davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-06-18
BODY

that Mrs Francis obtained the privilege
of visiting Patrick in his cell at Sing
Sing Her husband Was sentenced on
April I, 1904, to die in the week begin
ming May 5.
At the trial before Recorder Golf Jones,
the valet, told his gruesome story, assert
ing that Patrick had drawn up the second
viii of w NJ. Rice and the assignment
OF the property, and had induced Jones
to fill out checks aggregating $3.50, 600,
all of which ne had persuaded Rice to
sign; that. having obtained these, Pat
rick administered the poisous to Rice.
jones admitted his own share in the
transactions, but pleaded that he was
Under the spell Of Patrick's hypnotic
power.
Such a confession as this Is almost
valueless in court unless it's essential
points be corroborated. There was no
direct confederation Of the poisoning
theory, except the testimony of the doc
tors who made the autopsy. It is this
which Patrick now attacks. realizing
that if It can be discredited the whole
fabric of the prosecution must fall to
the ground
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-06-18
@The Little Woman in Black"

Last October he sent to C. " Collins.
State superintendent of prisons, an elab-
orately worked-out set OF plans for q
new deathhouse. He had learned by ex-
perience of the inadequacS of the pres
ent quarters for condemned men and by
report that the State was considering
reconstruction- His mans had much
merit, but were rejected in favor OF
those of an ARCHITECT
In all this work Patrick has been
helped immensely by his wife. who has
devoted herself TO the cause of proving
him innocent. She is living in New York.
but has never missed calling on her hus-
band On any Thursday afternoon (the
only allowable visiting ds41 since he was
sent to Sing Sing.
BY her frequent visits to the peniten-
tfary Mrs Patrick HIS become well
known to many Of the TRUSTEES there
and has gained their sympathy and re-.
spect Always she is referred to as the
little woman IN black She ste:.dfastiy
reiterates her belief in her husbands
innocence, and says she will stand by
him to the end. no matter what that end
may be. Surely there must be much
good about a man who inspires such
love and faith.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-06-18
Educated Himself in Medicine.

Patrick's fight for life brands him a
clever man, so clever in fact that to the
casual observer 1t seems incredible that
he could have been so clumsy in the
preparation of crime as he must neces-
sarfly have been if he is in truth guilty
Of tho murder of Rice. Sitting in his cell
without visitors except his wife and
Samuel Bell Thomas his 1awyer-they
were allowed to see him once a week
he has practically educated himself in
the science of medicine and if his claims
be true. he has enabled medical juris-
prudence to take a great stride in ad-
vance medico-lega1 society in New
York has investigated along the lines
suggested by Patrick and has given
the opinion that the prisoner is correct
In his theory. Thereby hangs a tale and
thereby man may not hang
In order 10 fully understand the work
That Patrick has done while confined In
the death cell it is necessary to know
something of the story Of Rice's death
and the suspicious circumstances which
surrounded IL.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-06-18
Of English Stock.

Mrs. Mason is AMI Ohioan and the
daughter Of a well-known Ohio jurist,
Judge Matthew Birchard. Fine old
English stock is hers. as she is lineal
descendant Of sturdy BritonS who
crossed to the American colonies in
search of religious and political free
dom 800 years ago. Her family name,
Birchar2, recurs frequently IN the an
nails of the Indian and French wars in
the New England States, and anyone
who has known her strong personality
is not surprised to learn that Dutch
and Huguenot blood flowed in the veins
Of her early progenitorS.
In Cleveland, where her husband was
editor and part owner of the Cleveland
Leader, Ms Mason was prominent in
social ard charitable life, and since
her twenty-five years residence in
Europe. while her husband has served
as consul and consul general. success
sively, at Basic, Switzerland; Mar
settles, FraEce; F'raukfort-on-the-N Main
and Berlin, she has acquired an interna-
tionai reputation as a woman who typi-
fies in high degree the cardinal virtues
Of American femininity-charn. tact,
cordiality, and sympathy OF nature
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-06-18
LONG PAsToRATEs IN NEW YORK.

