The age-herald., 1902-02-21
Held Closest Attention of Au- disnce During His Tragic
 Recital
SAYS PATRICK DIRECTED
 EXECUTION OF CRIME
Explains How He Made a Cone With Towel Containing Chloroform, Which He Placed Over Mill
 lonaire Rice's Face.

New York, February 20.-A very drama tic point in the trial of Lawyer Albert T. Patrick for the murder of the Texas millionaire w. M. Rice, was brought in today's testimony.
 Charles F. Jones' the valet had been re- lating the circumstances leading up to the somewhat sudden death of MT. Rice in September Then, plunging at once Into the details he held the attention of his audience to the end of his recital. Freed of minor points his story follows: .In August Patrick grew impatient Mir Rice, though an invalid was living too long to suit the laws of Patrick. Pat rick said he would come to the house and kill him himself if necessary. He suggested chloroform and Jones said he would get some. The idle of choroform Rs means was suggested by magazine article. It was determined on after Jones talked with a physician who said per son whose heart was affected, as was MT Rices could be most easily killed with 1t and that little trace of the drug would be left. Jones got two ounce vial of it by writing to his brother in Texas.
 Jones then branched off into the alleg- ed plan adopted to weaken the already sick old man. This was by giving him mercurial pills and again iron pills. The pills brought on facilitating darrhoea.
 Decided on Quick Death.
 Rice's quick death, declared the witness, was decided upon at a conference be-
 hol6 Go ofi1rd da night Jones had told the lawyer of the arrival of draft for $25, 900. Patrick told him it was time to apply the chloroform now that the draft had come and Captain Baker was coming, or they would lose and Jones agreed.
 Jones here told his story of the actual killing. He made cone of towel in the small end of which was .chloroform- soaked sponge Creeping into the room where MT. Rice lay sleeping he quickly covered the sleeper's face with the large end of the cone. Jones rushed out Of the room. In half an hour he came back. He removed the cone MT Rice was dead. Jones swore he telephoned Patrick the words, MT. Rice is very ill.," the agreed signal between the two before death. Jones story of the end was concluded by the statement that Patrick came to the house and removed all of MT. Rice s papers.
 Jones identified letter written by Rice on Sept tember r, 1900 to the Merchants and Planters oil Company regarding the rebuilding of the company's plant which had been burned. The date on the let ter was changed he said, to September 27 at Patrick's suggestion, 'in order to show that Rice was in normal condition just before his death." In August. 1900 Patrick gave him definite agreement of a settlement of Mrs. Rice's will which tba rfit nd cd unsigned to Patrick who later said he had telegrahped it to c. F. Holt in Hous- ton Texas Some time in August Jones continues Patrick asked me if I did not think MT. Rice was living too long for our welfare. He thought 1t would be a good thing if we could put him out of the way. He said if I'd tell him some night when MT. Rice was sleeping sound ly he'd come down and do it if l would not l. asked why Dr. Curry would not do 1t. and he said that Dr. Curry drew the line there. He would do anything that was wanted if it was not actually a crime.
 ed Assistant District Attorney Osborne.
 Chloroform Easiest Way.
 Patrick said that would be an easy way to put Rice away. An article in a magazine gave the idea Something was said about getting chloroform and Pat rick said it was very hard to get: that one had to have all sorts of certificates before the druggist would sell it. I told Patrick he could leave that to me. I sent my brother s5 and he sent me chloro- form in a four ounce bottle.'
 "Did MT. Rice read that article on chloroform?"
 ''He did and we talked about it. He aaid a law should be passed to prevent doctors giving chloroform to their pa tients We talked of the effect of chloro- form and I said l did not believe the effects could be found after death."
 '.Did you tell Patrick of that converse tion?"
 .I did and I gave him the magazine ar- ticle to read, and we talked 1t over. Pat rick said he had often wondered what would be the effect of chloroform on a nerson afflicted with heart trouble. put the question to Dr. Curry, and he said so little chloroform would be needed to kill A person who had heart disease that 1t was doubtful if any traces of the poison would remain after death. l told Patrick what Dr. 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 Chloroform.
 Every time I saw Patrick" continued Jones 'he asked me If Mir Rice was failing, and seemed very much disap- pointed when l told him MT. Rice was gaining strength. One day he said: Why don't you give him mercury? He knew that Dr. Curry had prescribed mercurial pills for me. l told him 1t would be inn possible to give MT. Rice anything In his meals but that I might persuade him that they were good for him by taking some In his presence
 Took Two Mercurial Pills.
 Rice took two and they made him i'll. He thought the illness was caused by some eggs he had eaten. He continued