Waterbury Democrat., 1901-04-02
SENSATION FOR OSBORNE.
Mrs Francis Refused to Answer Ques-
 tions in Patrick Case.

tions in Patrick Case.
 New York, April ?. .-- For .. few min. utes yesterday it looked as though As slstant District Attorney Osborne uara on edge of a great discovery in inc RIce case. It haDpend at the hearing or Albert T. Patrick, the lawyer. charged with the murder of the old Texas millionaire, whose will Patrick Is alleged to have forged, and it was enough of q surprise to draw from Mr Osborne q sudden exclamation.
 Mrs A. M. Francis, with whom Pat TICK boarded in No 31G West Fsifty- eight street, previous to Mr Rice,s death, refused to answer a question on the ground that it would i'll criminate her. The question was a simple one, ana the keenest analysis of motive could not detect in 1t any hidden in- tent. Mrs Francis had testified that her acquaintance with Patrick dated Dack to 1893; that she met him in n boarding house, No 12 Fifth avenue. affer the death of his wife, and that after she opened boarding house of her own he was one of her boafders f#s'When did Ar Patrick begin to speak tosyon about Mir Riceys was the querry that started NIr Osborne on the trail of. q new mystery.
 T decline to, answer by advice of my attorney" replied Mrs Francis "On what arounda continued the cllestioner sts
 "on the ground that it would in- crlminatc me- was the startling! re- l ply.
 l "Whatr' exclaimed Osborne. ssIn- criininate you? Nonsense. I make no charge against you. There is no in- tsntion of prosecuting you for any thing. Turning to Justice Jerome l lie continued
 I Il protest against this. I have no intention of taking any action against this witness. She has been instructed by her lawyer to keep silent so she may aid in protecting Patrick
 Then. little by little, the real req son for Mrs Francis's remarkable at- titude began to come out, and the mys- tery gradually faded out of sight. The witness said she had been informed by her lawyer that if she said anything favorable to Patrick she would be ar- rested
 Mrs Francis identified Il letter which she had written to Patrick, and in answer to q question by MT Osborne, l said she was not afraid at the time she wrote it of discriminating herself "Why have you changed your l mind?' asked the district attorney. The color came into Mrs Francis's l face. 'sThe advice of my counsel for i one thing she replied. My own opinion and the threats of the assist ant district attorney--of you,o she ex- claimed as she faced Osborne with flashing eyes. l Did I ever threaten you personal- ly?" asked the district attorney. "Why do you believe I would have you ar. restedg'
 Il saw in the papers on Saturday night that you intended making more arrests"
 And do you believe" asked MT Os borne, in broken accents, '.that after my declaration in open court. that would arrest you, an. innocent woman?''
 T II do" answered Mrs Francis. Her cheeks were afiame and her eyes were snapping.
 Justice Jerome began to see what the witness meant by discrimination and he suggested that q recess bt taken so she. could consult. T friend-- Enot a lawyer--and think over what | stigma would attacb to her good name if she insisted she would incriminatt l herself by answering proper questions