In our note on the thirty-ffth ami
versary of the pastorate of the Rev. DR..
Robert S. Macarthur, we quoted the
statement in his sermon that only three
clergymen in New York are in the same
pulpits as when his pastorate began In
1870" Mr.. Macarthur and we also failed
to discover two pastors of our church
who for even a longer period have been
exercising an efficient and wide-reach-
ing. even if less conspicuous. ministry
than any of those named by the pastor
OF Calvary Baptist Church. The Rev.
John II. Oerter. D. D., has been past0R
of the Fourth German Reformed Dutch
Church. now in Fortieth street, since
1858, nearly fifty years, and is yet doing
admirable service. combining as he does
unusual scholarship with practical wis
dom. The Rev. julius w. Geyer, D. D..
for nearly as long, or forty-two years.
has been the beloved and honored pastor
of the German Evangelical Church. In
Houston street. If account be taken q
pastors in Greater New York, mention
should be made of the thirty-six-year
passionate of the Rev c. D. T. Stein
fuITer. D. u, in the Second Church OF
S-oria. Our German churches seem g
find good men as. pastors and have the
wisdom TO hold on TO them.-Christiau
1nteiligencer.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-06-18

weak point IN the case against him was
IN the evidence of the doctors.
He began studying anatomy. In the
death cells prisoners may read and
write. and the prison library is open Ia
them. Books on anatomy Were procured
for him by his wife and he read them
carefully and hungrily till ne had mas
tered his subject. Books on the effects
Of poisons and treatises on embaIming
followed in rapid succession. His clever
brain selected the material needed to
prove that William Marsh Rice died a
natural death. that the pathologists of
the prosecution Were mistaken in as
sorting that the condition of the dead
mans lungs indicated chlorcform pois-
oning, and he built up theory Of in
nocence which was SO ingenious. 50
plausible. SO probable, that had it been
used at the fret trial Patrick might to-
day be free man instead OF waiting
in the shadow Of felons death
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-06-18
Rice and Patrick Meet.

The paths of Patrick and Rice had
crossed through the lawyer being en-
gagged as attorney by Col. 0. T. Holt, of
Texas. cxecutor of Mrs. Rices estate
in negotIa tons for compromise of the
contest over her will. Patrick said at
the time that he was trying to induce
Mr.. Rice TO pay $250,0O0 to settle the
case. Jones. the valet. said in one of
his statements that Rice did not know
Patrick personally, but that Patrick
had passed himself off in the old miser's
apartments as his Jones) friend. Jones
and he had met originally through an
advertisement Patrick had published
asking for information about the heirs
OF Mrs. Rice.
After the arrest of Patrick and Jones
the investigation continued The prose-
cutting officers were assisted by Captain
Baker and other lawyers from Texas,
who represented the Rice Institute
Their activity in the matter was due to
a desire to win probate for ths will of
1896, by which the institution they repre-
sented would receive several millions,
and to prove the will Of 1900 a forgery.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-06-18
A Wife Need Not Testify.

Patrick was taken back to the Tombs
after his conviction. there to await SEN
tence. Under sentence of death he
could receive visits in Sing Sing only
from his lawyer and wife. Mrs Francis
had stood legally by Patrick through
out his trial, and now, in his hour Of
direst necessity, she did not desert him
She knew that Patrick desired to wed
her. but that he was deferred from sug-
costing 1t by a feeling of chivalry feel
ing that a condemned murderer had no
right to ask any woman to become his
wife. She learned that the Tombs off,
Gals would admit no one to Patrick S
cell except she and Mr. Thomas. who
had just been called in as counsel Mr.
Thomas was an old school-fellow of
Patrick and had been sent fer IN the
original instance as friend. He knew
the provision of the new law. which
made valid any marriage contract sign
ed before notary public and filed in
the county clerks office. So he took
Mrs. Francis TO the Tombs They met
Patrick in the consultation room and
signed the marriage contract. It was
all over IN q few seconds and none of
the prison wardenS or turkeys knew
what happened.
Then Mrs Patrick went home. leav-
ing her husband to spend his honeymoon
alone in his cell. The following morning
Mr.. Thomas presented the certificate
signed by himself as a notary public Che
had had himself made q notary public
for the occasioD). to the county clerk. 1t
was the first Of its kind and Mr.. Scully
refused to file it. Mr.. Thomas hurried
out. ceefsulted one >of the judges. and
when he returned to his office he ac-
cepted the certificate and placed it on
file.
J.. was by this extraordinary method
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-06-18
The Fatal Checks.

