The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-04-02
WITNESSES TO THE ALLEGED BOGUS
WILL ARRESTED
CHARGED WITH WlIFUL FORGERY
EE..yid l.. Short, Commissioner of Deeds
for Texas. and Morris Movers, o
Lawyer, Both Ffsesds OF Patrick,
Are b Witnesses to This will-Thc
Investigation of the Charge Against
Patrick CT the Murder OF Rice Con.
tinued-His Physicians Testimony

New York. March es.-David l.
Short, commissioner Of deeds for Texas,
and Morris Meyers. a LAWYER. the two
persons whose names appear as wit
nesses to the alleged bogus Rice
will" were arrested today. charged
with forgery in the first degree. Both
are friends OF Lawyer Albert Patrick,
who is charged with having murdered
the Texas millionaire. Short and Mey-
ers appeared before Justice Jerome as
witnesses in the examination of Pat
rick.
Assistant District Attorney Osborne
has declared his belief that the will was
a forgery, having consulted handwrit-
ing experts. Mr.. Osborne appeared be-
fore Justice Jerome today and swore
out warrants for the arrest ofs Short
and Meyers.
Meyers was formerly employed by
Patrick. On his examination he ac-
k~nowledged that Patrick had dictated
the Rice will to him. BY his Will the
Rice millions were left to Patrick.
Short became commissioner of deeds at
the suggestion Of Patrick. Short, when
examined before Justice Jerome, swore
NAol LS Aio0 ASNC1 uSSO liz SSdl SAICpl
when t~ransacting business for Mr..
Rice.
The forgery charge against the two
witnesses grows out of the act that
they signed their names to the will.
The experts declare that the signature
to the viii is forged.
When Patrick learned of the arrests
he declared that Short and Meyers
were innocent Of any wrong doing.
Short n Meyers will be arraigned
tomorrow morning.
The hearing in the case of Albert T.
Patrick was resumed before Judge Je-
rome today with John r. Potts, the
witness of yesterday. again on the
stand. His testimony brought out
nothing new.
DR.. Walker Curry. who attended Mr..
Rice in his last illness. was sick and
unable to attend court. The judge and
attorneys therefore went to DR.. Curry'S
residence and his examination took
place there. He said he had treated
Jones. Rice's valet.
"What did you prescribe for Jones?"
asked the assistant district attorney.
Il prescribed a tonic and protiodide
Of mercury in pills of Is grains each. 1
gave him a bottle of 100 pilas. One day
he told me his pills were out. 1 told
him to get another bottle"
A long statement by DR.. Curry was
read stating the circumstances and
cOnnectlOn or DR.. Curry with the last
disease of the late Mr.. Rice. The clos
ing paragraph reads
M Rice'S death was from the great
mental strain on his nerve force, he
being Sc years old: his heart being
weak and it being Of slow action"
What did o prescribe for Rice
from the Sth of August to September
17th?" asked Mr.. Osborne.
WELL" the doctor replied, Jones
brought me a bottle containing about
500 pills which he said Mr.. Rice had
been taking to cure his deafness. Jones
said Rice was taking them before go
ing to bed at night. and that he did
not care to ave him take anything
which he did not know the nature of.
I then prescribed four drops Of nux
vomica, to give at night. He did not
| need a great deal Of medicine"
did you give any mercury" Mr..
| Osborne asked.
NO" the doctor replied.
Lawyer Moore asked the witness il he
still believed that Mr.. Rice died from
natural cause
IT do" said DR.. Curry.
An adjournment was then taken un-
til Monday.