The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1901-04-04
Confesses CoId-BIooded Killing
Of AGED Millionaire
Rice.
PATRICK CHARGED AS INsTIGAToE
Gave Mercury Pills and Finally Made
Quick Job by Using ChlorO-
form Cup.

kdlSu VOICE anu ulSp1dy 1uS ~ OulWd1u
sign of regret or remorse, Charles +.
Jones, secretary and valet to the late
William Marsh Rice yesterday con
fessed under oath that he had ended
the life of his employer and benefactor
with chOloform. The confession was
the climax of a remarkable recital in
which was laid bare the details of an
| alleged subtle conspiracy which had
for it's object the seizure of three mil
lion dollars in cash and negotiable
securities and the conversion of three
millions in realty to the uses Of the
chief conspirator. There was a dra-
matte force in the directness and
minute attention to detail with which
Jones approached the tragedy-the
moment when he covered the face Of
the sleeping man with the saturated
napkin and then waited for him to
die The self-cOnfessed murderer told
the story of the alleged plot from its
inception. The capital crime he com
mitted and all the minor Offenses that
preceded it were, he declared, at the
instigati0n and direction of Albert T.
Patrick 1t was Patrick, he said, who
conceived the idea of forging a will
and forging transfers and cOnveyances-
1t was Patrick who induced two per
sons to witness the forged signature.
1t was Patrick who determined that
Rice should die, and it was Patrick
who sought to have him killed slowly,
and then, becoming impatient, deter
mined upon quick action. And, ac-
cording to Jones, remarkable as it may
seem. Rice never knew Patrick and
never saw him but once.
Approached by Patrick.
Jones, according to his story, first
began his acquaintance with Patrick
when the lawyer called at the resi-
dence of Millionaire Rice on Madison
avenue, this city, in October, 1899.
The witness told of the growing
friendship and the gradual approach
to the discussion of affairs of Mr.. Rice
which finally resulted in the PROPOSE
ton to defraud and Jones finally yield
ed Then came the details of the
story of the transfers and cOnveyances
of real and personal property TO
Patrick over the forged signature Of
Rice; the stealing OF blank checks
from the milliOnaire'S check-bOOk;
then delivery to Patrick and the forg-
ing of Rice's signature; the PROPOSE
ton to put the aged millionaire out Of
the way, first weakening him by con
tinuOus doses of mercury; the calling
in of physician at frequent intervals,
thus apparently providing for the issu-
ance of a death certificate, and the
extreme care with which this plan o.
slow poisoning was carried out
Gave Mercury Pills.
Then, as calmly as though unfold
ing the plot Of q drama in which he
was interested only as a spectator,
Jones led up to the day of the murder.
He swore that Patrick had furnished
him with mercury pills of a different
composition from those first admin
fstered; told how the millionaire de-
feated the purpose of the plOtters by
refusing to take them. Then, Jones
said, Patrick began to display inn
patience He swore the lawyer
brought two ounces Of oXalic acid to
Jones and Jones swears he told him to
dilute one ounce in twenty-five times
it's weight in water and to give the
mixture to Rice for the purpose of
weakening his heart action. To in
duce the old man to take these several
poisons Jones said he was compelled
to take doses hin self in Rices pres
ence. One dose was really not danger
Gus. It was the cumulative effect of
the drug that was to be feared. Ac-
cording to this remarkable confession
the oxalic acid was too slow and
Jones was asked to use chlOrOfOrm
and laudanum. Jones said he was
afraid to buy the drugs in the neigh
borhood and he sent to his brother in
For thoT10 fThnU nv
press. This was followed by meet
inc in the street with Patrick. who
told him that the old man was lasting
too long, that he must be put out of
the way at once, that Jones should do
the work and that there would really
be no harm in it, because Rice had
poisoned his own wife years ago and
deserved punishment.
Used ChIprofOrm.
Jones described his return to MIR.
Rices apartments and the discovery
of the millionaire sleeping peacefully
in bed. He told of his stealthy search
for a napkin and the fashioning of it
into cone-shape as directed, he said,
by Patrick. He described his
approach to the bed with the
saturated napkin in his hand; of the
sleeping old man; of the fight from
the room; of the weary wait of thirty
minutes in accordance with Patrick's
alleged instructions At the expir
alton of the half hour he returned and
found Rice dead. He then threw open
the windows to free the room from
the odor of chloroform, telephOned to
Patrick that Rice was dead, sent for
physician, and then. after expressing
bis grief at the loss of so 5000 and
kind an employer, he said he went to
bed and fell into a sound sleep.
Says Jones Was Criminal.
Patrick, accused by the witness of
being the arch criminal, listened to the
witness without attention and occas-
sionally made notes of the testimony.
Not even the remarkable witness on
the stand was more cool, calm and
collected than this remarkable prison
err Patrick's hand was firm and
steady. He displayed neither anger,
foop NON ~acoTfuou% Whon IOnpS