The checks aroused no suspicion, but
as in one of them the name of the payee
was written Albert T. Patrick and
in the other merely Albert Patrick
Swenson's cashier called up Mr. Rice on
the telephone to ask If they were all
right. Jones, the valet, answered the
telephone and assured the bankers that
1t was simply slip of the pen, he hav-
ing made out the checks the previous day
and Rice having signed them. The bank
ers asked that Mr. Rice come to the
phone. Jones rang off, called up Patrick
and, after conversation with him. call
ed up Swenson Sc Co. again and told
them that Rice had just died.
An investigation by the coroner and
police followed.
1t turned out that Patrick held an as
signment of Rice's estate checks for
$4,000 signed by Rice. and also a will.
by which he was made the residuary
legatee Of an estate worth more than
S, 00o, 600 Rice's funeral was stopped. an
autopsy was held and the body was Gre
mated. The autopsy revealed that the
body had been embalmed and DR.. Wit
thaus discovered traces of mercury In It
Patrick and valet Jones were arrested,
charged with forgery.
On October u will of w. NJ. Rice's.
dated 1886. was filed for probate, and on
November 30 another will. dated a few
weeks before Rice's death. was filed
The 1886 will made q few requests to
relatives and left the rest of the estate
to found the Rice Institute at Houston,
Texas, an institution Gsich was des-
tined to become something on the lines
of the Cooper Institute in this city. The
1900 Will left only $4,000 to the insti-
tete, largely increasing the requests to
relatives, and made Albert T. Patrick
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-06-18
With answering Energy
Convicted Murderer
Fights Doom.
Learned Medicine While
lncarcerated IN His
Prison Cell.
His Crime Was Clumsy
Compared With Later
Cleverness

~ oNFINED in the death cell. the
thought constantly with him
that he must die, many a man
would have lost his nerve
utterly and despondently awaited the
rope or the electric chair, others would
have cursed providence and died, and
still others would have turned their
hand to religion and endeavored to work
upon the sympathies of clergymen and
women. Albert T. Patrick, convicted Of
the murder of William Marsh Rice
miser and millionaire, did none of these
things
With infinite care. his brain alert as
never before, this lawyer has lahored
for four years-the last two years and
eight months in the death cell at Sing
Sing-to save himself The odds with
which he has had to contend have been
great, but by his answering pe.seyer-
ance he has put off the fatal day for
nearly three years, ard although the
court of appeals at Albany by a vote of
4 to denied him a new trial, 1t now
appears and is confidently asserted by
his counsel. David B. Hill, that a new
trial will be obtained, if not by appeal
TO the New York court, through the SUI
preme Court of the United States This
is a great victory for the man who kept
his head in the face of the confession of
an alleged accomplice. the valet of the
misery millionaire, who turned State
evidence.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-06-18

Wife Of Consul General
at the German Capital
Very Popular.


MEXICAN life in Germany, and
~ particularly in Berlin, will SUI
~ fer a much-regretted loss in the
departure next fall of Mrs.
Frank H Mason. wife of the retiring
United States consul general who has
been transferred to Paris as reward for
long and meritorious service in the
consular branch of Uncle Sans for
eign relations.
Mrs. Mason is known for her hOSpf-
tally and kindness from one end of
the United States TO the other by red
son of having "mothered" hundreds OF
American girls from every State and
Territory Of the Union who have been in
Berlin during the past seven years for
the study of music. art, and languages.
Notwithstanding that she Is socially
outranked by the wife of the American
ambassador. according to the Hoyle Of
diplomatic etiquette, she has ranked in
disputably as the real mead OF the ex-
tensive American colony in the Kaiser's
capital. Her pretty home in the smart
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES is the center
Of the seasons most delightful must
Gales. teas, and Eat homes and the
common meeting grounds Of the hun
dreds Of Uncle Sans exiles here for
temporary stay, and who are afforded
no other opportunity of knowing and
mingiing with feilow-ceuntrymen and
1y6r1ar
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-06-18
Jones Turns States Evidence.

