New-York tribune., 1902-02-04
WRITING EXPERT TRAPPED
CALLS TRACING OF RICE'S SIGMA
TURE GENUINE-MEDICAL MEN
ON STAND
ON STAND.


the murder of William Marsh Rice, was con-
tinued yesterday in Part " OF the Court OF
General Sessions 1t begun two weeks ago
IN Part H. The change TO a new courtroom was
said to be made necessary by increased attend
at the trial
District Attorney Osborne yesterday read to
the jury the Rice will of 1896 which Recorder
Goff decided Friday admit in evidence
Gr. Osborne said his object tc show that
the for ged will or 1900 was based the viii OF
1885, and that the will of 1900. conveying the
bulk of Mr.. Rice's estate TO Patrick had named
as legatee every relative of Mr. Rice who
might otherwise have objected 10 its probate.
William NJ Rice. jr.. nephew OF William NJ
Rice testified that the agreement between the
Rice heirs and the Rice Institute OF Texas was
made to stay litigation over real estate in Texas
Louisiana and New-Jersey.
DR. Edward ]. Donlin. who was cOroner's ply
siclan in 1900 and made an autopsy on the body
of Mr.. Rice. said he found the orSans IN the
body in a normal state. with the exception OF
the lungs. which were co-extensively eongested-
DR.. DOnlin's examination continued as follows
o-Do you know anything that would cause
% on of ateT sPy dsth f59tns ysPS5 o. dsa
Q-Coud any disease do it? A--Not that
Q-CouId the inhalation of chloroform do itf A.
Yes, any similar gas vapor.
THE CAUSE OF DEATH
There was long cross-examination by Mr.
Moore. OF Patrick's counsel. in part as follows:
9mWSgd I9buIaF pneumonia have = caused aus ..s 5hs
of congestion OF the lungs.
Q-Coud you not have found the condition you
did find as the result of pneumonia? Al think
not sir No. siI , -,
was but slight congestion? Al did. There was
Q.-Then there was not intense congestion7 A
T9ere Vas an extensive s,ignt @ S9hgesIIonl; n ,..
cause such a congestion of the lungs? Alt
oEWhere death results from heart failure. could
you have congestion of the lungs? A-fes. SIT.
and oedema.
DR.. Donlin denied that he had ever said that
Mr. Rice's death due to old age. and that
he had found no symptoms of death by violence
in making the autopsy. Jones, Mr.. Rices valet.
confessed long after the autopsy that he lad
killed MIR. Rice with chloroform-
Recorder Gof ruled out several questions Mt
Osborne wanted TO ask and then administered
a sharp rebuke to Mr.. Osborne because the lat
ter wanted to explain why he asked the ques-
tions
DR.. Rudolph A. witthaus, expert In chem
istry, described the results of examinations Of
parts of Mr. Rice's body.
II took the intestines and portions Of the
heart. lung and Kidneys" he said. It found in
the intestines. estimated by the test L made,
half a grain of mercury. and estimated one
quarter of a grain of mercury in the kidneys
The liver was not responsive to tests for
mercury
FINDING OF THE MERCURY
The witness was not allowed TO tell his opinion
as TO the amount of mercury taken by Mr.. Rice
before death. After a long wrangle between
counsel he was allowed to say that he thought
larger amount than that found after death
had been taken before death. On cross-ex-
animation he admitted that he did find
enough mercury to cause death He said that
some embalming fluids contained mercury. Mr.
Rfce's body had been embalmed previous to
the removal of parts for chemical examination
William T. Harmon. bOokkeeper at SVEN
sons bank, who was one of the witnesses TO
the Rice will of 1896 Identified his signature on
| the will, and also swore that ne saw Mt. Rice
write his signature to the Will Counsel for
Patrick caused the witness to look at several
admitted and disputed signatures OF Mr. Rice
through an opening cut in an envelope. shutting
out all writing except the signatures The wit
ness identified as a genuine ~>ature OF MT
Rice signature which some one nuo FSaced on
blank piece OF paper.
Counsel for the defence said they wanted the
signature put in evidence standard OF com
| parison. because it had been identified as the
| genuine signature OF Mr.. Rice by one of the
experts called by the prosecution
The Recorder ruled that il could go in later
| when the defence was presenting its side OF the
case.
| Dr. H B Looris. to whom DR.. witthaus sub
mitted parts of Mr.. Rice's body for examination.
testified that ne did not know of any disease that
| would cause congestion co-extensive with the
| lungs Disease he said. accompanied by
| congestion will kill before the congestion be-
| comes co-extensive with the lungs It is not the
| congestion but the consolidation that kills
| The witness said he thought the indications
| were that Dir. Rice had been killed by the In
/ halation of some trritant gas Ike chlorofOrnn
| Mr.. Moore wearied the Recorder into protest by
| the length of the cross-examination. which
ELECTED nothing OF interest
| John D. Campbell. one of the Jurors. said he
/ had a severe cold. but thought il he were al
| lowed TO go hCme and take medicine he would
| be all right in the morning. The Recorder ad-
/ a-rIfa han InTi1 X
| a. to-day.
| NILE. BREFAL ARRIVES.
| Mile Iucienne Breval is the last prima donns