The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1906-10-05
THE PATRICK
MURDER CASE
HIGGINS WILL PASS 1T ON TO
HIS SUCCESSOR.
Condemned Man Not Likely to Be Exc
cuted Unless Witness Jones Can Be
Found to Answer Questions.
Patricks Strenuous
Struggle.

the celebrated case o. Albert J
| Patrick, whose strenuous struggle
to save himself from the electric
chair to which he has been con.
demned for the murder of VIM.
Marsh Rice, the aged Texas mil
lionaire, is unparalleled:
Editorially it would appear as
though almost all of the New York
daily papers are opposed to Albert
| 7. Patrick S release, though local
| ly the widest latitude is given for
discussion and a presentation of
all sides of this famous case in the
news columns. 1t may be taken
for granted that Patrick will never
be executed unless his associate in
the murder of the Texas million
alre, Jones, the valet, will stand
the test of putting himself where
he can be interviewed and interro-
gated when the electrocuting DAYS
are on. For there is no likelihood
that this community will stand
for" the killing Of a man when the
man who has sworn his life away
refuses or negleets to come to the
front and answer questions which
may be raised during the last
hours.
Indeed, there appears little like
lihood that Patrick will be execut-
ed before the first Of the year, no
matter what the last word of the
courts upon this subject. Though
Governor Higgins, from whom
Patrick must hope for executive
Clemency, is not a candidate for
reelection, he is not likely to be
willing to have the Patrick case
made part of campaign against
his administration and against the
republican party by the many in
fuential men who have petitioned
for a new trial for Patrick. And
after the November elections it ap-
pears to be far and away likely
that Governor Higgins will pass
the responsibility of the Patrick
case along to his successor, no
matter who that successor may be.
This would certainly carry the
entire subject over until after jan
uary l. A new governor could
hardly give the subject much
thought during the organizing days
of the months of January or
February. Therefore, on polite |
grounds alone, it would appear as
though Patrick would be able to
fight shy of the electric chair until ,
March l without much trouble.
Commenting upon the subject of
the Patrick appeal the New York
Tribune says editorially:
Governor Higgins has taken
exactly the right course in refusing
to act upon the extraordinary ap-
peal made to him in behalf of AL (
bert T. Patrick, who has been so
long Under sentence of death for
the murder of William NJ. Rice.
With remarkable mastery of the /
laws technical resources for delay /
Patrick has managed to postpone
the execution of his sentence far
beyond the ordinary Limit even i'll
this country of dilatory punish T
ments. The court of appeals has
confirmed his conviction, and
though three judges dissented on
technical questions relating to the
there is no indication .
that they were impressed by moral .
doubts as to the substantial justice
of the result i'll the trial court.
Patrick is now trying to get
his case reviewed by the United /
States supreme court, and if he
fails MS only remaining hope is
executive clemency. As an ap-
plicant for executive clemency Pa
trick would be fairly within his
rights in urging the governor to
secure the fullest possible informa-
ton about his case and to take into I
account all extenuating circum-
stances and doubts regarding the
evidence, but while he is fighting