The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-04-02
SHE HAD BEEN WARNED
But Later She Gave Much Information
About Patrick.
THIS ON THE ADVICE OF JUDGE JEROME
And She furnished Snms Very Interesting Tes-
timony About Patrick and the Valet
Jones and Their Relations
With Millionaire Rice.
(By the Associated Press.)


(By the Associated Press.)
New York, April 1.-The first witness
today at the hearing of Albert T. Pat
rick, the lawyer. charged with causing
the death of William Marsh Rice, last
September, was Mrs. A. NJ Francis, who
kept the house where Patrick. formerly
boarded. When she had been sworn and
the Assistant District Attorney was about
to put his first question, Mr.. Moore, Pat
rick's lawyer, said he thought the wit
ness ought to be cautioned against tes-
tifying to anything that might incrimi-
nate herself.
Mrs. Francis said that she had known
Patrick since January, 1898. Patrick was
her boarder at several places where she
conducted boarding houses and boarded
with her at the time of his arrest. She
was acquainted with David L. Short and
Morris Meyer and With Potts, all of
whom have figured in the case. Patrick
occupied the back parlor in her house.
She herself had no stated room, she said
in reply to a question by Mr.. Osborne
4
you about Mr. Rice?" asked Mr.. Osborne.
Il decline to answer on the advice OF
my lawyer witness replied.
.on what ground?" asked Mr. Osborne.
"On the ground that it would incrimi-
nate me- Mrs. Francis answered.
Assistant District Attorney Osborne
said there was no intention of duplicating
the witness with Patrick but she still
refused to testify.
1t. came out in the testimony that the
witness had been told by a lawyer that
if she said anything favorable to Pat
rick the District Attorney would have her
arrested.
why do you believe / would have you
arrested?''
Il saw in the papers on Saturday night
that you were to make more arrests"
And do you believe, after my decla-
ration in open court, that / would arrest
you, though Innocent
II do" she replied.
Justice Jerome interrupted her and
said:
THE testimony of this witness shows
that she is a woman previously held In
high esteem in the community. | do
not propose that she shall go out of this
court room with a stigma on her name
for lack of time to consider this matter
We will take a recess. During the re-
cess, Madame | would advise you to see
some friend-not necessarily a lawyer
but some man or woman with sound bus
mess sense who can give you counsel and
advice"
AT the afternoon session Mrs Francis
answered some of the questions she had
refused to answer before. She said the
first met Jones when she kept boarding
house in Lexington Avenue. Jones called
there to see Patrick. She remembered
that Jones called to see Patrick on Sep
tember 22nd the day before Rice's death.
Patrick was in her house up to s p. M,
on September 23rd she said.
On the day John R. Potts and his
daughter called. After supper Patrick
and witness were alone in the house.
At 8 o'clock in the evening witness said
the telephone rang.
Il went to answer the call, but Mr.
Patrick got there ahead of me and took
the receiver The message was from
Jones. He said Mr.. Rice was very sick
or dead"
Witness said Patrick went out after
receiving this message saying that ne
would go to the house.
Did you. ever speak about the rela-
tions with Rice?''
Witness said they had. She said to the
best of her recollection Patrick had told
her he represented a Mr.. Holt IN the
settling of Mrs. Rice's will.
Mrs. Francis testified that on the Sat
urday previous to Mr.. Rice's death Valet
Jones called at her house and delivered
a large envelope to Mr.. Patrick.
Patrick, witness said, had told her the
envelope contained checks for the settle
ment of Mrs. Rice's will. Patrick, she
said, asked her to assign him a place
where they could be kept safely and she
had the envelope put in the dumb waiter
closet, under some other papers, whe1e
no one would look for them.
Witness said that about January last
year Patrick had told her that if any
letters came to the house addressed
Justice the letters were for him. Pat
rick at that time inserted an advertise
ment in a New York paper calling for
the acquaintances of the late Mrs. Rice
She testified that Jones called in re.
sponse to this advertisements
Witness said she mover heard Patrick
say that he was the attorney for Mr.
Rice; on the contrary. witness said, she
always understood Patrick was connect-
cd with the side opposed to Mr. Rice, in
the claim of Holt, an executor of the will
Of Rices wife.
s"Did Patrick ever tell you that Rice
had made will making him residuary