The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-04-01
THE ELECTRIC CHAIR
WATTS FOR PATRICK
He is Found Guilty of the
Murder of Rice.
QUICK WORK BY THE JURY
Took But Threa Hours cf Deliberation
to Reach Verdict
QUICK WORK BY THE JURY
THE TEXAN DIED BY THE HAND OF JONES
But Patrick's Was the Brain That Conceived
ard Direc'ed the Crime, the Object
Being 10 Obtain Rice's Vast
(By the Associated Press.)

(By the Associated Press.)
New York. March 26.-Albert T. Pat
rick. lawyer. was this evening convicted
of the murder on September %, 1900, of
the aged millionaire r%ecluse. William
Marsh Rice.
The penalty under the statute is death
in the electric chair.
A scant three hours of elaboration at
the close of the trial prolonged for nine
weeks. and replete with sensational in
terest, sufficed to enable the jury to
reach their verdict. The issue of the
trial establishes the charge that Patrick
conspired with Mr.. Rice's valet, Charles
F.. Jones, to obtain possession of the
aged Texans estate, estimated at
81, 0OO, 900, and that Jones killed his en-
ployer by the administration of chloro-
form. at the direct instigatiOn Of Patrick.
At the close of Recorder Golf s charge,
which occupied the morning session of
the court, the jury retired. This was at
$50 D. m. At 5:55 they notified the off
Ger in charge that they were ready to
return to court, rather more than an
hour of the intervening time having
been devoted to luncheon.
In anticipation of a scene of excitement
in the event of a verdict of guilty, the
unusual step was taken of ordering all
women to leave the court room. Among
them We're the prisoners two sisters and
| Mrs. Francis, with whom he boarded.
With grave faces the members Of the
| jury filed into their places and some
minutes of painful tension elapsed, while
| messengers we're endeavoring to find the
counsel, who had departed, not expecting
a verdict for many hours.
Calm as ever and with confidence seem
ingly mistaken, the prisoner was escort
ed into the court room. He walked
| rapidly and took his stand facing the jury
with head erect and hands loosely
clasped behind his back.
At the word guilty not-the slightest
change passed over Patrick's face, and
he remained standing in an almost list
less attitude while the customary poll Of
the jury was being taken. His aged
father, Captain Patrick, started for an
instant as its import reached him and
then sat calmly awaiting the further
| proceedings.
A smile of triumph lit up the face
of Assistant District Attorney Osborne,
who FASTENED from the court Immediate
ly after Recorder Golf had, at the re
quest of the prisoners counsel, fixed on
a week from Monday as the day on which
to pronounce sentence.
The verdict was known almost imme-
! diately in the corridor, where the wo-
men relatives and friends of the prison
er were waiting. Screaming Historically,
the prisoners eldest sister ran about the
corridor, begging to be allowed to see
her brother.
Mrs. francis tainted and on recovering
broke from the attendants and rushed
into the court room, from which Patrick
had just been removed. There she again
swooned. Both women were removed to
an ante-fOom and were sent home in a
carriage.
None of the jurors could be induced to
reveal how the verdict had been reached,
| an agreement having been made to tell
nothing.
A motion will be made for a new trial
when the prisoner is arraigned for sem
tence.
There are three main propositions in
this case" the Recorder said in his
charge TO the jury. And if they fail of
satisfactory proof the whole fabric of the
prosecution fails. The propositions are
first, Did Charles T. Jones, on September
%, 1900, with the intent TO kill, place u
towel cone with a sponge saturated with
chloroform over the face of William II.
Rice; second, did William NJ. Rice die
from the effect of chloroform and from
no other cause; third, did the defendant
with the intent to procure the death OF
! William NJ. Rice, counsel and induce
Jones to place the chloroform over his
face.
IF you find that Patrick did counsel
Jones and that Jones did kill Mr.. Rice
the guilt of the defendant is not les
sened because Patrick was not present.
Neither shall you deem it lessened if
you find hat Jones was easily induced
to do the murder.
The fact that Jones is a self-con-
fessed murderer, does not make him an
ncompetent witness. But the evidence
of such an ~accomplice should be received
With great caution.
You must take into consideration
Jones apparent f%rankness in telling of
his own part in a treacherous murder.
Then you will ask yourselves was he
actuated by a motive to sacrifice Pat
rick to save himself?
If so, why did he select Patrick?,
Attorney House, of counsel for the de-
tense. said tonight:
I'VE can do nothing until a week from
next Monday. We will then make the
usual motion for a new trial, which. of
course, will be denied, and then we will