The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-04-05
PATRICK's DEFENCE OUTLINED.

i
Patrick's defense will be a general de-
NAL. 1t will not be revealed in detail
until the actual murder trial takes place,
which will probably not be until October
next. Jones, according to the defense,
was the arch conspirator and Patrick
was only the innocent tool of the Valet'
The greatest stress will be laid upon the
fact by the defense that Jones is selI-
confessed perjurer, and that in conse-
quence his testimony and CONFESSIONS
should obtain no credence.
Jones began today by relating that on
Monday, the day following Rice's death
four men who represented themselves
to be lawyers called at the nat ana
asked questions concerning the circum-
stances surrounding the death. Jones
told Patrick ne thought these men were
detectives ON Tuesday afternoon ne
was taken to police headquarters where
he was questioned. He found Patrick
also at police headquarters. Patrick
told Jones he had destroyed the VIII
witnessed iii Patrick office ana a
number of bogus letters written on the
will matter On this occasion, Jones
testified, Patrick asked when Rice had
last been given mercury. Il told MN
on Thursday" Jones said, Patrick then
! told me that there would not be any
traces of that left in the system at the
time of the autopsy and that the en-
balming fluid would kill all traces OF
the oxalic acid which was a vegetable
poison"
IN DESPERATE STRAITS.
The so-called Patrick will was then
brought UP. Jones SAID he had told
Patrick that the provisions for Rice
relatives in the will which was destroy
ed on the day following Rice's death
were too small, and that it would be
impossible to get it pTopated. Patrick
Jones said, then had tie so-called Pat
rick VIII drawn
Jones said before he v as locked up
he made statement winch was entire
Nv fictitious and of which he could not
recall even the most salient features.
Jones then told how Mr.. House had
been appointed lawyer oil both Patrick
and himself From here Jones passed
to his attempt to commit suicide
ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.
con the day before the attempt was
made" said Jones, Patrick and | had
talk in the reception room at the
Tombs Patrick told me his means were
exhausted and that we were in des-
perate straits. Patrick wanted me 10
shoulder the responsibility for the time.
/ told him / would not confess unless l
could tell a straight story. | said l
would rather kill myself on account OF
the disgrace of the thing. Patrick said
this might be the best thing for us both
and said he would xiii himself too. lie
said he had a small knife in his cell.
The knife would do for enc and he
would try to get some carbolic acid
from Mr.. Potts.
HE gave me the knife. | put it in
my shoes and took it % my cell. Later
Potts called. Patrick told me Potts
would not get him the poisson. About
o'clock in the afternoon, after | had
gotten the knife, / sat in my cell writ
ing some letters and preparing for the
end Just then i was called to the
District Attorneys office. While there
I made a confession i was brought
back to my cell in tne evening and at
about o'clock in the morning | tried
to cut my throat
Jones then told Of being taken to
Bellevue and there making new con-
fession. The new confession is the one
on which his present testimony is based.
THE OLD NAN MUST DIE.
Jones explained today what he meant
yesterday when he said that Patrick
did not want to live until Monday as on
that day draft would be payable. The
witness said that a week or so before
the death of Rice certain oil wells in
Texas in which he was Interested were
destroyed by fire. Rec resolved to re-
hl1ild them and hound hinself to pro-