Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-04-04
FOR JONES 70 SUICIDE
WAS PATR|CK'S SCHEME.
PLAN BY WHICH ALL EVIDENCE
AGAINST PRINCIPAL WOULD
BE DESTROYED.
JONES HAD AGREED TO IT
AND ACTUALLY CUT HIS THROAT,
SURPRISING PATRICK WOULD
DO LIKEWISE.

NEW YORK, April 3.-Charles F.
Jones, who was the valet-secretary to
William Marsh Rice, the aged million
aire, who, according to Jones con-
fession yesterday, was murdered by
the use of chloroform in September
last, finished his testimony to-day on
direct examination in the proceedings
before Justice Jerome, charging Albert
T. Patrick with murder. When court
adjourned on Tuesday people went out
of the little room in which Justice Je-
rome was conducting the examination
of Lawyer Patrick, filled with wonder
at the extraordinary story of the man
who confessed that he had placed over
the face OF his benefactor as he slept,
a folded napkin saturated with chloro-
form, thereby causing the death OF the
millionaire. To-day he heard tue
same story repeated under a different
condition, but with ever more dram
attic surroundings.
The story of the murder and con-
spiracy which Jones outlined on Tues
day he to-day filled in with a wealth
of detail, and with a GOODNESS and
nerve which under the circumstances
was almost overwhelming.
According to the story of the valet
secretary, he and Patrick had drawn
up the bogus will and were waiting
with what patience they could for old
Rice to die wnen a mill burned down
in Texas. Rice's connections there de-
sired to rebuild it and he spoke OF ad-
vancing the 500, 900 or $1,000 requir-
ed to replace the burned property.
Patrick told me to use all my iniu-
ence," said Jones to-day, with Rice
not to rebuild the mill, as this would
take out all the ready cash from the
estate" But Rice insisted on advanc-
ing the money and presently
Authorized "a Draft
for S25, 900 from one of his cores
pondents in Texas. Word of the draft
arrived in New York on Saturday and
Jones. in accordance with his compact,
told Patrick about it. 1t was only $25,-
600, but according to the valet, Patrick
felt that he could not spare even this
much out of the millions that he was
already counting as his own.
He then said" testified Jones,
that he would have to do something
10 get Rice out of the way before
Monday, when the draft would ar
rive"
Even more illustrative of the eau
ton and thoroughness of the alleged
plot conceived and carried out by these
men was another instance related by
Jones. The manager of Rice's estate
in i'exas-a man named Cohen-was
- +ln bohtt Of canJinn a ahnak ma6l
out in his name and mailing it back
to him. When one Of these checks
came along, and after Rice had
signed it and given it to Jones to mail,
he turned it over to Patrick in order
that the latter might practice on the
signature. The x check that came
from Cohen was signed the forgery
of Rice's name, and sent along in or
der by its passing through the banks
Of Texas that they might test the
merit CT their forgery. The expert
ment
Was an Entire Success
and gave them great confidence in the
greater forgeries yet to come. There
was n point to-day at which it was
confidently expected Jones would give
some sign of emotion. 1t was even an
ticipated that he night break down.
This was when he was asked about the
effort he had made at suicide in the
Tombs, but expectation was again dis
appointed. He told OF Patrick's sug-
costing that he take the blame of the
whole thing, of his refusal to do so,
OF Patrick's handing him a knife with
which to cut his throat and of the
throat cutting itself wit has little feel
ing as he showed the day before when
he told how he chloroformed his help
less millionaire benefactor.
But it was on cross-eXamination that
Jones really demonstrated that he was
emotion proof. Rober B. Moore. Pat
eick's lawyer, and the same man who
saved DIR. Kennedy from the death
chair at the recent trial, went about the
eross-examination in a spirit of thor
eughness that would have dismayed
0post men. Gradually he felt along the
outline of Jones story until he had
satisfied himself that there was moth
ing to be gained by a patient siege and
then he attempted to storm Jones po-
sition. When he spoke of the killing
of Rice, he called it murder and he kept
the electric chair in the mind of the
man on the witness stand, who answer
cd everything as calmly and quietly as
If the thing were merely a perfunctory
rehearsal.
1t was impossible to shake the tes-
tfmony of the witness. He had a mem
DRY like an almanac. and his replies
were photographed in their brevity.
Perhaps the only point where the
attorneys for Patrick even appeared to
shame the
Nerve and the
of Jones was where they extorted a
statement from him that he hoped by
telling his present story to escape the
death penalty for murder. He said his
lawyer, Mr.. Battle, had assured him
that he could do nothing for him; he
knew Battle had talked to Osborne,
and he thought if he told the whole
truth some measur of consideration
would be shown him. This and his
conscience, he said, induced him TO
admit his guilt Of the murder.
Patrick's defense will be a general de-
NAL 1t will not be revealed in detail un-
til the actual murder trial takes place.
which will probably not be until October
next. Jones, according to the defense, was
the arch-conspirator and Patrick was only
the innocent tool OF the valet. The great
est stress will be laid upon the fact by
a.