Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-03-01

praeticing his profession. He took
charge of the millionaire's affairs at
the solicitation Of the latter's wife,
had an undertaken embalm the body
and fixed the day for the funeral. Be
tween the hour Of Rice g death and the
day Of the funeral several suspicious
things had happened. Several checks
had been presented at the banks for
eertifcation. TheY were all signed by
the dead man, and were payable to the
order Of Albert T. Patrick. The banks
frankly admitted that the checks APP
peared to be good. But as the checks
were for large amounts an investiga-
tion was started, and the net began
to gather about the lawyer, Patrick.
Suspicion fell on Charles F. Jones,
Rice's valet, who, IL was learned, had
had several conferences with Patrick
Immediately before and just after
Rice's death. While the police were
striving to straighten out the details,
Patrick produced a will dated June 20,
1900, under which the bulk Of the
entire estate, aggregating S5,000,OOO,
was bequeathed to him. He also ex-
hibited several checks aggregating
100000, which had been placed in his
custody for various heirs and business
interests identified with the late mil
lionaire.
Then it transpired that there was
another will in existence, dated four
years earlier. in which the bulk Of the
estate was left to the proposed Will
liam Marsh Rice Institute at Houston,
Texas. Cropping in the dark, the po
lice arrested Jones on suspicion, and
then came the first sensation. Under
the questioning Of the police, Jones
made the startling confession that Rice
had been murdered by Patrick. Though
he was in an adjoining apartment,
Jones said he had not actively par
ticipated in the crime. Patrick had
formed plot to take the old man 8
life to prevent the revocation of the
document A cone, saturated with
had been placed over the
old mans face while he slept, and
death had thus been accomplished, ac-
cording TO the valet s confession.
Patrick's arrest followed immediate
ly lie remained cool, and asserted his
innocence. On April l the preliminary |
hearing in the case began before Jus.
tiee (now district attorney jerome.
The second great confession came on
the second day of the hearing, when
Jones, after passing sleepless night
in the Tombss went upon the stand
aud confessed that he, and not Pat
rick, had killed the aged millionaire.
With circumstantial detail, he related |
coh bloodedly how he had fed the
poison, and finally placed
the cone over his face, all at the in
stigation of Lawyer Patrick
Patrick was convicted, and a motion
for new trial having been denied,
sentence of death was imposed upon
him. About two years ago he succeed
cd in getting new trial which like.
wise resulted in verdict Of guilty.
Since that time he has remained in the
death house at Sing Sing, spending all
of his time in the study of medicine
with a view to fortifying himself with
knowledge TO prove that death could
not have come TO the millionaire in
the manner alleged without leaving
traces other than those offered in evi-
dcncc at his trial
shortly after his first conviction the !
lawyer through his attorney offered .
tho 1900 viii for probate, and surro.
gate Fitzgerald throw it away as for. /
gerry, Patrick appealed the will case
aud was again defeated and the for.
tune passed irrctrievably out Of his !
hands