The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-03-27
10TH ANNIVERSARY
Of PATRICK CASE
Remarkable Murder Trial in
New York City Is Re-
called Today.

ASO :" OASsAs SA 0AS h CA4 ySNA
ago today Albert T. Patrick, after a
highly sensational trial lasting more
than two months, was found guilty by
. Jury In the Court of General Scs-
sions. Manhattan, of having murdered
William Marsh Rice. Of Houston, Tex.
an aged and eccentric millionaire who,
ut the time Of his death lived In . fine
old residence on Madison Avenue,
Manhattan. On April Z, 1902. Patrick
was sentenced to die in the electric
chair on May 5 following, but the SEN
tence was never executed. Immediate.
~ after he had been sentenced. Pat
rick began the memorable and unpar.
alleled Aght for his life and liberty and
for the vindication Of his honor. which
has not yet reached its end.
The fact that Patrick. now under life
sentence at Sing Sing, IL planning an
other effort to obtain his release un.
der the habeas corpus law in the near
future. makes review of this famous
case on the anniversary Of Patrick's
conviction doubly interesting.
William Marsh Rice died at his New
York residence on September %. 1900,
under somewhat peculiar circumstan.
Cos. The exact cause of his death was
never established. as the statements
Of the experts conflicted. The prose-
cution claimed that the old man had
died from the effects of inhaling chic
reform, while the defense contended
that he had, died natural death. from
indigestion caused by over.indulgence
in bananas. The only person with Mr..
Rice at the time of his death was his
valet, Charles r. Jones.
On the day after Rice's death Pat
rick, who had been a practicing lawyer
in Houston, Tex. but had removed to
New York city in 1892, presented at
one Of the New York banks several
checks aggregating $125.00O. bearing
the alleged signature Of Mr.. Rice and
made payable to Patrick. A mistake
in the spelling of Patrick's first name
attracted the attention of the bank Of
fcials and when they learned that Mr..
Rice had died the day before. they re-
fused to honor the checks and notified
the police authorities.
Patrick and Jones had arranged to
have the body of Mr.. Rice cremated
and the body was actually on its way
to the crematory, when the police In
terfered and began an investigation.
Jones, Mr.. Ricc's valet. was arrested
on suspicion and. being put through
the third degree. confessed that. at the
instigation of Patrick he had Ailled
Mr.. Rice by chloroforming him. After
hts alleged confession Jones tried to
commit suicide In the Tombs.
Patrick, after a preliminary hearing
on April 16, was held for trial on
charge Of murder and his trial began
on January 20. 1t was shown In the
course Of the trial that Patrick had
been the attorney for the heirs Of MIR.
Rice's wife who had died in a sana.
forum In Wisconsin and had first be-
come acquainted with Mr.. Rice in that
1t was alleged that 1t was
Patrick who had induced Mr.. Rice to
consent to q settlement with the heirs.
Il was contended by the prosecution
that the will leaving the bulk Of the
Rice estate to Patrick in trust had
been forged by Patrick and that the
latter had persuaded Jones to kill his
master, 90 a. to leave Patrick's hands
free. Patrick was convicted and four
days later married. in his cell in the
Tombs. Mrs. Addie NJ. Francis, with
whom he had been boarding.
Patrick carried his remands for a
new trial from court to court and hav-
lng been refused a new trial and SEN
fenced to death for the third time, ap-
pealed to the U. 8. Supreme Court in
August OF 1906. In December Of that
year Governor Hughes committed the
prisoners sentence to life imprison.
ment, but Patrick continued bis fight.
demanding either death or liberty. Az
ter a number OF futile attempts to OBJ
tain q writ Of habeas corpus Patrick
succeeded to obtain such writ from
Justice Gaynor Of the New York Su-
prcme court. which was. however.
finally denied by the Appellate Divis-
1on In Brooklyn on December 2, 1909.