The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1901-1901, 1901-04-04
VALET JONES
mALEFACT0R
Tells on the Witness Stand
How He Murdered Rice.
A FIEND INCARNATE
All Done Under the Direction and Man.
agement of Lawyer Patrick the
Chief Beneficiary.
FIEND INCARNATE
BY Associated Press:

| By Associated Press:
New York, April 4.-Proceedings
against Albert T. Patrick, accused of
causing the death of William Marsh
Rice to obtain his property were re-
sumed today. Cross-examination of
Charles F. Jones occupying the court.
Without the slightest hesitation in
ing no outward sign of regret or re-
morse, Charles F. Jones, secretary and
valet of the late William Marsh Rice,
confessed, under oath, that he had
ended the life of his employer and
benefactor with chloroform.
The confession was the climax of
a remarkable recital in which was
laid bare the details of an alleged
subtle conspiracy, which had for
it's object the seizure of $3,0OO,OOO in
| cash and negotiable securities, and
the conversion of $3,0OO,Oo0 in realty
to the use of the alleged chief con-
| spirator.
| There was dramatic force in the di-
rectness and minute attention to detail
with which Jones approached the tras-
edy-the moment when he covered
the face Of the sleeping man with the
saturated napkin and then waited for
him to die.
| The self-confessed murderer told
the story Of the alleged plot from it's
inception. The capital crime he com
mitted and all the minor offenses that
preceded it were, he declared, at the
instigation of Albert T. Patrick.
1t was Patrick, he said, who conceiv-
ed the idea Of forging the will and
forging the transfers and conveyances.
1t was Patrick who induced two
persons to witness the forged sigma
lures.
1t was Patrick who determined that
Rice should die, and it was Patrick
who sought to have him killed SLOW
ly, and then, becoming impatient de-
termined upon quick action.
According to Jones, remarkable as
it may seem, Rice never knew Patrick
during his lifetime, and never saw
him but once.
Then, unfolding the plot in the
drama as if he was only interested as
spectator, Jones led up to the day CT
the murder.
He swore that Patrick had furnish
ed him with mercury pills of differ
ent composition from those adminis-
tered, told how the millionaire de-
feated the purpose of the plotters by
refusing to take them.
Then, ones said. Patrick began to
display impatience. He swore that
Patrick brought two ounces of oxalic
acid to him and told him to dilute one
ounce in % times it's weight in water.
and to give the mixture to Rice for
the purpose of weakening his heart
| action. To induce the old man TO
take these several poisons, and said
he was compelled to take doses him.
self in Rice's presence. One dose
was really not dangerous. It was
the cumulative effect of the drug that
was to be feared.
| According to this remarkable con-
fession the oxalic acid was too strong
| md TOnoc oc1.o f0
form and laudanum. Jones said he
was afraid to buy the drugs in the
neighborhood and he sent to his broth
er in Texas for them. They came by
express.
This was followed by meeting in
the street with Patrick, who told him
that the old man was lasting too long,
that he must be put out of the way
at once, that Jones must do the work,
that there really was no harm in it,
because Rice had poisoned his wife
years ago and deserved to be punish
ed.
Jones described his return to Mr..
Rice's apartments and the discovery
of the millionaire sleeping peacefully
in his bed, he told of his stealthy
search for a napkin and the fashionins
of it into cone shape, as directed,
he said, by Patrick.
He detailed the story of the plac.
ing of small sponge at the point OF
the cone. Then he told of saturating
the napkin and sponge with chloro