The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-04-02
LANDLADY TESTIFIES
ruRows MORE LIGHT ON PAT
RICK's MOVEMENTS.
WAS EXTREMELY CAUTIOUS.
AFRAID SHE WOULD INCRIMINATE
HERSELF.

,,..ricIx Had Told Her That He Was
rrxing to Get N Settlement of Mrs.
uscc,r wiII-She Hid Large En-
veIope for Patrick just Before
Rice,s Death, which, He Said, Con-
.a5ned Checks in Settlement of the
NilI-Thought Patrick Was OPP
Dosed to Rice in This VIII Case
and was Evidently Not in the Sc
crets of the Rice VIII Deal.
New York. April 1.-The first witness
.o-dav at the hearing of Albert T. Pat
r;ck the lawyer charged with causing
.ha death of William Marsh Rice last
sentAmber. was Mrs. A. M. Francis, who
1ant the house where Patrick formerly
boarded. When she had been sworn and
4ne assistant district attorney was about
"a mt his first question, Mr.. Moore, Pat
rick's lawyer, said he thought the witness
ought to be cautioned against testifying
% ANYTHING that might incriminate her
self
Mrs. Francis testified that she had
known Patrick since January 1898. Pat
rick was her boarder at several places
where she conducted boarding houses and
boarded with her at the time of his ar
rest. She was acquainted with David L.
Short and Morris Meyer and with Potts.
all If whom have figured in the case. Pat
rick occupied the back parlor in her
house. She herself had no stated room,
she said. in reply to question by Mr..
osborne.
- III 1ofY, 70 10,
Won about Mr. Rice?" asked Mr.. Osborne.
.I decline to answer on the advice of
NV lawyer" witness replied.
ION what ground?' asked Mr.. Osborne.
ION the ground that it would incrimi-
nate me-" Mrs. Francis answered.
Assistant District Attorney Osborne
said there was no intention of duplicating
refused to testify.
In came out in the testimony that the
witness had been told by a lawyer that
if she said anything favorable TO Patrick
the district attorney would have her ar
rested.
why do you believe 1 would have you
arrested?'
q saw in the papers on Saturday night
that you were to make more arrests
And do you believe. after my declar-
alton in open court that L would arrest
you. though innocent?"
Il do she replied
Justice Jerome interrupted here and
said:
The testimony of this witness shows
that she is a woman previously held in
high esteem in the community. 1 do not
propose that she shall go out of this
courtroom with stigma on her name for
lack of time to consider this matter. We
will take a recess. During the recess,
Madam, l would adise you to see some
friend-not necessarily a lawyer-but some
man or woman with sound business sense
who can give you counsel and advice"
At the afternoon session Mrs. Francis
answered some of the questions she had
refused to answer before. She said she
first met Jones when she kept a board
ing house in Lexington avenue. Jones
called there to see Patrick. She remem-
bered that Jones called 20 see Patrick
on Sept. %, the day before Rioes death
Patrick was in her house up to p. m.
on Sept 49, she said.
On that day, John r. Potts and his
daughter called. After supper Patrick and
witness were alone in the house At
o'clock in the evening witness said the
telephone rang.
Il went to answer the call, but Mr..
Patrick got there ahead of me and took
the receiver The message was from
Jones. He said Mr.. Rice was very sick
or dead"
Witness said Patrick went out after
receiving this message, saying that he
would go TO the house.
Did you ever speak about the relations
with Rice?"
Witness said they had. She said, to the
best of her recollection, Patrick hod told
her he represented a Mr.. Holt in the set
Ting of Mrs. Rice's will
Mrs. Francis testified that on the Sat-
urdsy morning previous to Mr. Rice's
death, Valet Jones called at her house
ana delivered large envelope to Mr..
Patrick
Patrick, witness said, had told her the
envelope contained checks for the settle
ment Of Mrs Rice's will. Patrick, she
salo' asked her to assign him a place
where they could be kept safely, and she
Hdu the envelope put in the dumb waiter
cIoSet under some other papers, where
no one would look for them.
Witness said that about January last
year Patrick had told her that if any
leuers came to the house addressed Jus
uce' these letters were for him. Patrick
al tnat time inserted an advertisement In
new York paper calling for the ac-
quaintances of the late Mrs. Rice She
tesuned that Jones called in response to
ms advertisement.
Nltness said she never heard Patrick
Say that he was the attorney for MIR.
ne on the contrary. witness said. she
eI"ays understood Patrick was connected
WIN the side opposed to Mr.. Rice. in the
lain LAIN of Holt, an executor of the win of
Rices wife
pa Patrick ever tell you that Rice
idu made will making him residuary
lesd'ee?' Mrs. Francis was asked by Mr..
ne said he was a trustee. That there
was use for nearly all the money Rice
Possessed but that he would have some
'eGompense for the work he did"
John S. Potter said that Patrick when
.'Lo mat Rice's body could not be Gre
nlated IN less than twenty-four hours
noIce' had suggested that the body be
embalmed.
tomorrow. 'ieN "'i'ii