After several months OF secret inves-
tiSation Assistant District Attorney Os-
borne obtained a confession from
Charles +. Jones, Rice's valet, in which
he asserted that Patrick had murdered
Rice, dosing him first OF all with tab
lets containing mercury, and then, this
not working quickly enough, had admin
istered chloroform. Jones made a sub
sequent confession In which he said that
Patrick had hypnotized him and that it
was he, at Patricks suggestion, and not
Patrick himself. who had administered
the chloroform. Upon the first of these
confessions Patrick was indicted for
murder. His trial began on January 90
1902. and on March rs he was convicted
1t was then tf&t romance entered the
drama which had hitherto been sordid
enough TO suit the most unromantic.
On March 80 Patrick and Mrs Francis
his landlady. were married in the
Tombs. This marriage caused a great
sensation, for several reasons. In the
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-06-18
Weak Point in Evidence

The special point he attacks s this:
The autopsy revealed congestion, of the
lungs, ana the prosecutions experts
testified that this vas due to inc chic
reform poisoning. Patrick has i.scov-
cred that embalnning. when properly
performed, will cause congestion of the
lungs. Therefore, he argues. the evil
|dence based upon the congestion is abb
|solutely worthless. This is the point
Ito which his studies in prison have led
him. This Is the point that he has elab-
GRATED in letters to his lawyers and in
the brief he prepared for Senator Hill s
guidance
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-06-18

ing house at 316 West Fifty-eighth street,
of which Mrs. Addie NJ Francis was
landiady. He took d deep interest in
politics and religion, Joined the Fifth
Avenae Baptist Church of which John
d. Rockefeller is one of the pillars, was
a regular attendant and frequent speak
er at the meetings of the Young Mems
Christian Association AMI ran for the
assembly in 1894 in the Twelfth assembly
district on the State Democracy ticket
OF these three principal actors one is
now dead, another is at his home in
Texas on parole under the care OF his
relatives (when last heard of he was
seriously ilD, and the third is under SEN
tence OF death In the penitentiary at
Sing Sing.
On September %, 1900, William Marsh
Rice died. Dr. Walker Curry, who had
been attending him for five months,
filed a certificate that the cause OF death
was "old age and weak heart-immedi-
ate cause, Indigestion; mental worry"
That same morning Albert T. Patrick
presented TO S. NJ. Swenson & Sons,
bankers, two checks aggrcgating $4,000
payable 10 himself and bearing the sig
nature of Mr. Rice.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-06-18

first place it was the first marriage un-
der a new law. which had just been
passed by the Legislature. regulating
common law marriages. In the second
place, County Clerk Scully refused to
accept the certificate. But there were
other and more sentimental reasons for
the sensation. Mrs. Francis was the
woman IN whose house Patrick had
boarded for several years. The district
attorney had subpoenaed her as wit
LESS against him, and she had amazed
the whole court room by refusing to
answer the questions of the prosecuting
attorney, on the ground that to do so
would tend to incriminate or degrade
nor
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-06-18
How Patrick Studied.

His trial for che murder of William NJ.
Rice taught Patrick much about anato-
my. He was already a shrewd lawyer,
though without a large practice. but he
had done scarcely anything at criminal
law. Having been convicted. he set him
self to work to discover some good
cause for obtaining a new trial. The
frs. thing he did was TO analyZe the
testimony. This convinced him that tie
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-06-18

Patrick has busted himself with other
matters during his Imprisonment than
his own appeal. Last August he pre-
pared the notice of appeal in the case
of Michael Brush. who was iiiso in
Sing Sing awaiting execution Cor the
murder of Policeman Enright.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-06-18

the residuary legatee. A contest in the
courts followed, which ended only in
October, 1868, when the court OF APP
peals upheld the surrogates decision
admitting The 1896 will 10 probate and
declaring the 1900 will forgery.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-06-18

will carry from Berlin four magnificent
candelabra Of ornate silver workman
ship as a slight token OF the clubs
appreciation of her unselfish work
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-06-18
His Success in New York.

He took an office with two other law
yerE at zT5 Broadway and worked hard
at his profession. He lived In a board
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-06-18

Mrs. Mason IS a music critic OF high
attachments, lover Of art and nature.
and an accomplished linguist.
Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1905-10-26
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Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1905-10-26

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Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1905-10-26

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