The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-03-26
TEN YEAR fight
FOR HIS LIBERTY
Albert T. Patrick Planning An
other Attempt to Obtain
His Release
ANNIVERSARY OF CONVICTION
Found Guilty Of Murder Of EcCen-
trio Millionaire
History of Famous Case Which At
traoted Attention Of Country
Fer Years.
ANNIVERSARY OF CONVICTION

New York. March 2G.-Ten years ago
today Albert r. Patrick, after a highly
sensational trial lasting more than two
months. was found guilty by a jury in
the Court OF General Sessions, Man
haitian. of having murdered William
Marsh Rice, OF Houston. Tex, an aged
and eccentric millionaire who. at the
time of his death lived in a fine old
residence on Madison avenue, Manhat-
tan. on April Z, 1902, Patrick was
sentenced TO die in the electric chair
ON May following, but the sentence
was never executed. Immediately at
ter he had been sentenced, Patrick be-
gan, the memorable and unparalleled
fight for his life and liberty and for
the vlndication of his honor. which has
not yea reached its end.
The fact that Patrick, now under life
sentence at Sing Sing. is planning an
other effort to obtain his release under
the habeas corpus law in the near flu
turc makes a review OF this famous
case on the anniversary of Patricks
conviction doubly interesting.
Very Unusual Case.
William Marsh Rice died at his New
York residence on September 23, 1900,
under somewhat peculiar circum-
stances. The exact cause of his death
was never established, as the state
ments Of the experts conhicted The
,.,,,,t,., .to ,,,,a1 sbot ti,a s,Id pta,
had died from the effects of inhalins
chloroform. while the defense contend =
ed that he had died a natural death,
from INDIGESTION caused by oyer-in-
dulgenCe OF bananas. Tho only per-
son with Mr.. Rice az 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 az
one of the New York banks several
checks aggregating $195 600, beaFne
the alleged signature of Mr.. Rice and
made payable To Patrick. \ mistake in
the spelling OF Patricks first name at
tracted the attention of the bank 9TH
cials and when they learned that MI
Rice had died the day before. they re-
fused to honor the checks and notified
the police authorities.
Patrick and Jones had arranged "a
have the body of Mr.. Rice cremateo
and the body was actually on its way
to the crematory. when the police in
terfcred and began an investigation
Jones. Mr.. Rice's valet was arrested
on suspicion and, being put through
the third degree. confessed that. at the
instigation of Patrick he had killed Mr.
Rice by chloroforming him. After his
alleged confession Jones tried to COM
init suicide in the Tombs.
Married in Jail Cell.
Patrick. after "a preliminary hearing
on April 16. 1901, was held for trial or
charge of murder and his trial begar
on January 20 1902. 1t was shown IL
the course of the trial that Patrick nae
been the attorney for the heirs of MIR
Rice's wife who had died in a sanator'
/ ium in Wisconsin and had first become
acquainted with Mr.. Rice in thtt ca
pacity. II was alleged that it was Pat
rick who had induced Mr.. Rice to con
sent to a settlement with the heirs
Il was contended by the prosecution
that the viii leaving the bulk OF liz
Rice estate to Patrick in trust hat
been forged by Patrick and that tn
latter had persuaded Jones to kill hi
master. so as to leave Patrick's hand
free. Patrick was convicted and fCu
days later married, in his cell IN tn
Tombs to Mrs. Addie NJ. Francis, wit
whom he had been boarding.
Patrick carried his demands for
new trial from court to court an
having been refused a new trial an
sentenced to death for the third Tins
appealed TO the L. $. Supreme Cour
i'm August OF 1906. In December of tina
year Governor Higgins commuted th
prisoners sentence to life imprison
ment. but Patrick continued his fish
demanding either death or liberty. Al
ter a number of futile attempts to oh
tain a writ of habeas corpus Pat1c
succeeded to obtain such writ irOl
Justice Gaynor Of the New York 81
preme Court, which was howcve
finally denied by the Appellate DiVisio
, in Brooklyn on December ?. l9o9'