Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-03-26
SURE OF GUILT.
Dist. Atty. Osborne Makes
Argument Against Patrick.
Says Every Circumstance Points 10
Him as Rice's Murderer.
An Impassioned Arrangement of Pris-
oner at the Bar.


for the prosecution, today, in the trial
in which Albert T. Patrick is accused
of the murder of William M. Rice. Mr.
Osborne referred to what he called an
attack on Captain Baker by Mr.. Moore,
yesterday. Il was never so much in
suited" Mr.. Osborne said, land no jury
was ever treated with so much con-
tempt as Mr.. Baker showed when he
attacked the character of Captain
| Baker.
| MIR. Moore said to you, gentlemen"
| Mr.. Osborne continued, turning to the
| jury, that you must disregard the tes-
| timony of Jones. Well, I agree with
| him. Disregard Jones. / will show
the guilt of Patrick from the witnesses
from the defence and out of the
speeches of Mr.. Moore and Mr. House.
Mr.. Osborne declared that crime and
| criminals must be stamped out. Crime
| is rampant" he said. "A condition
of anarchy is growing. There was
more anarchy in this court room dur
| ing this trial than l ever saw before
in my life. The very foundations of
| society were attacked by the behavior
of counsel and their conduct of the
CASE
The testimony given by the witness
about the 1900 will, Meyer and Short,
the prosecutor contended should not be
believed. Emphasis was placed on the
point that DIR. Curry had declared Rice
to have been of sound mind and in
| full control of his faculties till death;
| then Mr.. Osborne brought up the evil
dence that Patrick was still interested
on the opposite side of the case of
Rice's wife's will, against Rice, and
asserted that the defence had not fur
| nished a scrap of testimony that at
| the time he was drawing the new pat
rick WILL Rice had ever seen Patrick
| to know him by the name of Patrick.
mo living witness has been brought
| here to say that Patrick ever met Mr..
| Rice who ever saw Patrick with NJ
Rice at that time said Mr.. Osborne.
Mrs. Carpenter" interrupted Pat
| rick.
/"What time?" asked Mr.. Osborne.
MAY 25, 1900" replied Patrick.
THAT will was in process of manu-
facture long before that" answered the
| district attorney.
Counsel drew a character sketch OF
Mr. Rice, describing the life of ease
| and luxury he enjoyed while his wife
| was living, and his retirement to life
| with one servant when she died. A
man of sound brain and bent on one
design, the erection of monument
that should benefit humanity. A man.
| Mr.. Osborne declared, of pure and
charitable life like Peter Cooper.
His one MANIA" Mr.. Osborne said,
| hi xx-ifn had nhaat p0
by a lawyer into making a will that
would rob him. Patrick represented
the people who were trying to probate
that will. What would be Mr.. Rices
attitude to Patrick? If Rice was Pat
ri = ) client, Patrick must have it in
his power to prove it, and he has not
done it. l shall ask the learned judge
who has held the scales of justice Sc
evenly in this case to charge that he
must produce such evidence or be open
to suspicion"
| Mr.. Moore objected and the recorder
held that this was not proper time
to make requests to charge.
81 assert that Mr.. Rice never knew
Patrick Mr.. Osborne continued
| Never knew him as Patrick. Patrick
may have called upon him as William
Smith or as a book agent, but he was
never Mr.. Rices lawyer"
| Mr.. Osborne asked the jury to con-
slider if it was reasonable to believe
that a man like Mr.. Rice, who, begin
ming at Sc a week had amassed for
tune OF $7,O00,OO0, would choose Meyer
and Short as witnesses to his will.
| Mr.. Osborne compared the two wit
nesses in support of his contention that
everyone who could testify to Mr..
Rice's habit of handwriting was men,
toned for legacy by the will Of 1900
Mr.. Osborne faced toward the de-
PENDANT and raising his clenched hands
above his head declared:
Can anyone doubt the guilt of this
man? That cremation letter, IDIOT
cally worded as it was, must convince
any honest man of Patrick's guilt.
I'VE don't want the testimony OF
Jones. We have shown by DR.. Curry
that Mr.. Rices condition was normal
at noon on the day he died. Officers OF
the telephone company have proved
communication between Patrick and
Jones. Mrs. Thompson tells you, and
the elevator man corroborates her. that
no answer to the bell. Jones was there
locked up with the old man, the ele-
vator man proved that What was he
doing there? We know he had chloro-
form: that was proved by witnesses
Throw out Jones testimony"
In his concluding remarks Mr.. Os-
borne declared that no matter where
the jury took up the discussion of the
case they would find Albert T. Patrick
at the bottom of every suspicious cir
cumstance.
| Now l want to say in justice to Ba-
ker." he said. that Capt. McCluskey
made the charge of forgery against
| Patrick, and L, Osborne. made the
charge of murder. 1t is absurd to say
| that Baker had anything to doJwith it,
| Recorder Golf will charge the jury,
| tomorrow. and some time before night
the jury will begin the consideration
and discussion of the testimony they
! have had during the last eight weeks.
The fund for the relief of the widows
| and orphapc of the Monomov life