The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1912-12-07
wAe SERVING LIFE SENTENCE
FOR MURDER OF VILLA"
MARSH RICE IN 1900.
REMARKABLE FIGHT FOR FREEDOM
Patrick Never Gave Up Hope TOR sF'
don-spent Four Years n Oea'"
House at Sing sing-Gov-
ernor Makes Statement.

electric chair by the late Governor
Higgins in December, 1906, mas iiaoe
remarkable fight for freedom. "A
lawyer by profession be protested
when Governor Higgins committed the
death sentence to life imprisonment,
declaring that the govefnor faG no
legal right to cancel the original sen
tence and impose a punishment OF
life Imprisonment.
Always an Air of Mystery.
There has always been an ar OF
mystery in this important case Gov
ernor Dix said, and quoted from the
minority opinion of the court OF ap-
meals. which said, The atmosphere
that surrounded the defendant showed
that a fair and impartial trial was
scarcely possible"
II trust that Mr.. Patrick will de-
vote his energies to a complete vim
dication of his declared innocence,
said Governor Dix. During the past
year l have given much consideration
to this case and am convinced that
the defendant is entitled to have
full pardon"
Many Citizens Appealed to Him.
Governor Dix said Superintendent
of State Prisons Scott and scores OF
prominent citizens appealed to him
in Patrick's behalf.
The pardon was mailed Wednesday
to Warden John S. Kennedy of Sing
Sing, and Patrick was released upon
its receipt.
It is said Patrick plans to return
to New York as claimant for the
millions left by the aged man with
whose murder he was charged.
Has Never Given Up Hope.
At no time during his long incar-
ceration in Sing Sing, four years OF
which were spent in the death house,
has Patrick given up the hope OF gain
ing his freedom. Letter after letter
! has been received at the executive
chamber urging that he be pardoned,
! and each successive governor since
Governor Odell has been asked to ex-
| tend executive clemency.
| Governor Higgins was so impressed
with the prisoners plea that he grant
led him three respites and eventually
scommuted his sentence from death to
! Tie Imprisonment.
Valet Confessed to Murder.
Patrick was charged with having
oho <Ia of
not by his own hand, but through the
agency of Charles F. Jones, valet
! employed by Rice. 1t was principally
upon the testimony of Jones, who
confessed to having administered
chloroform to Rice a. the beouest of
| Patrick while Rice was asleep, that
| Patrick was convicted.
Jones escaped punishment and has
long been able to hide his identity
from the public. At last reports he
was said to be in Texas
Originally Sentenced in 1902.
Patrick was sentenced originally
April z, 1902, to die the week com
mencing May 5, and was Immediately
taken to Sing Sing lighthouse An
appeal was taken and on June l, 1905,
the conviction was affirmed by the
court of appeals. The court later de-
MED an application for rehearing
and fixed the week OF August Is, 1905,
as the date of execution.
Former United States Senator
David B. Hill argued Patrick's case
before the court of appeals and Pat.
rick was brought to Albany from Sing
Sing to hear the arguments.
Eventually the case was taken to
the United States supreme court,
which dismissed the appeal for want
nf jurisdiction,
| Jones Admitted Murder.
When the aged millionaire wa.
found dead in the bed one morning,
the coroner decided he had simply
succumbed to old age, but suspicious
arose. Ten days afterward q certifi
cate bearing Rices name was deposit
ed in bank 1t : eclared to be a
| forgery, On .Llv myth of this,
murder was whlspe Valet Jones
was arrested. He led to commit
suicide in the Tombs He alleged that
Patrick had influenced him to do so.
Suddenly he broke down and stated
he was the actual murderer of his
master, but the deed was committed
at the instigation of Patrick
Stories Were Conflicting.
He told many conflicting storiea.
He said he killed his master with am.
monia, then that he gave him some
gray pills which Patrick had pro
cured, and that finally he had satu-
rated sponge with chloroform and
held it to the old mans face until he
died. He stuck to this latter story
on the stand and purchased immun-
ity by his confession Medical ex-
perts testified that Rice's lungs show.
ed he had been killed by chloroform.
On the other hand, Patrick called ex.
perts who maintained that there was
10 such evidence.
Claims of the State.
The state claimed the motive for
the murder was found in Rice's will.
There was one executed in 1896, in
which the old man left his fortune to
the Rice Institute of Houston, Texas.
will of more recent date left all of
the money to Patrick, to be admins
tered in philanthropic work under Pat
rick's direction. Patrick denied all
the accusations and persistently con-
tended that the old man died a nat
ural death. He led his own defense
and in ALI of the remarkable attamnts