Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-02-21
VALET JONES
Tells How He Killed Million
aire VIM. H. Rice.
Cone Of Towel With ChIoroform Satu.
rated Sponge Over Face.
Details Of Plot by Patrick to Secur.
Riee's Money.

between Patrick and Jones.
Jones had told the lawyer of the ar
rival of a draft for $4,000. Patrick
told him it was time to apply the chlo-
reform now that the draft had come
and Capt. Baker was coming, or they
would lose all. Jones agreed.
Jones here told his story Of the ac-
tual killing. He said he made a cone
of a towel in the small end of which
was chlOroform soaked sponge.
Creeping into the room where Mr.. Rice
lay sleeping, he quickly covered the
sleeper's face with the large end of
the cone and left the room. In half
an hour he came back and 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 concluded
by the statement that Patrick came
to the house and removed all of Mr.
Rice'S papers.
At the opening of court, today, Re-
cOrder Golf ordered stricken from the
record a statement made by Charles
f. Jones on the witness stand, yester-
day, concerning a remark which he
said he had overheard Patrick make
to Fred B. House, his counsel. At
that time House was attorney for both
Patrick and Jones, and according to
Jones, Patrick said to the attorney that
he had acted throughout as though he
were playing chess. Houses reply was
alleged to have been that he was afraid
Patrick was a poor chess player.
hot az d., -
rick's headquarters he obtained and
gave the defendant some of the inks
used by Mr.. Rice in signing documents,
March rs, 1900. Patrick said he would
have Short and Meyer use different
inks, but Mr.. Rice's name was to be
written with the ink used by the old
man. Jones then repeated his story
of the visit to Patrick's Office, when
the will of 1900 was read to him.
Patrick and Meyer and Short were
present" Jones said. I'VE had some
trouble in securing privacy, because
a Colonel Walker was in Mr.. Patrick
office and Patrick could not get rid of
him. Patrick and Short and Meyer
were going on their vacations and he
wanted them to witness the will before
they went, in case of Rice's death while
they were out of the city. That was
in July, 1900. The will was not signed
then"
Jones said he saw the will shortly
before Rice died and it was signed.
Jones said he and Patrick had talk
about the will on the Thursday after
Rice's, death. Two wills had been
made. one dated May 26 and the other
June 80. Patrick said he had destroyed
the one dated May 26. Patrick also
said that the names of the witnesses
to the June go will were signed to the
document the day after Rice died.
do you know if Patrick had any
models of Mr.. Rice's signatures?"
asked Assistant District Attorney Os-
borne.
Yes. l gave him two checks signed
by Mr.. Rice. 1 gave him the checks
Mr.. Rice signed for my July salary. I
also gave him Some blank checks. He
said he could arrange for the signing.
That was the expression he always
used. l don't know if he meant he
would sign them himself"
What did you do for your salary?"
Patrick brought me back the checks
or check. / took the chance of getting
it cashed and spoke to Patrick about
it and he said it would be good thing
to get those signatures around"
Jones said that he showed all of Rice's~
correspondence to Patrick because he
thought it well that Patrick should be
come acquainted with Rice's business
and his methods of conducting it.
Some time in August" Jones contin-
lued Patrick asked me If did not think
v.,,s.x I.Nyrr~ ffNrr nyL
welfare He thought it would be good
thing if we could put him out of the way
He said If I'd tell him some night whe
Mr.. Rice was sleeping soundly he'd COME
why DIR. Curry could not do it and lie
replied that DR.. Curry drew the l.nt
there He would do anything that was
wanted if Il was not actually crime;
What was said of chloroform?" asked
Assistant District Attorney Osborn.
Patrick said that would be an easy
way to put Mr.. Rice away. Something
was said about getting chloroform ana
Patrick said it was very hard to get; that
one had to have all sorts of certificates
before the druggist would sell it. / told
Patrick he could leave that to me. / sent
my brother S and he sent me chloroforn1
in 4-ounce bottle.
Jones wrote to his brother again. he
said, this time at Patrfcks suggestion,
and got two ounces more OF chloroform:
Every time ! saw Patrick, continued
the witness, ''he asked me if Mr.. Rice
was failing and seemed very much disap
pointed when I told him Mr.. Rice was
gaining strength. One day he said: why
don't you give him mercury? He knew
that br Curry had prescribed mercuriai
pills for me. l told him 1t would be i'm
possible to give Mr.. Rice anything in his
meals. but that 1 might persuade him
that they were good for him by taking
some in his presence. Rice took two and
they made him i'll. He thought the iii.
ness was caused by some eggs he had
eaten He continued to take the pills.
about one in two days. They did hia.
good. Patrick was surprised when l tod
him. He gave me some pills of mercury