide.
saving thar he also would commit suicide
Jones consented If he could md q means
81 doing So Patrick gave him one Of the
blades Of his pocket knife. saving he
would use the ether blade 90 hil himself
with. The purpose OF Patrick was to
have Jones commit suicide. 50 as % re-
move him as a possible witness. IN the
act Of opening a 5ls1lar vein Jones v8s
detected bv accident
1Irs. Short. formerly Miss Latham. sits
b. her husband in court every day and
the New York papers Efre great dea
az space u her f7eiltv They describe
her as being very handsome. she was go
when she lived here and was married to
Short when she was II wears Of aga one
cf the Young lady buyers for the mlii1-
erv department Of a weiL known store
calls on her every year. and the last time
she was there AIRS. short save an eizbor-
ate reception IN her honor.
short was IN VVichits last August an II
IS said ~ him that he was roastine
great deal az his connection with wealthy
reorle. He told one that he had made
zoe and another that he had made
He had hardly left here when q
New York detective arrived In town and
began ingufrinr about him. II IS also
said that one II Pinserrors men Is now
here iooAi1g up his past record
II was ssi5 NJ short yesterday that he
-'joshed' his cid cou7e Mons o great 1eal
for reulairiug in snaI town Ike IVfch-
ita instead ~ going To New York. where
sharp fellows could always make money.
Shorts ola companions are uow shaking
their beads ana regarding e srau town
not bad place 20 1--we ii after al
The countv commissioners have
couple OF ola fron boilers belonging to
tie county t1er VIII dispose If GO anyone
THAI can make use az them.
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