The Wilmington daily Republican., 1901-04-04
VALET JONES' STORY.
Continuation of Murder Confession
by Rice's Servant.
PATRICK PROMISED TO DIE.
Witness Declares That at the Time
He Tried to Commit Suicide the
Accused Lawyer Was Also
to XIII Himaelf.

New York. April g. - The room In
| which the Rice hes ing Is being held
was crowded when Justice jerome
| opened the proceedings. the center of
interest being Charles #. Jones. who
has confessed that he murdered Will
| liam NJ. Rice the millionaire employer,
| at the instigatiOn of Lawyer Albert T.
| Patrick.
Jones continued his story in detail.
| Patrick, somewhat i'll at ease, listened
carefully to all that the man who says
| that he was q cats paw to Patrick to
| pull the chestnuts out of the fire had
! to tell. He seemed relieved when Jones
concluded and was turned over to Law
yers House, Moore and Cantwell for
cross examination.
David L. Short and Norris Meyers,
who are codefendants with Patrick in
forgery proceedings in connection with
| the Patrick will, were present, and
they frequently heard their names re-
pcated In Jones story, which was told
in the same emotionless, clear headed
manner which has characterized the
valet throughout the proceedings.
Jones described how he tried to
commit suicide in the Tombs with a
knife given to him by Patrick He said
the latter had said he also would kill
himself.
The valet declared he had tried sui
eide since and described in court how
he gashed his throat in his cell
!. Jones added that draft for $13o,0Oo
came on a Saturday, payable by the
millionaire on Monday, and Patrick
told him that Rice must be got rid
Of before that draft was paid.
The witness declared that he had
forged Rices name to check some
time before his death to see whether
he and Patrick could fool the banks
eve put two such checks through
said Jones. "and they both went Both
were forgerios.'
The Confession of Murder.
Jones had already told much Of the
story. He said he killed old Mr.. Rice
with chloroform at Patrick's instiga-
tion after Intellectual efforts to cause
his death by slow poisonS Jones re-
cited how he and Patrick had plotted
for months to kill the old man and gain
possession of his property. Patrick, he
said, was the moving spirit in the con-
spiracy. Meyer and Short had simply
been his tools.
The self confessed murderer related
how he gave to the failing invalid OK
allie acid, soda, sapolio mercury and
other things in an endeavor to break
down his health. Patrick, not satisfied
with the rapidity with which the old
man was dying insisted that he should
be made away with at once.
81 did as he told me-" Jones said.
Mr.. Rice was sleeping. placed the
chloroform saturated towel over his
face. He laughed from Its effects.
Then ran out of the room" When he
returned his benefactor was dead.
In telling his story Jones betrayed no
emotion and no sorrow. If he felt ro-
morse for his acts, he did not betray It
by word or look. He spoke in a well
modulated voice, and his words when
he told of putting the chloroform soak
ed sponge. covered by towel cone. on
the face of the sleeping man and then
leaving the room while the drug did
its work were not different from when
he was telling Of his first meeting with
Patrick, whom he thought wanted to
see Rice on matter of business.
In all of his story Jones put Patrick
to the fore. 1t was Patrick, he said,
who conceived the crime, IT was Pat
rick who planned it, who arranged the
details and who was to be the chicf
beneficiary from the murder. 1t was
Patrick, he declared, who prepared the
bogus will, secured two witnesses to
1t, furnished drugs that were to Kill
the old man slowly and finally, grow
ing impatient at the tenacity with
which Rice chung to life suggested the
use of chloroform as the way to bring
the end quickly.