The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-06-16
Illinois Boy Who Graduated
From College to Be Hanged.
NOTED FOR HIS GENTLENESS
He finally Developed Into a Desperate.
Killed a Policeman Ia Daring Attempt
10 Escape.

| Champaign. H.. June 1.-THE pathetic
story of Fred Lee Rice, a bashrul uni
versity student, who got over his bash
fulness under the discipline of university
| life sufficiently 10 become n bank robber
| and murderer may some time form the
| foundation for an interesting novel.
| Rice is under sentence of death at To-
ronto. Canada, and will be hanged July
lS When he was a little boy playing
| about the streets here he was the most
innocent OF lads. He loved his mother.
lie would never play with girls.
lie could not be hired TO appear in any
public exhibition. He would never speak
I'm school because people would look at
him. When he rose TO recite he would
blush painfully.
This was true OF him when, a very apt
scholar he went 10 the university. There
he was put through course OF sprouts
by the other students calculated 10 take
the diffdence and bashfulness out of
him.
IL did. Shortly after leaving the Uni
verslty Of Illinois he became associated
with a gang OF ''second-story" experts.
He was the cleverest OF the lot and
In most cases their leader in criminal
exploits. He was called the forger, the
scholar, the poet" of the nefarious ag-
gregation. He looked like a clergyman
and had q gift OF eloquence that aston
ished many a pleader
IL Is characteristic OF Rice that he is
the only one of the gang that ever at
tempted diplomacy. Cornered. he never
offered to kill, but, preferring soft words,
secured for himself the best of treat
ment In an extremity
Frank Stewart. alias Cannon. well
tlaA AVef f,f
the quartet to die. lie was killed in an
attempt TO escape after a Chicago West
Side ribbery Jones was the next to
pay the price. Rutledge committed sui
eide by dashing himself from the gallerey
OF the Toronto jail TO the stone-paved
court 40 feet below
They robbed bank In Aurora, Ont
They were arrested I'm Chicago, taken
back and tried. They got Il years.
While being taken back 10 the jail In
a carriage in charge OF Constables Stew
art and Boyd a well dressed man sprang
from the sidewalk near the jail and ran
alongside the carriage. He gained the
open window and tossed In a soft felt
hat This fell In the lap of Rutledge.
Jones grabbed IL and shook out three
loaded revolvers.
He grabbed one and Rice and Rutledge
took the other two. All three were hand
cuffed together but this did not prevent
quick action on their part. Jones shot
Constable Boyd dead. Constable Stewart
was fred on dozen times, but not hit.
The prisoners got out Of the carriage,
gained the street, and jumped aboard a
passing trolley car.
Jones thrust his revolver at the head
OF the motorman and ordered him TO
send the car ahead fast The motorman
refused. shut off the current, detached his
controller and beat Jones on the head
with It. Constable Stewart by this time
had gained the rear end Of the car. and
no shot Jones through the arm. Other
officers came running and the three men
were recaptured
Jones was taken to a hospital and his
arm amputated. He died from shock and
loss of blood, and without an expressed
regret for his career.
Rlce's influence over the fair sex was
somewhat phenomenal. While he may
not have had like the Jack Tar of old.
"a wife I'm every port" he had admirers
among the fair ones wherever he hap
pened 10 be. After Judge Kohlsaat, or
Chicago, had ordered the transfer OF
Rice and his companions to the custody
OF the Canadian police, they were taken
TO the Harrison street police station for
temporary security.
When they were brought out 10 the
patrol wagon two women were waiting
close by and the police caused their ar
rest under the impression that they were
looking for an opportunity TO convey
weapons TO the prisoners. However. the
men were safely taken out of Chicago and
20 Toronto. where two of them now lie
dead.