The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1905-03-04

fully have stated that death was
wholly caused by the Inhalation of
chloroform was not found by chem
ical tests.
The COMMITTEES is satisfied after
a review of all the evidence, that
Rice died from old age, weak heart,
etc., or, in other words, from the
conditions mbraced in DIR. Walker
Curry's certificate of death, and on
which the authorities allowed the
cody to be cremated. 1t is also the
opinion of the committee that no
chloroform was ever administered
to Rice by Jones, as stated by him,
because it would have been impos.
sible not to have detected the odor
Of chloroform. either in the room
occupied by the deceased or on the
body, as the amount of chloroform
ilemployed, as alleged, would have
saturated the beard of the deceased
and retained the odor for many
hours"
I It is confidently believed that on
the strength of this report the court
4 of appeals will grant new trial to
Patrick. In this event it is consid.
lered probable that Patrick, who
has been in the death house at Sing
Sing for nearly five years, will eth
er be acquitted as was Roland Mo-
lineaux under similar circumstan-
cea, or that there will be mistria1
as in the case of DR.. Kennedy and
that the prosecution will then dis
miss the case.
The Patrick case is one of the
most famous in the annals of the
New York courts. William Marsh
Rice, an eccentric millionaire, died
at his home In Madison avenue,
New York City, on September 23,
!, 1ooo. On the day before his death
lihe ate inordinately of bananas, and
. according to his physician, he was
taken ill with indigestion the mex,
J, day and died the day following
i Albert T. Patrick was a lawyer
practicing his profession. He took
0 charge of the millionaire's affairs a
Q the solicitation of the latter's wife
: had an undertaken embalm th'
;. body and fix the day for the funer
: al. Between the hour of Rice
e death and the day of the funera
q several suspicious things had hap
t pened. Several checks had beer
y presented at tbs. banks for .certi6ca
"a tion They were all signed by th
dead man, and were payable to th
S order of Albert T. Patrick. TIL
g banks frankly admitted that th
u checks appeared to be good. Blu
t as the checks were for large amount
e an investigation was started, an,
le the net began to gather about tn
" lawyer, Patrick.
q 900, was bequeathed to him.
q Then it transpired that there wa
'e another will in existence, date
81 four years earlier, in which th
1T bulk of the estate was left to th
er proposed William Marsh rice inst
q. tuition at Houston, Texas. Gropin
ut in the dark, the polics arreste
e. Jones on suspicion, and then cam
al the first sensation. Under th
g. quee tioning of the police, Jone
made the startling confession ths
ut Rice had been murdered by Pa
to rick. Though he was in an adjoir
v Ing apartment, Jones said he ha
re not actively participated in tt
It. crime. Patrick had formed a plt
'e, to have the millionaire leave bill
'g bis property by will and found
pt necessary to take the old man
I'D life to prevent the revocation OF tt
u document. A cone, saturated wit
chloroform had been placed ovs
We the old mans face while he slep
OF and death had been accomplishe
ut according to the va1et's confession
nd Patrick's arrest followed imm
as diately. He remained cool and a
serted his innocer CO. The secor
x great confession came on the secon
h day of the hearing, when Jones, a
ne ter passing sleepless night in tt
en- Tombs, went upon the stand an
be confessed that he, and not Patric
"a had killed the aged millionair
an With circumstantial detail. |
m related cold-bloodedly how he hs
re. fed the millionaire poison, and fl
'r- ally placed the cone over his fac
,rt all at the instigation of Lawy'
he Patrick. Patrick was convicted
to and a motion for a new trial havir
m been denied, sentence of death WI
,s- i'm osed upon him. About tN