The Savannah morning news., 1901-04-11
AUTOPSY ON RICE
n, Caused BY VAPOR INHAI4A-
TIoN SAID DOULIN.
CAPT. BAKER ON THE STAND
.,r,n As EXECUTOR OF THE RICE
WILL OF 1896.


Account of His First Inter-
Inv with Patrick-Baker Told
,.s.+ Rice Had Lost Faith in Him
Tint He Patricl<) Was Act
4,,o rs AttOrney-Wanted Baker TO
raI-e Charge in Texas-Patrick
na+.nded to Be Very Open.
,,. york. April 1O-The taking Of evil
I'M the commitment proceedings in
.,.a of Albert T. Patrick, the law
,,bo is accused of having caused the
-a of william Marsh Rice, was re-
- Today before Justice Jerome.
r,.. 6rst witness to-day was Capt.
Baker. Jr., a lawyer of Hous-
Tex who was named as an execu-
,bs Rice will of 1896. Capt. Bak-
in reply to questions by Assistant
553-+-ier Attorney Osborne, said that Fat
49, had never acted as attorney for Rice
,. time. The witness said he had
- ss Mr. Rices attorney up to his
5ea+1 in september. last. The first news
,...a.oived of the death of the aged mil
,torafre was in a telegram sent him by
- the valet. He Immediately tele-
.r,,5ed Jones TO confer with NJ. S. Mel
vim +o maintain the status quo until wit
,ass arrived in New YORK.
..yyban / met Patrick said Baker, he
asked me to step into another room' as
H. wanted to speak to me alone"
cam Baker said Patrick explained TO
,,., that he had been trying to effect "a
-..isoent with Mr.. Rice in regard to
.t.. H+isation over Mrs. Rice's will, and
,.s+ 6e had agreed with Mr.. Rice that
l,otr was to be paid $250,OOO in settlement
.f,ar his (Rice's9 death. Patrick also IN
formed the witness that Mr.. Rice had
,,st faith in him Baker), and that he
,ps-rf,bl was then acting as Mr.. Rice's
atto.ne4-
.patrick told me-" said the witness,
.rba+ it was Mr. Rice's wish that should
1,o. after the estate in Texas, and that
Nh Rice had made some assignments or
Droperty to him, as Rice wished to dis
,ose of the property during life. Patrick
also said that he was to exploit Rice
r2ne all over a s philanthropist."
OnwItness request, Patrick showed him
INN COPY of the document, though re-
trsins to endorse it as a true copy. Pat
rrk also turned over to the witness the
Two checks for $65, 900 and $4,000 made
ryable to Patrick and drawn on the
banking house of Swenson & Co., and he
invited Baker to investigate everything
FULLY
Patrick Wanted "What Was Right
Witness said he suggested to Patrick
that in view of there being two wills
10 would be better to have a temporary
administrator appointed. Patrick replied
that he was indifferent as to whether
either will was prCDated, but he (Patrick)
wanted TO see that he got what was
right. Patrick had also said he did not
wish to have his relations with Rice
made known, and that Jones, the valet.
was the only person who had seen him
in conversation with Rice. Patrick told
tho witness that Rices death was caus-
al by oyer-ndulgence in bananas.
The will of 1896 was introduced and the
witness declared that the signature of
MI. bice was genuine. The signatures
TO the SWeuson checks, he said, were not
Bices.
Mr. Moore began the cross-examination
i Oh Capt Baker.
Th witness said he did not know that
a MI Rice had a mania for making wills.
a Between 1873 and 1896 Rice had made sew
q erai wills but of this witness did not
know until the Holt litigation began.
& Mr. Moore then went along a line of
accumulation by which he wished to
Stow that the will of 1896 was not made
as Rice last will but was made for the
purpose of Crea ting a change in the pub
q lie sentiment which, at that time, was
n not favorable towards Rice.
$4,000 Bonds for short & SIyer.
Before the recess Morris Meyer, who,
q with Snort and Patrick, is accused of
forgery in connection with the will of 1900,
aud who was admitted to bail in So, 900,
was reaIrested and his bail raised to $10,-
'0 shorts bail also was raised to $10,
Co.,
Al the conclusion of the cross-examina-
lQA Oh Capt Baker, Mr. Moore for the
"eiehse conceded that an autopsy had
'een held on the body of Rice.
IT, Edward J. Donlin, one of the sur
--'hs of the police department, testified
-.'1 ne performed an autopsy on the body
VI hee' lie found the body in a we'll pre-
.7-'el state, the lungs were slightly con-
1esled and the other organs for a man
rice age, We're normal.
MT Osborne then pronounced very
4 lengthy Hypothetical question to which
4 -''l moore objected, but finally DR. Donlin
.' LIal the congested condition of the
@ was such as would have been pro-
' 'N lnhalng an irritant gaseous
o.oI surh as chloroform There were
& se9 which might produce this con-
d 3lt no traces of such diseases
found in the organs.
'" h. t"pOr Inhalation.
q hamilton Williams, who assisted
q DI. Donin In the autopsv on Mr. Rice,
& WY eoTo0orated DR.. Donlins testimony
'..'"s The condition of the organs and
s. ba '.l 'lIon of both lungs, and he said
,ooIl no traces of disease which would
ABOUT such congestion of the lungs
fy 81" opinion the congestion was caused
a,. "s inhalation of some irritant OF
"Il Naror. such as chloroform or ether
vs lHe examination of Mr. Williams
Il t5.,... ....'ded the court adjourned until