Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-20
WOULD SAVE PATRICK.
1edico-Legal Society Will Petition for
Pardon.

NEW YORK, December 2O-Resolutions
asserting the innocence of Albert Pat
rick, of the murder of William NJ. Rice,
were adopted at the annual dinner of the
Medico-Legal Society last night in the
Hotel St Andrew.
These resolutions were based on a prac-
teal experiment made In the use of en-
balming fluids, which shows that embalm-
ing fluids do enter the lungs of a dead
body.
The medical experts who supported the
contrary testimony for the district atto--
ney are declared by the Medico-Legal So
ciety to nave been wrong in their conclu-
sions, and the society calls upon the gov
ernor to pardon Patrick.
The resolutions follow:
Your select committee. on embalming by
the right brachiai artery, after a full and
careful examination of the whole subject
and of the papers and evidence, and as the
result of our best judgment, re- ort and
recommend the adoption of the following
resolutions:
That when body embalmed by the right
Drachial artery, in the manner that the
body of Rice is shown by the evidence to
have been embalmed, the embalming fluid
does and must of necessity enter and suf-
fuse the lungs of the person embalmed.
"a Demonstrative Fact"
That this is not matter Of opinion, but
Is demonstrative fact, within the personal
knowledge and experience of every prac-
teal embalmer In the land.
1T must be conceded as fact that the
public demonstration on August g. 1906 of
embalming a human body in the city of
New York, in West 23d street. under the
supervision and dire iol Of the chairman
OF this committee, / Gore the assembly of
embalmers, the emoalming fluid was seen
and shown to enter and permeate the lungs
BY every person present.
1t is tie judgment of this body that this
incident was an absolute demonstration
that the fluid does enter the lungs OIL a
dead human body thus embalmed and was
scientific demonstration of an absolute
fact; that the question is entirely outside
the domain of opinion of experts a.u is a
simple question of fact, conceded and
known to all embalmers who have per-
sonal knowledge of the methods of en-
balming the dead.
After careful examination of the whole
case of Albert 7. Patrick the evidence be-
fore the court of appeals, the report made
TO this society by the previous select COM
mlttee, evidence of the medical witnesses
and Others given before the jury who con-
demned Patrick. that the embalming fluid
could not and did not enter the lungs of
Rice, we are OF the opinion that the med
zeal witnesses who swore in the case hat
the embalming fluid did not enter and
could not enter the lungs of Rice were Civ
ing testimony upon a subject concerning
which they had no knowledge or practical
experience.
Evidence Misled Jury.
Their evidence misled that jury, and the
scientific demonstration on August 0, be-
fore the body of practical embalmers was a
complete and absolute scientific demonstra-
ton of the innocence of Albert L. Patrick
Of the charge of which he was convicted
Resolved, That the Medico-Legal Society
memorabilia the governor of this state and
the governor-elect that, in the opinion of
this body Albert T. Patrick is innocent of
the murder of Rice; that Rice died from
natural causes. and Patrick should have
full pardon by the executive"