The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-07
MURDER Of WEALTHY
LAWYER PJzZLIHG
Vendetta Is Believed to Have
Led to Death
vICTIM IS NOT ROBBED
Police Believe That William l.. Rice
Met His Death Mt the Hands of
an Italian Boy Through
Revenge

Cleveland. Ohio. August 6-(special)-
That vendetta Induced by a scoring
given a youthful Italian caddie employed
in the Euclid club golf links by prom
inent lawyer may be responsible for the
Staying last night of William L. Rice, a
wealthy lawyer, within sight of his home
on Euclid Heights. is the belief of the
police and detectives of the city and
county The officers, after investigation
today, scout the theory of robbery adj
vanced by Cleveland Heights village Off
GERS. They point to the fact that on Mr..
Rice was found S1S4 in money, gold
watch, an opal stick pin and golf cuff
links, studded with diamonds They de-
clare robbers would have taken their loot
after going to the desperate extent of
staying.
Information obtained from the home of
Mrs. Rices relatives in Norwalk, Ohio.
and from John Crimes coachman for the
Rice family, also weighs heavily. The
coashman told detectives of a grudge
nursed by youthful caddie on the golf
links because Mr.. Rice some time ago in
terfered in a quarrel between the caddie
and a former master caddie, LaFeVre
LaFevre had forbidden the caddies to
shoot craps and the Italian caddie at
tackled LaFevre with a golf stick. Rice
tnterfered and then scored the caddie
roundly. The caddie was dismissed and
Is said TO have threatened 10 ''get even.
Relatives of Mrs. Rice in Norwalll have
told of dynamite threats being directed
to the Rice family, threatening the de-
struction of the Rice home on Euclid
Heights The police guarded the house
for a time. The eaddie, who went TO
Erie Pa, from Cleveland, is known TO
have refused recently. He is being
sought by the police tonight.
Deputy Coroner Droege also scouts
the robbery theory. He believes from
the cuts on Mr. Rices hand made by
a sharp knife or razor that the lawyer
fought off his assailants for time
until one of the two supposed assail-
ants resorted to the use of his re-
yolver. bullet entered the lawyers
right eye, killing him instantly. An
other bullet grazed the lawyers temple.
The deputy coroner thinks both shot
were fired afteh the lawyer had been
thrown to the ground or had fallen.
He SAYS marks en- the head indicate
that a black Jack or club was used to
strike Mr. Rice before he was shot
Mrs. Rice, who had just been es-
tablished with her four daughters in
the Rice summer home in Weano, Mas -
by Mr.. Rice, who intended to return
to them there next week. is en- route
here. She is expected to aid the police
in working out the vendetta Theory.
A reward of $4,000 has been offered
by Mr.. Rice's associates, Judge c. j..
Blandin and Frank II. CHM, his law
partners and several other attorneys,
for the capture of the murderers,
Belief In Robbery Theory
Boston, August 6.--That William /.
Rice, the Cleveland lawyer. was nur-
dered by robber is the belief of his
widow and her brother Alfred Granger
who, with Mrs. Rice's four children
passed through Boston late today on
the way to Cleveland from their sum
mer home at Wanna, on Cape Cod.
MY husband did not have an enemy
in the world" said Mrs. Rice. He was
murdered by robbers. l am sure
Mrs. Rice was leaning heavily on the
arm of her brother when seen at the
South station and appeared 10 be near
Nv frustrated