Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-04-03
TELLS OE IHE ARREST
Valet Jones Resumes His Testi.
mony in the William Rice
Murder Case.
Tells Of the Events Following
the Death BY Poison
Of Rice.
His Arrest and the False State.
ments He Made--The De.
tective's Visit.

New York, April s-Charles F. Jones,
valet secretary Of William Rice the
rich Texan, resumed giving testimony
today in the proceedings against Albert
7. Patrick, charged with causing Rices
death in order to obtain his property by
means of WILL deeds and checks which
lat is alleged We're forged. Jones began
today by relating that on Monday. the
day following Rice's death. four men.
yers. called at the fiat and asked ques-
ltions concerning the circumstances sur
rounding the death. Jones told Patrick
he thought these men were detectives.
Next morning Jones Went to police
headquarters. When he returned home
he found number of detectives in the
place. On Tuesday afternoon he was
taken to police headquarters. where he
was questioned. He found Patrick also
| at headquarters. Patrick told Jones
THAT he had discovered the Will wit
messed in his CPatsick's) Office and
number of bogus, letters written ON the
Twill matter. On this occasion, Jones
Testified. Patrick asked when Rice had
last been given mercury. Il told him on
Thursday said Jones. Patrick then
told me there would not be any trace
left in the system at the time of the
autopsy and that embalming fluid
would kill all traces of oxalic acid,
which was a vegetable poison"
Witness related at length the Incl
idents of the day when the body of Rice
Was cremaied. Jones passed over to the
/ ihappenings of Oct. A. the evening OF the
tday hewas arrested. He said before he
Was locked up he made statement
which was entirely fictitious Jones then
i.to.d how Mr.. House had been appointed
I lawyer of both Patrick and himself and
| the events surrounding their commit
lnlent to the tonlbs From mere Jones
passed to his attempt to commit suicide.
on the day before the attempt was
made" said Jones Patrick and had
i talk in the reception room at the
4 Tonlbs. Patrick told me his means were
exhausted ard they We're in desperate
straits He wanted me to shouldcr,tfe
responsibility for the time. told him
i would not confess unless could tell
ia STRAIGHT story. I said I would rather
i akif nlyseif on account CT the disgrace.
5 Patrick saia this might be the best
4 thing for us both ard. said he would kill
/ himself, too. He said he had a small
/ knife in his cell. The knife would do for
lone and we would try to get some car
balic acid from Or. Potts He gave me
/ the knife. I put itin my shoe and took
| it to my cell. Later Potts called. Pat
Trick told me that Potts would not get
1 him the poison. About O'clock in the
/ afternoon. after had gotten the knife,
H sat in MY cell writing some letters.
! preparing for the end. Just then I was
called TO th= district attorneys Office.
/ While there I made a confession. was
I brought back to my cell in the evening
and about O'Clock in the morning 1
tried 10 cut my threat"
Jones then told of being taken to
Bellevue ana there making a new con-
ffsssion. The new confession is the one
Lon which his present testimony is
4 based. Jones explained today what he
meant yesterday when he said Patrick
did not wish him te live until Monday,
as on that day The draft would be pay
able. Witness said week or so before
the death of Rice certain oil wells in
1 Texas IL which he was interested, were
destroyed by fire. Rice resolved 20 re-
build them and bound himself to pay
4 nearly s200,000 for rebuilding. On the
Estreneth of this oil well the people drew
for s25,G00. the draft being payable on
Monday. September "a. Jones testified
again today that Patrick wishesi to
/ avoid ths payment Of this money. II
/ said. witness continued. ION Saturday
the old man would probably drop off.
Patrick said we could not rely on that.
/ but had to set him out of the way next
day.'
/ "A number of telegrams We're sent by
Jones notifying the relatives of Rice's
/ death. and We're placed in evidence.
They all read alike, setting forth that
Rice died under the care of a physician
ard that the death certificate gave as a
cause diarrhoea, old age and heart fail
lure, concluding with notice of the fu-
neral. a check was then produced and
placed in evidence. The check was for
the salary of Texas employe of Rice.
Jones testified that the check was
forged and forwarded to Texas to see
whether the signature would pass the
banks.