The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-03-27

the unusual step was taken of ordering
all women to leave the court room.
Among them were the prisoners two
sisters and Mrs. Francis, with whom
he boarded.
The members of the jury filed into
their places and several minutes of
tension elapsed, while messengers were
endeavoring to find the counsel. who
had departed not expecting a verdict
for many hours.
Calm as ever, and with confidence
seemingly mistaken, the prisoner was
escorted into the court room. He
walked rapidly and took his stand fac
ing the jury, with head erect and hands
loosely clasped behind his back.
At the word guilty" pronounced by
Foreman Machell in a tone low but dis
tinct enough to be heard throughout the
court, not the slightest change passed
over Patrick's face and he remained
standing in an almost listless attitude
while the customary poll of the jury
was being taken. His aged father, Cap
tain Patrick, sitting near him and
straining to catch the statement of the
foreman, started for an instant as its
import reached him and then sat calm
ly awaiting the further proceedings
A smile of triumph lit up the face of
the assistant district attorney, Mr.. Os-
borne, who fastened from the court inn
mediately after Recorder Golf had at
fixed a week from Monday as the day
on which to pronounce sentence. The
verdict was known ain Immediately
in the corridor where the women rela-
tives and friends of the prisoner We're
waiting and excitement followed
Screaming Historically, the prisoners
eldest sister ran about the corridor beg
ging to be allowed to see her brother
Mrs. Francis tainted and after recoy-
ering broke from the attendants and
rushed into the court room, from which
Patrick had Just been removed. There
she again tainted Both women were
ante
home in a carriage
Captain Patrick, after taking leave Of
his son, who was led back to the Tombs,
would only say: 1T is hard; Wen have
to try again"
None of the jurors could be induced to
reveal how the verdict had been reach
ed, an agreement having been made to
tell nothing.
A motion will be made for a new trial
when the prisoner is arraigned for SEN
tence-
Patrick was held April is, 1901, for
the murder of Rice. He was held on
the valet.
STORY OF THE CRIME.
William Marsh Rice, a Texas mill
lionaire. died in September, 1900, in his
apartments in New York. He was "a
years old. After the funeral services
the body was taken in charge by the
authorities. deputy coroner was IN
able to determine the cause of death,
quantity of strong solution of en-
balming fluid into the body. The heart
lungs, inteStineS and stomach of the
dead man were held for chemical an
alysfs.
The day Rice died four checks bear
ing the dead mans name and calling
for the payment of nearly a quarter
million dollars, We're presented for GER
LITIGATION at the offices of the Fifth
Avenue Trust company and the bank
ing house of s. NJ. Swensen & Son, Is
Wall street They were made payable
to Albert T. Patrick, a lawyer of 316
West Fifty-eighth street, whose offices
are at 275 Broadway. Patrick had for
ten years been Rice's legal adviser in
New York. Two of the checks, one
drawn for S135 600 and the other for
by the Fifth Avenue Trust company,
but the other two drawn on S. NJ.
Swensen & Son, were not certified.
One of them called for $50, 900 and the
other for $4,000. Swensen & Son called
up the Berkshire apartment house on
telephone, and Charles Jones' Mr. Rices
valet, who responded to the call, an
swered that the check was all right. |
This, he says, was in accordance with |
from Lawyer Patrick, although both of
them knew at the time that Rice was
dead.
I'VE won't certify to the genuineness
of the $4,000 check until we speak with |
Mr.. Rice" answered the banker and |
then Jones answered that the million
aire was then OUT
When they asked for Mr.. Rice again |
Patrick told the valet, Tell them he |
is dead. That will be all that is neces-