Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-04-04
timony and confessions shouia obtain no
credence.
THE a IN DETAIL.

A
NEW YORK, April 3.-Charles F.
Jones, the valet-secretary of VIM. N.
Rice, the rich Texan, resumed the Civ
ing of testimony to-day in the proceed
ings against Albert I. Patrick, who is
charged with causing Rice's death in
order to obtain his property by means
of a will, deeds and checks, which it is
alleged were forged. Jones began to-
day by relating that on Monday, the
day following Rice's death, four men
who represented themselves to be law
yers, called at the fiat and asked ques-
lions concerning the circumstances sur
rounding the death. Jones told Pat
rick he thought these men were detec-
tives. The next morning Jones went
to police headquarters. When he re-
turned home he found a number of de-
t~ectives in the place. On Tuesday at
ternoon he was taken to police head
quarters, where he was questioned. tie
found Patrick also at headquarters.
| Patrick told Jones he had discovered
the will witnessed in his (Patrick's)
Office and a number of bogus letters
were written on the will matter. On
this occasion, Jones testified, Patrick
asked when Rice had last been given
mercury.
Il told him on Thursday" said Jones.
Patrick hen told me that there would
not be any traces OF that left in the
system at the time of the autopsy, and
that
The Embalming Fluid
would kill all traces of the oxalic acid
which was a vegetable poison"
Witness then told of DR.. Curry hav-
ing come to the apartments on Tuesday,
where he met Patrick. The two had a
long talk which Jones did not hear.
The so-called Patrick will was then
brought up. Jones said he had told
Patrick that the provisions for Rice's
relatives interest. which was discovered
on the day following Riceis death, were
too small, and that it would be i'm
possible to get it probated. Patrick,
Jones said, then had the so-called Pat
rick will drawn. The witness relat-
ed at length the incidents of the day
when the body of Rice was cremated.
While the testimony about the will
was being given, Captain Baker, of
Texas, who was an executor of the 1896
will, entered the trial room. He car
ried a bundle of papers and some type
written matter and said he might be
called as a witness.
From the events of the day on which
the body was cremated Jones passed
over to the happenings of October 4.
the evening of the day he was arrested.
Jones said he was taken to police
headquarters at about 10 o'clock in
the evening and was taken down stairs
and locked up an hour later. He said
before he was locked UP that he made
a statement which
Was Entirely Fictitious
ana of which he could not recall even
the most salient features.
Jones then told how Mr.. House had
been appointed lawyer of both Patrick
and himself, and the events surround
ing their recommitment to the Tombs.
From here Jones passed to his at
tempt to commit suicide.
Some time before | tried to commit
suicide Mr.. uouse came to me in the
Tombs and wanted to know if a muir
der had been committed. | told him
there had been no murder"
Lawyer Moore objected. He said it
was not a question of privilege, but
that where two defendants had the
same counsel what went on between
one defendant and the counsel could
not under the laws o. evidence be per-
mitted.
Mr.. Osborne said he did not want
any of the conversation between Jones
and his counsel, and asked the former
to confine himself exclusively to any
conversation that had taken place be-
tween himself and Patrick.
Justice jerome allowed the evidence
already given to stand.
ION the day before the attempt was
made" said Jones, Patrick and l had
a talk in the reception room at the
Tombs. Patrick told me his means
were exhaust,I, and that they were
in desperate straits. Patrick wanted
me to
Shoulder the Responsibility
for the time. | told him l would not
confess until l could tell a straight
story. | said | 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 kill himself, too. He said he
had a small knife in his cell. The
knife would do for one, and he would
try TO get some carbolic acid from Mr..
Potts. He gave me the knife. | put
it in my shoe, and took it to my cell.
Later Potts called. Patrick told me
Potts would not get him the poison.
About + o'clock in the afternoon, after
| had gotten the knife, | sat in my
cell writing some letters and preparing
for the end. Just then | was called to
the district attorneys Office. While
there l made a confession. l was
brought back to my cell in the evening
and at about 4 O'Clock in the morning
| tried to cut my throat"
Jones then told OF being taken to
Bellevue and thece making another
confession. The new confession is
the one OF which his present testimony
is based. Jones explained to-day what
he meant yesterday when he said that
Patrick did not wish to live until Mon
day, as on that day a 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. Rice
resolved to rebuild them, and bound
himself to provide nearly 5000, 900 for
the rebuilding. On the strength of
this. the oil well people drew SIS, 900
the draft being payable on Monday.
Sept. Gath. Jones testified again to-
L. 49,