New-York tribune., 1902-01-21
CHOOSING PATRICK JURY.
FIVE OFT OF TWENTY -FOUR TALESAfEN
CHOSEN JONES EXAMINED IN
JEROME'S OFFICE.

The tasa Of selecting a jury to try Albert T.
Patrick accused Of the murder of William
Marsh Rice was begun before Recorder Gof, in
part II, Of the Court Of General Sessions. yes
terday At the end of the days session twenty
four talesmen had been. examined and five
jurors had been chosen. The defence had used
up six Of its peremptory challenges. and the
prosecution had used the privilege twice.
Mr. Rice who was an elderly. wealthy and
eccentric widower. died in the Berkshire apart
uent house No. 900 Madison-ave on Septen1-
Der % 1900. His companion in his apartments
had been Charles F. Jones' his valet Most of
his relatives lived in Houston. Tex After his
death. arrangements for his funeral were made
by Patrick. a lawyer living at No 316 West
Fifty-eghth-st-. who presented to a bank some
checks for large sums. apparently drawn by
Mr.. Rice. He later produced an alleged will of
Mr.. Ri7e, conveying TO him the bulk of estate
said 70 amount to about S5000090 Charges
Of forgery were made Morris Meyer and David
L. Short, witnesses of the will Patrick produced.
we're indicted. Jones was arrested and made
confessions that he and Patrick had conspired
n Kill Mr.. Rice and obtain possession of his
property In one confession the valet declared
he had administered poison which failed to
work quickly, and then had killed Mr.. Rice
with chloroform At the instigation OF Patrick
Jones' who has been prisoner and has made
an attempt TO kill himself. is TO be the chief
witness against Patrick. The trial will be pro-
longed by the testimony of experts in handwrit-
ing and other experts. James W. Osborne is
the Assistant District Attorney in charge of the
prosecution. F. B. House and Robert NJ Moore
are counsel for the defence. When the Patrick
case was moved before the Recorder at II a.
yesterday Mr.. Osborne said he would require
about three weeks for the prosecution. and
Mr.. Moore said the defence would require
week. Patrick has been prisoner in the Tombs
awaiting trial for nearly sixteen months. He
smiling if confident OF acquittal. when
he was brought the bar and allowed to take
a seat beside his coUnsei.
About thirty Of the special panel OF jurors
failed to respond when their names were called
and Recorder Goff said a fine of 800 would be
imposed in each case. About sixty Of the jurors
who were present asked to he excused As they
were pressing forward to give their excuses. the
Recorder said sharply;
IF any juror takes up the time of the court
with social or business excuses I will fine him
for contempt"
Among those who were excused by the Re
corder was one who said he was interested in
the Rice estate. All the morning session of the
court was occupied with the examination Of
taesmen who were excused for bias chal-
lenged. James MachelI. dealer in diamonds at
No. 81 Park Place was the eighth talesman
examined, and was the first to get into the Jury
box. He said he OF the city at the time
Of The death OF Mr.. Rice. and he had read TOO
little about the case to form opinion. It was
after D. m. when Mr.. Machell sworn in as
foreman Of the jury. Seat No. 2 in the jury box
was taken by Frank F. Billmeyer, formerly a.
practising attorney and for two years District
Attorney Of Columbia County, Penn, but for
some time secretary Of a school furniture com
pany in this city who said he had not formed an
opinion in the Rice and could give a verdict
according TO the evidence submitted George H
Carpenter, manager for fire department sup
ply firm was accepted the third Juror. The
fourth juror was Richard Murphy a -four in
spector. who had read little about the Rice ca Sc
Henry Mason, manufacturer Of clothes dry
ers. was sworn in as the fifth juror shortly be-
Iore the close Of the afternoon session He said
ne had read newspaper accounts of the Rice
case, but he had not formed an opinion He
was the twenty-frst talesman TO be eyamtnad
The twenty-fourth, the last to be examined yes
teTdaF, was Robert H. ShaveIy, who was one of
the Jurors in the second trial of Dr. Samuel 7
kennedy, and Mr. Osborne challenged him ner-
emptory. -
While the examination Of talesmen was in
progress yesterday, Jones. the former valet of
Mr- tlce, was taken 10 the District Attorneys
nee and examined. He was in a private hospi-
Iai many months after he tried to kill himself
MI osborne said the man would be kept in
clCse confinement until he appeared on the wit
ness stand "