The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-03-15
PATRICK WARNED HER
MARIA sCOTFs EVIDENCE AT THE
TRIAL OF THE LAWYER.
Says the Latter Told Her Not to Talk
About the Poisoning of Mil
Iionaire Rice.

NEW YORK, March H--Charles c.
Adams. a lawyer of this city. was called
as a witness to-day in the trial in which
Albert T. Patrick is accused of the MUIR
der of William NJ. Rice. He was questioned
by L. M. Turner, of Chicago, one of the
special counsel engaged for Patrick. Adams
said Rice was engaged in business with
his father and that he (the witness) and
Rice were on friendly terms for thirty
years. He had had a conversation with
Rice some time in 1900, in which Rice gave
his views on cremation, and he wrote
letter to Patrick's counsel at the close of
the prosecutions case, telling of this con-
versation. He identified the letter. He also
identified a letter he received from Mr..
Rice on Oct. IS instructing him to prepare
a codicn altering the will executed in 1896.
The provisions of the changes desired were
not told to the witness.
Adams was not allowed to tell what Rice
had said about cremation. In answer to
a question by Assistant District Attorney
Osborne Adams said the signatures to the
1900 will were not in the handwriting of
Rice
Maria Scout a negro servant. who had
charge of Rice's apartment, was the next
sight and she opened the door of Rice's
room for Patrick two or three times. The
last time was about a month before the
death of Rice. on one occasion she told
Rice that Patrick wanted to see him. She
saw Rice write several checks on the Sat
bed linen in the kitchen stove after he had
died and she found the stove clean. Charles
F. Jones had testified that he burned the
chlOrOfOrm saturated towel with which Rice
was killed in this stove.
In her cross-examination Mrs. Scott said
Patrick told her when Rice's body was
taken away for the autopsy that she was
suspected Of poisoning him, but she said it
was Jones who warned her not to talk
about the matter.
Mrs. Isabella Carpenter, of Dunnellen
y. J., who said she was a lifelong friend
of Rice and his wife, was the next witness
She said she once saw Patrick in Rice's
room. Rice handed Patrick a paper and
told the witness he was very busy. Then
Patrick and Rice went into another room
where they talked for half an hour She
saw Rice the day before he died. He was
weak and i'll and cried when she put her
arms about him. HE seemed ashamed
and distressed at his weakness" said Mrs
Carpenter. The witness said Rice had
spoken to her of Captain Bakers conduct
of the litigation over Mrs. Rices will She
was not allowed TO tell what he said to her
Mr. Osborne. on crOss-eXaminatiOn
showed Mrs Carpenter a long statement
written by her dead husband. The witness
said she could not read it because her eyes
were too poor, but she said the signature
was her husbands. She said she had de-
clined to make a statement about the case
until she had found the right person to
make il to. and she did not think the dis
trict attorney the right person. She made
a statement to Mr.. Turner, of Patrick S
counsel about two months ago. The wit
ness denied that she had ever told her son
that she never saw Patrick with Rice.
Mr. Osborne called Robert j. Carpenter,
son of the previous witness, who identified
the statement and his fathers signature
Christian Schephin, of Dunellen, n. J.,
| testified to an acquaintance of twenty-five
years with Rice. Rice spoke to him of Pat
rick in 1900 He was not permitted to tell
| what Rice said.
Court was here adjourned until Monday.