Connecticut western news. [volume] (Salisbury, Litchfield Co., Conn.) 1871-1970, 1901-04-04
JONES POISONED RICE.
Remarkable Confession of Mil
lionaire's Valet.
SAYS PATRICK ORDERED CRIME.

Witness Tell. How the Lawyer Per-
fected the DiaboIical Plot TO Make
Away with Aged Mi%er and Get
His Money.
New York. April 3.-Without the
slightest quayer in his well modulated
voice and displaying no outward sign
# regret or remorse Charles +. Jones,
secretary and valet 10 the late William
Marsh Rice. confessed under oath that
he had ended the life of his employer
and benefactor with chloroform.
The confession was the climax of n
remarkable recital in which was laid
bare the details of an alleged subtle
conspiracy which had for its object
the seizure of S3,ooo.o00 in cash and
negotiable securities and the CONVEX
sion of $4,000 600 in realty TO the uses
of the alleged chief conSpirator.
There was a dramatic force in the
directness and minute attention 10 de-
tail 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. and the audience in the
courtroom became still and breathless
as the climatic period was rounded.
The self confessed murderer told the
story of the alleged plot from its incep-
ton. The capital crime he committed
and all the minor offenses that pre-
ceded it were. he declared, at the in
stigation and direction of Albert L.
II D.S 1A ha
conceived the idea of forging will
and forging transfers and conyeyances.
1t was Patrick who induced two per-
sons to witness the forged signature.
1t was Patrick who determined that
Rice should die. and il was Patrick
who sought 10 have him killed slowly
and then. becoming impatient, deter
mined upon quick action, and. accord
ing to Jones. remarkable as it may
seem, Rice never knew Patrick during
his lifetime and never saw him but
once.
Jones, according TO his story. first
began his acquaintance with Patrick
when the lawyer called ut the residence
of Millionaire Rice on Madison avenue.
this city. in October. 1899. The witness
told of the growing friendship and the
gradual approach 10 the discussion of
the affairs of Mr.. Rice which finally re-
suited in the proposition to defraud,
and Jones finally yielded. Then came
the details of the story of the transfers
and conveyances of real and personal
property TO Patrick over the forged
signatures of Rice. the stealing OF
blank checks from the millionaire's
checkbook. the. delivery to Patrick
and the forging of Rice's signature. the
proposition TO put the aged millionaire
out of the way. first weakening him by
continuous doses of mercury. the call
ing in of a physician at frequent inter
walls, thus apparently providing for the
issuance of death certificate, and the
extreme care with which this plan of
slow poisoning was carried out.
Then, as calmly as though unfolding
the plot of a drama in which he was in
terested only as spectator. Jones led
up to the day Of the murder.
Mercury Pills.
He swore that Patrick had furnished
him with mercury pills of Il different
composition from those first admins
tered. told how the millionaire defeated
the purpose of the plotters by refusing
to take them. Then. Jones said Pat
rick began TO display impotence. He
swore the lawyer brought two ounces
of oNalic acid<to him and told him 10
dilute one ounce in - times its weight
in water and to give the mixture TO
Rice for the purpose of weakening his
heart action. To induce the old man 10
take these several poisons. Jones sail.
he was compelled TO take doses himself
in Rice's presence. One dose was really
not dangerous. 1t was the cumulative
effect of the drug that was TO be feared.
According to this remarkable confess
sion, the oxalic acid was too slow. and
Jones was asked 10 use chloroform and
laudanuIh. Jones said he was afraid
to buy the drugs in the neighborhood,
and he sent to his brother in Texas
for them. They came by express. This
was followed by meeting 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 il,
because Rice had poisoned his own
wife years ago and deserved punish.
| ment.
Jones described his return TO Mr..
| Rice's apartments and the discovery
OF the millionaire sleeping peacefully
| in bed. He told of his stealthy search
for n napkin and the fashioning of il
| into a cone shape as directed, he said
| by Patrick. He detailed the story OF
the pinning of small sponge at the
point of the cone. Then he told OF
| saturating the napkin and sponge with
chloreform and holding it over his own
nostrils to test its effect. He described
his approach to the bed with the satu
rated napkin in his hand. of the plac
ing it over the face of the sleeping old
man. of the flight from the room. OF
the weary wait of 80 minutes in &C
1 cordance with Patrick's alleged in
structions. At the expiration of the
half hour he returned and found Rice
dead He then threw open the windows
TO free the room from the odor of chic
reform. telephoned to Patrick that Rice
was dead, sent for a physician and
then. after expressing his grief at the
loss of so good and kind an employer
he said he went to bed and fell into s
sound sleep.
Court closed for the day with Jone:
| still on the stand.