The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1902-02-27
VALET CONFESSES.
Astonishing Turn In the Now Famous
Rice Murder Trial.
TELLS PARTICULARS OF MURDER.
LAWYER Patrick Dosed the Aged Till
lionaire, and Finally Chloroformed
Him to Death.

New York, Special.-A very drama
tic point in the trial Of Lawyer Albert
IT. Patrick for the murder OF the leAas
millionaire, William Marsh Rice, was
reached Thursday afternoon. Chas. r
Jones, the valet. had been relating the
circumstances Leading up to the some
what sudden death of Mr.. Rice, III
September. Then pulunSing at once
into the details. he held the attention
of his audience to the end OF MS re-
cital. Freed of minor points his story
runs:
In August Patrick grew impatient.
Mr.. Rice. though an invalid, was Nv
ing too long to suit the lawyers pur-
poses. Patrick said he would come to
the house and kill him himself if neces-
sary. He suggested chloroform and
Jones said he would get some. The luea
of chloroform as a means was sugges-
ted by a magazine article. 1t was de-
termined on after Jones talked with a
physician who said a person whose
heart was affected. as was Mr.. Rlce's,
could be most easily killed with it. and
that little trace Of the drug would be
left. Jones got q two-ounce vial OF II
by writing to his brother in Texas.
Jones then branches off into the al
legated plan adopted to weaken the al
legged plan adopted to weaken the al
him mercury and iron pills. The pills
brought on debilitating diarrhoea.
Then, unwitt;ngly, a friend brought
Mr.. Rice a present of bananas. OF these
the old man ate nine. The fruit made
him eXceedinglwy i'll. and yet the
weakening doses Of mercury were kept
up. By Saturday. about the eighth
day Of the last illness. Mr.. Rice be-
came delrous. This testimony brought
the events up to Sunday, the day OF
death, and the witness said that dur
ing these days of illness he kept Pat
rick informed Of the details personality
and by telephone
William Marsh Rice's quick death,
declared the witness, was decided on
at a conference between Patrick and
Jones held Saturday night. Jones had
told the lawyer of the arrival Of a
draft for $4,000. Patrick told him it
was time to apply the chloroform, now
that the draft had come and that Cap
tain Baker was coming, or they would
lose all. Jones agreed.
Jones here told his story Of the ac-
tual killing. He made a cone of tow
el in the small end Of which was
chloroform-soaked sponge. Creeping
into the room where Mr.. Rice lay
sleeping. he quickly covered the sleep
er's face with the large end of the cone
Jones rushed cut Of the room. In half
an hour he came back. He removed
the cone. Mr.. Rice was dead. Jones
swore he telephoned to Patrick the
words: "Mr. Rice is very ILL.," the
agreed signal between the two of
death. Jones story of the end was con-
cluded by the statement that Patrick
came to the house and removed all OF
Mr.. Rice's papers.
Some time in August" Jones said
in the course Of his narrative, Patrick
asked me if did not think Mr.. Rice
was living too long for our welfare. He
thought it would be a good thing if we
would put him out Of the way. He said
If I'd tell him some night when Mr.
Rice was sleeping soundly, he'd come
up and do it, If would not"
What was said of chloroform ?"
asked Attorney Osborne.
Patrick said that would be an easy
way to put Mr.. Rice away. An article
in a magazine gave him the idea.
Something was said about getting
chloroform, and Patrick said it was
very hard to get; that one had to have
all sorts Of certificates before the drug
giSt would sell it. l told Patrick he
could leave that to me. l sent my
brother SIS and he sent me chloroform
in four-ounce bottle Patrick said
he had often wondered about what
would be the effect Of chloroform on a
person afflicted with heart trouble.
put the question to DR.. Curry. and he
said no little chloroform would be
needed to kill person who had heart
disease; that it was doubtful if any
traces Of the poison would remain af-
ter death. l told Patrick what DR..
Curry had said"