The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-02-21
\ Swore that He Had Himself Murdered Millionaire
4 William ii. Rice With Chloroform.
PATRICK HAD INSISTED THAT THE DEED BE
DONE, AND AT ONCE HE TESTIFIED.
First Tried the Effects of the Drug Himself then Placed
Towel Containing Heavy Dose of 1t Over the Face OF His
Sleeping Employer and Left 1t there Until He Was Dead

doctors giving chloroform to their patients.
We talked Of the effect OF choroform and
| said did not believe the effects could
he found after death"
Did you tell Patrick Of that converse
tionf"
81 did aud gave him the magazine
article to read aud We talked It over. rat
rick said he had often wondered what
would he the effect Of chloroform on q
person afflicted with heart trouble. put
the question to Or. Curry and he said 50
! little chloroform would he needed to kill
person who had heart disease that Il
was doubtful II any traces Of the poison
would remain after death. told Patrick
what Or. Curry had said and he said he
| would talk to pr Curry himself
| Jones wrote to his brother again he
| said, this time at Patricks suggestion.
/ and got two ounces more Of choroform.
Mn Rice was improving in health at this
timc. Jones asserts. and matters were he
coming serious Patrick. Jones said, then
| told Jones Ia sprinkle laudanum in Rlcc's
food. which he did after obtaining II from
his brother at the same Time he got the
! chlnroform. Mr. Rice failed 20 break
down under the laudanum This was ahou,
morth preceding Gice's death,
"Evcrv time | saw Patrick" continued
Jones ne asked me il Mr. Rice was fail
ing and seemed very mucf disappointed
when ] told him Mr. Rice was ginning
strength one day he said: why don't YOU
give him mcrcuWY lie knew mat nr
Curry had prescribed mcr"uliar pills foI
me- I told him II would he impossible 10
give Mr. Rice anythiug In his meals but
that | might persuade him that they were
good for him hy taking some In his pres
ence. Rice took two and they made him
ILL., He thought the illness was caused by
some eggs he had eaten He continued TO
take lhe nils ahaut-apG- lRat e.
did him good Patrick was surprised when
! told him He gave me some pills II
mercury and said they would not hurt M,
but would settle Rice. took one aud II
made me sick, Rice also took one. lie
told me be had taken a second one. They
brought on severe diarrhoea."
Jones told ~ the visit Of Mrs Van
Alstyne. "a friend Of RIccS She brought
him some bananas and he ate nine Of them.
They made him very III and Dr, Curry was
called In. That was about ten days before
bis death,
Apparently at this point oSalic acid WAS
attempted 10 he given to the patient mt
Rice objected to the taste even after Jones
md apparently taken some and would not
swallow IT, Facing Patrick, something he
had not altogether done up to this point
tho witness with unaccustomed precision of
speech now began the tale of his alleged
using Of the choiofornL
Mr. Osborue at times interrupted him 10
make him repeat certain parts as If To
impress the Jury.
"on the "Wednesday or Thursday bcfor,
his death" the witness went on "hc tool
another mercuria pin. The next day n,
was very sick and on Saturday he wa'
dclirlous pr. Curry visited him and gave
him some medicine Mrs. Carpenter
friend called that day MIR Rice cried
and talked dclirously ! got Mrs Car
pcutcr ont of the room. MIR Rice ask,l
ror the doctor and told him pr CurY
had Just left. lie would not believe M
and insisted that some Que go for Dr
Curry. sent for the doctor Mr.. Rtc,
asked mo II | thought Mrs Carpenter hoc
called because she thought hlla very sIci
and said she Thought him sick, Mr. ri"
walked about the room bit and then sl
down in an easy chair and went to sleep
, told Patrick over the telephone all tha
1 { OctuItcu anu ~ MS lHhlAhtlnh hiNA Him l'
restaurant on sixth avenue. where h
/ had lunch | told him draft for $500
, mad arrived from the OH mill pntllci
( told me 10 60 back 10 the house and 4
I | wanted him later to call him up at th'
: Young Mems Christian Association on III
ty-seventh. | returned 10 the house Or
Curry was there aud Mr. Rice was stil
ss.eep walked 20 the elevated station
with Or. Curry and be told ME that Mr.
, Rice was very sick. but that he would pal
through with good care. The next day
Sunday, Dr. Curry said Mr.. Rice was get
tug along well, but he must be careful a
, to his food Patrick told me to let hin
, know what Dr. Curry said and did so
! Patrick said he had some oxalIc acid a
/ his office and that ne would get 1t for ~
20 give Rice. lie told me to buy SOM
A alum SO as 10 be sure OF the measure
ments when ! compared II with oxallc acid
Il read about oxalc acid In the eneycio
! pedia aud took the hook with rue when
called on Patrick. He took me 70 his roOu
< where he took two square bottles frol
q his pocket and told me ~ he careful q
!. the mixture as II would corrode his lhroa'
d but la that proportion Il would be tasteles
il aud would paralyze his heart J took 81 I
n Mr. Rice's room and made the mixture
! took mouthful OF a In Mr.. Riccs pre-
n ebce. but did not Ike u That WAS lai
in the afternoon of sunday, the day liic
Ie died. lie was far from wen and fell one
Il wher he tried to leave mis- chair ! pieke