The Sentinel=record., 1912-11-28
AFTER SERVING TEN YEARS OF A LIFE SENTENCE HIS ciTI-
 zENsHIP RESTORED.
IS GRANTED A FULL PARDON
Originally Convicted Of Instigating Murder of Millionaire Wice and Sentenced to Die-covernor
 commuted Sentence.

Albany, N. r., Nov. 27.-Albert T.
 Patrick, who is serving a life sem
 tence in Sing Sing prison for the mur- der of Wm. Marsh Rice, an aged mil- lionaire, in New York, on Sept. 23.
 1900, was pardoned tonight by Gov. Dix.
 Patrick, who was saved from the electric chair by the late Gov Hig- gins ill December 1906, has made a
 record fight for freedom. A lawyer. by profession, he protested when Gov | Higgins commuted the death sentence to life imprisonment. declaring tha1
 the governor had no legal right to can
 eel the original sentence and impose punishment of life imprisonment There has always been an air Of 1 mystery in this important case" Gov Dix said. and quoted from the minor ity opinion of the court of appeals
 which said the atmosphere that sur rounded the defendant showed that
 fair and impartial was scarcely pos sible
 Il trust that Mir. Patrick will de-
 vote his energies to a complete vindi- l cation of his declared innocence. said
 Gov. Dix
 During the past year I have given
 much consideration to this case and am convinced that the defendant IS entitled to have full pardon" Gov. Dix said Superintendent Of State Prisons Scott and scores O. prominent citizens. appealed 10 him in Patricks behalf. The pardon was mailed tonight to Warden John S. Kennedy of Sing Sing and Patrick may be released tomor- TOW upon it's receipt.
 It is said Patrick plans to leave for St. Louis, the home of John F. Milli- ken, his brotheT-in-law, but may re- turn later to New York as a claimant for the millions left by the aged man with whose murder he was charged. Mr Alilliken aided Patrick in his fight for freedom and if is reported will assist him in his efforts to prove his innocence.
 At no time during his long incar- eeration in Sing Sing. has Patrick given up the hope of gaming his free dom Letter after letter has been re- ceived at the executive chamber, u-g ing that he be pardoned and each successive governor since Gov. Odel has been asked to extend executive
 olemency.
 Gov. Higgins was so impressed
 with the prisoners plea that he grant ed him three respites and eventually ! l.t- ft4
 life imprisonment V Patrick was charged with having brought about the death of Mir. Rice.
 not by his own hands but through the agency of Chas. F. Jones. a valet employed by Rice It was principally
 upon the testimony of Jones who con- 1 fessed having administered chloro- l form to Rice at the behest 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 ne
 was said to be in Texas.
 In saving Patrick from the death
 chair, Gov Higgins gave these req sons:
 1 Tt is not claimed that Patrick com mtted the murder ill person but that l he procured the act to be done. He has been convicted principally upon l the testimony of Charles F. Jones,
 who confessed that he murdered his master while he lay asleep, instigated l by Patrick, and Jones by this testi. mony has purchased his own immun. | ity from trial or punishment Neither | this fact alone nor the review of any question of fact already passed upon | by the courts at some stage of these proceedings would seem to me to war rant interfering with the judgment of death pronounced against the de | fendant; but three of the seven judges lofthe court of appeals were so strong l ly of the opinion that errors were committed at the trial which were substantially prejuducial to the rights of Patrick, that I feel that the death penalty ought not under these circum- stances to be inflicted"
 Patrick was sentenced originally | April IT. 1902, to die the week com. mencing May 5 and was Immediately taken to Sing Sing death house. An appeal was taken and on June i, 19A5, the conviction was affirmed by the court of appeals The court later denied an application for rehearing and fixed the week of August 25, 1900 as the date of execution. Former United States Senator David B. Hill argued Patrick's case before the court of appeals and Patrick was brought to Albany from Sing Sing to hear the arguments.